If you follow high school football you are pretty aware of who the top players are and they get their share of accolades at the end of the season through All-Shore and All-State teams.

On Sunday another group of football players were saluted during a brunch at Gibbs Hall at what used to be Fort Monmouth and is now part of Suneagles Golf Club. 85 high school seniors were honored for making the Shore Football Coaches Foundation Academic All Shore Team by combining their football achievements with those in the classroom.

I had the pleasure to serve as Master of Ceremonies for the event which included parents, family members and coaches with some 300 on hand as each Shore Conference school had two players honored. Guests included Monmouth University head coach Kevin Callahan, College of New Jersey head coach Rocky Hager and Rutgers University running backs coach Lester Erb.

All three spoke briefly and congratulated the honorees for achieving success on the field while reminding them their academic accomplishments are what will take them a long way in and after college.

The honored group of seniors included Asbury Park’s Namir Argilagos who is headed to Notre Dame on a full academic scholarship, Glenn Brown of Pinelands who is class valedictorian and Toms River South’s Todd Stueber, an Eagle Scout who will attend the University of Connecticut on a track scholarship. All of the 80 plus had something in common: an understanding that the student part of student athlete is what truly defines success.

A shout out to Joe Martucci and Lou Vircillo for heading up the Scholar Athlete Brunch Committee along with other members of the Board of Trustees…Mark Costantino, Cory Davies, Chuck Donohue and Rich Mosca. Also on hand were Brick coach Len Zdanowicz who is the Executive Committee President and Steve Bush of Middletown North, who serves as Vice President.

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