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Barron, Naples scholar-athletes share Winged Foot Award
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2008 Winged Foot Scholar-Athlete Awards
The 19th annual Winged Foot Scholar-Athlete Award banquet was held Thursday, May 22, 2008, at the Naples Grand Resort & Club in North Naples. Jack Swanson of Naples High School and Barron Collier High School's Kelsey Assarian were both given the award.
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Barron Collier and Naples continued riding high as scholar-athletes from the schools were named co-winners of the Winged Foot Scholar-Athlete Award.
For the first time in its 19 years, two students were chosen on Thursday.
Jack Swanson, who led the Naples football team to an undefeated season and a state championship, and Kelsey Assarian, who led the Barron Collier basketball team to the state championship, share the award. Each receives $10,000, spread over four years.
Eight other student-athletes received one-time gifts of $3,000 each for college.
Among them was Marco Island’s Sabrina Carrender, a Lely senior, who played cross country, soccer and track. Family members and many of her coaches, along with Lely ROTC Lt. Col. Dave Price, attended.
Being in the top 15 in her class, her sports contributions, ROTC and community involvement, earned Carrender the nomination.
“Both kids were well-deserving,” Carrender said of the winners. “When we went into the banquet it was amazing. I couldn’t believe it was actually that big and it made me truly realize the importance.”
More than 500 people attended the award dinner, while nominees, families and other notables attended a cocktail party first with keynote speaker Lou Holtz.
Carrender’s photo was taken with Holtz, then also with her parents, Jim and Lilliana, then all her Lely coaches and friends who nominated Carrender for the award.
Price, who wrote a letter of recommendation to the Winged Foot Committee, said, “Sabrina is one of the most well-rounded students I ever taught. She is at ease with peers and adults. Her self-discipline and self-motivation and the way she approaches life will be a big benefit later in on.”
Not a football fan, Carrender admitted not knowing Holtz.
“I had no idea who he was, but he was very nice,” she said.
Lilliana Carrender, from Columbia, was impressed.
“It was overwhelming,” she said of the experience. “I am not from this country and never been to an award ceremony like this. I am so proud of my daughter.”
When her name was announced and she walked across the stage the enormity of the event hit Sabrina.
“I was like shaking,” she said. “I actually got nervous about winning and having to speak before all those people. It was a good experience overall.”
Other candidates included Brian Provost, St. John Neumann candidate, Kyle Carufe, Community School, Kelana Daguerre, Immokalee, Anthony Mains, Golden Gate, Stephanie McNamara, Gulf Coast, James Meyers, Seacrest Country Day and Carl Thrushman, Palmetto Ridge. Provost is the son of Tom Shea of Marco Island.
Overall, students from Naples High have won six times, Barron Collier, five, Lely, three, Immokalee, two and St. John Neumann, Community School, Gulf Coast and Palmetto Ridge, once each.
Previous Lely winners include Ryan Krzykowski, 1993, Jacki Harr, 1997 and Eric Beights, 2002. Shannon McGregor of Marco Island is the only St. John Neumann winner.
The coveted award, established in 1990 by the Collier Athletic Club, is modeled after the Heisman Trophy. Terry Dean of Barron Collier won the first award.


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