Inaugural Seeley Awards to honor Pioneer Athletic Conference’s finest
Don Seeley was a voracious champion of Pioneer Athletic Conference sports.
Now, the Pioneer Athletic Conference’s finest will be championing the memory of the late former Mercury Sports Editor with the creation of the Seeley Awards.
Presented by the Spring-Ford Touchdown Club, with the support of The Mercury, the inaugural Seeley Awards will be held on Sunday, May 22 at 6:30 p.m. in the Spring-Ford High School auditorium.
The Seeley Awards will be a celebration of all Pioneer Athletic Conference student-athletes, with categories ranging from Best Championship Performance to Courage Award and beyond.
Seeley wrote and reported on Pioneer Athletic Conference athletics for over 32 years for The Mercury prior to his death on June 26, 2013, a few short months after stepping down as Sports Editor.
A native of Spring City and Spring-Ford graduate, Seeley is a member of the Pennsylvania chapter of the Wrestling Hall of Fame and was a local icon for his storytelling on high school sports, often featuring the student-athlete who may not have been the first name on the scoresheet.
“Don always captured the pure human spirit of the athlete; the struggles; the joys; the successes; the losses; and the drive that pushed them to get back up after a fall, or the perseverance to ultimately accomplish their goals,” wrote Don’s widow, Kathy Seeley.
“Regarding an awards show in his honor, Don would certainly be humbled to say the least. He would probably smile, speak some sincere words (maybe more than a few) to express how genuinely appreciative he is to be honored in this way. Holding these moments close in his huge heart, maybe he would wipe a small tear from the corner of his eye, or crack a joke, likely at his own expense, as he accepted and thanked everyone. He would not brag or boast, or even think he deserved it. To him it was about hard work, discipline and loving what he did best.”
The Seeley Awards will feature 18 categories as well as two $2,500 scholarships, the Clifford C. Reigner Multi-Sport Athlete Memorial Scholarship and the Spring-Ford TD Club Outstanding Parent Scholarship.
Clifford Reigner was a 1963 graduate of Boyertown High School where he earned varsity letters in football and track and field. He was an honorable mention All-State defensive lineman and was named to the Reading Eagle’s All-Decade team for the 1960s. In track, he was a medalist in the distance medley relay at the 1963 Penn Relays. Clifford was elected to the Boyertown Area Football Association’s Hall of Fame. He was an active member of the Boyertown Area Football Association and an ardent supporter and volunteer with the athletic programs in Boyertown.
The Spring-Ford TD Club Outstanding Parent Scholarship will be open to all PAC student-athletes from any league school who submit a one-page essay on the appreciation of their parent(s) sacrifices, dedication and support of their high school program(s). Examples of what will receive consideration would be instances of volunteering, cheering and happiness for everyone on the team, constant modeling of appropriate fan behavior win or lose, and consistent public and private support of the coaches and their decisions.
The 18 award categories are:
• Coach of the Year
• Outstanding Team
• Athletic Director
• Trainer of the Year
• Band of the Year
• Best Female Athlete
• Best Male Athlete
• Courage Award
• Best Athlete with a Disability / Physical Condition
• Best Breakthrough Athlete
• Best Championship Performance
• Best Comeback Athlete
• Best Game
• Best Off-the-Field Moment
• Best Play
• Biggest Upset
• Community Service Award
• Academic Student-Athlete
• Student Manager/Trainer
Coaches and athletic directors are asked to present nominations for the Seeley Awards by April 30. Nominations will be collected electronically at http://www.spring-fordfootball.mobi/links and should include a write-up, picture and video to be considered.
Questions may be submitted to Mike Scarcelle, president of the Spring-Ford TD Club, scarcellemichael@gmail.com.
