The Indiana Football Coaches Association announced its 2022 Good Works team, which recognizes players, groups and entire teams who have committed themselves to serving others. Nominees have served to make a difference in our communities:
Joseph Chase, Ethan Gaylor and Ezekiel Sherry, Harrison (West Lafayette)
Chase, Gaylor and Sherry volunteered for Jubilee Christmas, a program that collects and distributes gifts to needy children for Christmas. In conjunction with Wreaths Across America, the three removed and disposed of wreaths on graves in the cemetery at the Indiana Veterans Home. They unloaded TVs, microwaves, computers and other electronic equipment during the E-Waste Collection Day. Before Memorial Day, Chase, Gaylor and Sherry placed flags on the graves of veterans at Tippecanoe Memory Gardens and also volunteered to help set up for the Wabash Riverfest and assist the Court Appointed Special Advocates program fundraiser.
Luke Foxworthy, Fountain Central
Foxworthy made comfort blankets for children in need at Southeast Fountain Elementary and organized a gift drive for Christmas. He also volunteered to help Waynestown Kids Against Hunger pack food to be shipped to disadvantaged children in other countries. He created and delivered Christmas cards for elderly people at a local nursing home. Foxworthy also introduced children to different animals, informing them on how agriculture works in Fountain County.
Cole Munchel, Elijah Taylor, Kolten Tinsman, Monroe Central
Munchel, Taylor and Tinsman organized and participated in a community cleanup and volunteered their time to pick up trash along the roads leading to a landfill.
Hayden Nelson, Mississinewa
Nelson has been involved in Home Plate, WeCare and community service cleanups throughout his time in high school. He has prepared boxes of food, obtained personal care products and collected Christmas toys for Grant County families in need during the holidays. Nelson has also been involved in community cleanups and beautification at the Gas City Park and City Hall.
Cole Williams, Brebeuf Jesuit
Williams raised over $100,000 for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society battling childhood cancer. His younger brother Drake was diagnosed with cancer in 2015 and Cole has helped him fight it since.
Brownstown Central football team
The Brownstown Central football team collected and delivered food and nonperishable items for the Fellowship Christian Athlete shed. In addition, every Friday night during the season football players go to local elementary schools and read to the students. The team also hosted a staff appreciation night to honor staff members who make a difference in a positive manner.
Columbia City football team
The team spent a week helping the community clean up after a destructive storm instead of attending football workouts. The team helped open up roads to residents, removed trees off houses and helped the elderly and widows clean up their property. The team created pride within their community for youth.
Danville football team
The team began their summer with a community trash pickup and also took part in trick-or-treat events with players handing out candy to young students. Finally, a group of players initiated a fundraiser where they took donations for a cheerleader battling cancer from a neighboring school and raised awareness for cancer research.
Delta football team
Thirty players volunteered to visit second grade classrooms in elementary schools and promoted literacy by reading them a story and handing out books to each student. They talked to students about the importance of reading early and often while also highlighting the valuable lesson contained in each of the stories they read. This year the players distributed more than 220 books and more than 900 books over four years to classrooms in the community.
Franklin Central team
The Flashes led a community cleanup day where teams, clubs, teaches and other volunteers join together to clean up public parks, downtown, large gathering places, schools and churches. Over 500 volunteers from performing arts groups, school clubs and other teams joined the football team to serve the community.
LaPorte football team
The team moved the Steady Stitchers to a new location, participated in Slicer cleanup day and volunteered for the Abate Spring Breakout to benefit the Play for Jake Foundation. In addition, the Slicers helped with set up and clean up for the Cajun Boil Fundraiser, the LaPorte County Fair and festivals in downtown LaPorte. The team also volunteered for the Sandcastles Shelter for Homeless Golf Outing, read stories to elementary students for the Tackle Kids Cancer Day and passed out candy and played games with children at a Special Olympics event.
Martinsville football team
The team helped the city of Martinsville clean up the streets, town square and a park for the 4th of July parade and firework celebration. Players assisted in the Morgan County Habitat for Humanity to build a house and raised money for the project at the Morgan County Fair. Players were also paired with a special education athlete and served as student ambassadors during the Morgan County Unified Track meet.
McCutcheon football team
The players completed over 40 hours of volunteer community service this year. Services included the City of Lafayette Clean Sweep, Columbian Park Zoo cleanup, assisting with cleanup at a local youth ballpark, volunteering at the McCutcheon and Subaru golf outings, performing service hours for Grant’s House and preparing and sorting food at the Food Finders food bank.
Mishawaka Marian football team
The Marian team participated in the Indianapolis Colts Blood Drive and, in conjunction with the local food bank, collected and sorted food through the Stamp Out Hunger program. The team handled cleanup and tear down for the Kamm Island Festival presented by the city. The Knights also organize a Toys for Tots fundraiser and toy drive annually.
Plainfield football team
The team hosted a spring cleanup day and organized and spearheaded the effort to assist the maintenance staff in prepping the building for graduation and other outdoor spring activities. During the annual Christmas Adopt-A-Family shopping night, the football team members assistant in purchasing gifts and delivering them to Family Promise, which assists struggling families throughout the year.
Evansville Memorial team
This year the Memorial football team volunteered with the Evansville Habitat for Humanity. They worked to prepare, seed and lay hay over the four lots to establish a lawn. In all, four lawns were prepared and readied to grow.
South Vermillion team
The Wildcats continued their commitment to “Tackle Childhood Cancer” through their partnership with the PS We Love You Fund and Riley Hospital for Children. The team sponsored a Tackle Cancer Football Decorating Contest and a pregame “Carnival for a Cure”, offering games, food and prizes for the local youth. Funds raised helped offset the cost of Precision Genomic Testing. The Wildcats partnered with the Terre Haute Visitors Bureau to provide parking assistance for the Nike Cross Country Town Twilight Invitational.
Switzerland County team
During the fall, flash flooding destroyed many homes and took several lives in the small, rural community in Southeastern Indiana. Elderly residents were stranded due to the washing out of a bridge. The football team rallied together to tear down and rebuild the bridge and reach the people in need.
Western football team
In the past year, the Western football team worked the Center Township food drive, provided manpower for several projects at Western School Corporation and provided volunteer workers to several organizations and events in the community. Several members of the program also served as coaches in the youth and flag league, volunteered to run the chains and scoreboard for the youth and flag league and worked youth and middle-school football camps.
