While watching high school football players on Friday nights and Saturday afternoons, all the focus is on their athletic ability and few spectators are thinking of them sitting at their classroom desks Monday through Friday.
But they do, and some thrive in that setting as much as on the gridiron.
Four such players from Hamilton Township will be honored for their academic, athletic and leadership skills on March 9 at the 63rd Annual George Wah Scholar-Leader-Athlete Awards Dinner. Sponsored by the Delaware Valley Chapter of the National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame, the event is 2 p.m. at Princeton Marriott @ Forrestal.
The township honorees feature Hamilton West’s Jacob Smith, Nottingham’s Carlos Almonte, Notre Dame’s Wyatt Moore and Steinert’s Jon Weaver. Each will receive a $1,000 scholarship and are eligible for larger scholarships to be revealed that night.
* * *
Smith was a three-year starting varsity lineman for Hamilton and served as a captain last fall. He was injured throughout his senior season yet still grinded it out. After missing three games,the center returned for Thanksgiving despite the pain. He earned 12th-Man TD Club Player of the Week honors, and was West’s Impact Player of the Year and Offensive Lineman of the Year as a junior.
But this latest honor is his best yet.
“This means the world to me,” Smith said. “It shows how much my hard work has paid off. It shows that the player can not only put in work on the field but be disciplined in the classroom. It was important to me to be someone that my teammates could rely on and this award validates that I have been that person both on the field and in my school community.”
It was his participation in football that has aided other aspects in his life.
“Football helped me tremendously because of the hard work and discipline needed to excel on the gridiron as a teammate,” he said. “I have applied that same mentality to school and in my personal life.
“Focus and commitment are also critical to success on the field and having those qualities helps me stay on top of school work, strive to get good grades and prepare me to be successful in life.”
The results bear that out as Smith is in the top seven percentile of his class with a 4.1 unweighted grade point average and 4.6 weighted.
“Academics has always been something I’ve focused on,” he said. “When I started playing football freshman year nothing changed. I have prided myself on my academics since early middle school. I want to thank my mom for always being on top of me to be the best I can on the field and in the classroom.”
A valuable member of the West student body, Smith is a member of GALARE and the Unified Club, and has volunteered at an elementary level aftercare program and middle school athletics program. In the spring he is a catcher for the varsity baseball team.
“What I find most inspiring about Jacob is the caring spirit that he exhibits within our school community,” Hornets coach Mike “The Meatball Master” Papero said. “I’ve witnessed firsthand his ability to be an effective, open-minded, and natural leader. I have had the pleasure to watch Jacob closely as he has participated in countless and varied activities at West and in the surrounding environment.”
* * *
Almonte was a two-year varsity receiver for the Northstars and three-year member of the program.This past season he caught 18 passes for 211 yards and was a Student-Athlete of the Month winner.
“It means a lot to me to get this award because my hard work and dedication is paying off,” Almonte said. “It says a lot about a player being recognized in this fashion because they get rewarded for their work ethic.”
That is something synonymous with Almonte, according to Northstars coach Milo McGuire.
“He was never the biggest or fastest,” McGuire said. “But he has the heart of a lion and he’ll never give up on any task. The thing that impresses me most about Carlos is his work ethic and his selflessness.”
That work ethic comes through off the field as well. While compiling a grade-point average of 3.1, Almonte has been an active member of Nottingham’s Key Club and has volunteered at several events, including the school’s Cookies with Santa Night in December.
An avid fisherman, Almonte knows the importance of reeling in good grades.
“Academics has always been important to me because I’ve always loved to learn new things and have challenges to overcome,” he said. “In the future I plan on going into the carpentry union, but I’ve also been thinking about going to college for criminal justice.”
As he moves forward, Almonte will carry the lessons learned on the gridiron.
“Football helps you stay disciplined, work with others, and keep on going when things get hard,” he said. “These lessons make it easier to focus on school and handle challenges in my life.”
* * *
Despite battling injuries through his career, Moore became one of the great receivers in the storied history of Notre Dame.
The Yardville resident was a three-year varsity starter and captain his senior year. He was the West Jersey Football League Capitol Division’s Player of the Year last fall, and was a two-time, first-team All-Conference pick, a two-time NJSIAA All-Non-Public selection and a two-time first-team All-Area pick.
But like his peers on the George Wah dinner dais, Moore is being honored as more than just a player.
“This means a lot because it recognizes the hard work and commitment I had to being a student- athlete that is behind the scenes,” he said “People may not know that on top of performing on the the field I am performing in the classroom as well. I think as a player this is a great honor because to be able to juggle both a football schedule and continue to perform at a high academic level shows character.”
Moore checks in with a cumulative grade score of 93.4 out of 100 and is a three-year National Honor Society Member. He earned the English 2 award, Honors Accounting award and Honors Calculus award for the highest grade in those courses, and earned the Scholar-Athlete Award at ND. Beyond earning good grades, Moore was Leader of Catholic Athletes for Christ and the Campus Ministry, a Head Eucaristic Minister and, for good measure, a member of the Ping Pong Club.
He also has a boating license, and realizes without good grades, his football career might go down with the ship.
“Academics have always meant a great deal to me,” Moore said. “My parents never checked my grades because they trusted that I would always do exceptionally well and I always made sure to hold up my end. I always wanted to go to a good school on top of being a football player in college so academics was always at the forefront for me.”
He found that school and has earned a scholarship to Division I Stonehill, a Northeast Conference member in Massachusetts. He will study accounting and plans on getting an MBA and pursuing an accounting career.
As the grandson of legendary Irish coach Chappy Moore and the son of former ND quarterback Bill Moore, Wyatt knows the importance of football and life.
“Being a football player builds confidence, accountability, and time management,” he said. “This all translates into the classroom and if you utilize these skills correctly they will benefit you both in school and in the future.”
* * *
Weaver was a three-year starter and two-year captain for Steinert, grabbing 27 catches for 308 yards and four touchdowns last fall while making 44.5 tackles (nine for loss) with a forced fumble and interception on defense.
“I take a lot of pride in receiving such an honor,” Weaver said. “It reflects all of the hard work, dedication, and passion that I’ve put into football. It feels great that my efforts on and off the field are being recognized and appreciated. It also motivates me to keep striving for success.
“For a player to be recognized in such fashion really says a lot about that person. It shows all of the untalked-about hours that were put in, the passion and love that they have for the game. It shows that when times get tough this is the guy that we lean on, and overall it shows what a great role model they are for the youth and motivating them to strive for such success.”
Weaver also plays varsity basketball, and when off the field and court he has a 3.3 unweighted GPA and 3.6 weighted. In giving time to others, he has volunteered at Trinity Table in Bordentown by helping prepare food for people in need; and has worked with the YMCA Special Needs basketball program teaching young players on the basics of the sport. Weaver has earned Steinert’s Student Spotlight award and Student of the Month honor.
He will continue his football career at The College of New Jersey while majoring in Business.
“Academics have always been a big priority to me,” he said. “The first thing I was told as a student-athlete is that the student always comes first. I’ve witnessed great athletes fall just because they couldn’t get themselves in check in the classroom. I told myself from the very start that won’t be me. I set myself high standards when it comes to the classroom going into everyday with a growth mindset and take a lot of pride in what I do.”
That attitude is not lost on Steinert coach Thaddeus Richards.
“Jon has demonstrated many admirable qualities consistently that will stick with our school far past his graduation,” Richards said. “He’s consistently tried to find opportunities to learn, challenge himself and most importantly grow.”
Much of that growth has been instilled by football.
“Football has taught me tremendous amounts of life lessons that I will carry on with me for the rest of my life,” Weaver said. “The biggest thing that I take away is that every minor setback is an opportunity for an even bigger comeback. I’ve dealt with numerous injuries during my time playing football but I felt a little lost after spraining my ankle my sophomore year.
“But when coach (Kyle) Flanagan reached out to me and told me that every setback is an opportunity for a great comeback it lit a spark in me that wanted to reach that big comeback. From that point forward I haven’t let any little setback seem like the end of the world because they were just an opportunity for me to grow and become the young man that I am today.”
Tickets for the George Wah Scholar-Leader-Athlete Dinner can be purchased by calling (609) 202-4166 or emailing delval.nffhf@gmail.com.
