Looking back on two remarkable years of sport and academia, players of the NFL Academy have been celebrating their fantastic achievements last night at a glittering awards ceremony at London’s Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
The evening was a chance to acknowledge the hard work of the players, recognise their achievements, and network with wider sporting partners.
The ceremony saw the announcement of ten awards, focusing on both academic and athletic performance. Accolades included Top BTEC and A Level Performers, Powerbase Performance Athlete of the Year, and the Efe Obada Community Impact Award. Named after the inspiring Nigerian-British defensive end, the award recognises a player who has made a significant impression on the local area. Players also had the opportunity to cast their vote for the Players’ Player of the Year award and the Team MVP title.
Throughout the ceremony, guests heard speeches from NFL Academy Director, Alison Wyeth, who shared her admiration for the graduating players. “I am so honoured to be helping the next generation of elite athletes to develop not only into footballers, but advocates for their community.
“Through the NFL Academy, we are teaching our learners lifelong lessons which provide them with a strong foundation for any future career.”
Shining a spotlight on the NFL Academy’s unique blend of athletics and academia, Alison presented awards for academic excellence, citing the motivation, dedication and strong mentality of the players awarded for their achievements.
Elia Ofusu, recipient of the Most Academically Improved Player Award was recognised for his “great desire and exceptional work rate to be the best he can be in all aspects”, as he was praised for making a remarkable improvement on his predicted grades.
Continuing the celebrations, three players took the opportunity to announce their US college commitments. Offensive line Dominic Braesch announced his commitment to Georgia State University, followed by defensive line Luke Yau Gayle, and wide receiver Filippo Petrillo, who shared details of their commitments to the University of Buffalo, and Limestone University respectively.
A full list of the NFL Academy award winners can be seen below. Congratulations to all the players on such excellent achievements on the pitch and in the classroom. We can’t wait to see what you do next.
Award
Winner
Most Improved Player of the Year
Meshach Arthur
1% Award
Seb Harris
Top Academic Performer - BTEC
Charlie Brooker
Top Academic Performer - A Level
Fletcher Cornwall
Most Improved Player Academically
Elia Ofusu
Players' Player of the Year
Sam Fenton
Offensive MVP
Andrea Volonnino
Defensive MVP
Vinnie Maxfield
Team MVP
Sam Fenton
Powerbase Performance Athlete of the Year
Giacomo Troni
Efe Obada Community Impact Award
Peter Clarke
The players revisited the stadium again today, Wednesday 28 June for the National Flag Football Championship, where they will be acting as mentors to young pupils, supporting them to excel in their matches.