“It is gratifying to see your quarterback who is now a mayor in California, or to see your cornerback who is now a chief of police,” he continued. “To see people you coached now having success at that level in life, I am so proud I stayed in high school.”
Xavier University men’s basketball coach Chris Mack, the Spectacular’s other keynote speaker, delivered a similar message about success to a room of more than 500 people on Wednesday night at the Manor House Banquet and Conference Center in Mason.
“Success to me is a state of mind,” Mack said. “If you do what you love, you’ll never work a day in your life.”
In the audience were 16 Middletown High School seniors, who were selected as the Pigskin Roundball quarterly nominees for the Jeff Wiley/Pigskin Roundball Memorial Scholarship.
To them, the message was loud and clear.
“This was unbelievable,” said Alec Fultz, who was the male recipient of the $4,000 scholarship. “Coach Boone knows how to bring people together. What a great message he had.”
The female winner, Ashley Sauter, agreed.
“It was very inspiring,” she said. “I think it’s true that you have to want to be successful.”
The 14 other student-athletes — Micah Dennis, Austin Downing, Jake Fletcher, Kabrea Grewe, Ryan Lewis, Brianna Lipscomb, Kristany Lovelace, Drew McCullough, Conor O’Hea, Darien Perrin, Hannah Roof, Kyle Schwarber, Chris Short and Chelseay Thomas — will receive a $500 scholarship to the college of their choice.
The event also saw former Cincinnati Bengal and Pro Football Hall of Famer Anthony Muñoz, former MHS football coach Jim Place and former Middie athlete Ryan Fletcher inducted into the Gold Medal Club.
“I am not a Middie,” Muñoz said. “But I’ve been in Cincinnati for 31 years and I’ve worked with so many Middies in that time, it is really an honor to be part of this group.”
The event also recognized four individuals — Steve Dillman, Doug Jemison, Ceal Thompson and Darlene Wolfe — as the Earning Your PTTS honorees.
“Everything went great,” said event founder and chairman Mark Kerns. “From the speakers to the honorees, everything was fantastic. Our committee and our community made this a great success.”
Contact this reporter at (513) 705-2852, or sweaver@coxohio.com.
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