Beginning August 1st, The Foundation for Global Sports Development (GSD) will accept nominations for the 2021 Athletes in Excellence Award. This annual award recognizes 10 elite-level athletes who are nominated by their peers for demonstrating a commitment to community service and mentorship.
The Athletes in Excellence Award honors athletes who have used their achievements in sport as a catalyst to inspire positive change. Previous award recipients have shown outstanding efforts in community outreach, humanitarianism and youth mentorship. Past award winners include Rafer Johnson, Dr. Anjali Forber-Pratt, Steve Mesler, and Bailey Bram. To encourage the award winners to continue their passion for service, GSD also gives each recipient a financial award in the amount of $10,000.
“In the six years since conceptualizing the Athletes in Excellence Award, we have been so impressed by the remarkable stories of athletes going above and beyond in their communities,” said Dr. Steven Ungerleider, GSD Executive Board Member. “There are so many athletes who are giving their all – not just in sport, but also in their community, and they deserve recognition.”
David Ulich, GSD Executive Board Member, shares why GSD launched this award program, “Athletes are role models, and we don’t hear enough about the positive impact athletes are making in their communities. We hope the Athletes in Excellence Award will bring athletes’ service into focus for younger generations who look up to them.”
Nominations may be submitted by individuals or organizations familiar with the athlete’s accomplishments. Any athlete over the age of 18 is eligible to receive the Athletes in Excellence Award. For more information about the award and nomination guidelines, please visit https://globalsportsdevelopment.org/2021-athletes-in-excellence-award/.
The nomination round runs August 1 – August 20, 2021.
About The Foundation for Global Sports Development and Sidewinder Films
The Foundation for Global Sports Development, established in 1996, was born out of a desire to promote and protect the best parts of sport. Guided by its original mission, the foundation delivers and supports initiatives that promote accessible, fair, and abuse-free sport for youth. The foundation achieves this objective through grants, awards, educational projects, and filmmaking. In 2015, the foundation launched its media company, Sidewinder Films, to inspire and educate audiences through films that shed light on the remarkable, untold stories that celebrate the sport of life. Visit http://www.globalsportsdevelopment.org and http://www.sidewinderfilms.org to learn more.
