Contact Information: Contact: Ron Arp Butkus Foundation 360.601.2991
High School Butkus Award(R) Presented to Jordan Hicks, Lakota West High School, Ohio
| Source: Butkus Foundation
CINCINNATI, OH--(Marketwire - December 9, 2009) - The second-ever Butkus Award® for high
school linebackers was awarded today to Jordan Hicks, a senior at Lakota
West High School in West Chester, Ohio. The Award was presented in-person
during a surprise visit to the high school by its namesake, Pro Football
Hall of Fame legend Dick Butkus and his son Matt.
Hicks, a 6'2", 220 lb. senior at Lakota West High School, is considered one
of the top football players in Ohio at any position and is weighing offers
from numerous elite Division One collegiate programs. He finished his
senior season with 95 tackles in 10 games, which included 65 solo tackles
and 13 for a loss of yards. Hicks led the Lakota West defense that allowed
just 8 points a game during its 9-2 season. He also is a four-time
basketball letter winner.
"Perhaps the best part of my job in coordinating the selection process for
the Butkus Awards is learning about all the incredible young men at the
high school level," said Hub Arkush of Pro Football Weekly, who coordinates
the 51-person selection committee of professional, collegiate and high
school football experts.
"My hat is off in particular to Jordan Hicks for becoming the 2009 Butkus
Award winner, for all that he's already accomplished both on and off the
field during his high school football career, and all that we can see is
yet to come. Hicks topped a strong lineup of nominees and finalists
including; Khairi Fortt of Connecticut, Jeff Luc of Florida, Dakota Royer
of Pennsylvania, and Hayes Pullard of California."
Beyond the gridiron, Hicks is a member of the J. Kyle Braid leadership
group at Lakota West, an anti-drug, alcohol and tobacco group. He
volunteers for the school's junior basketball program and has spent
Thanksgiving holidays volunteering with his family at homeless shelters.
He carries a 3.4 weighted grade point average and scored a 25 on his ACT
exam.
Hicks is just the second person ever to receive a high school Butkus
Award®, following Manti Te'o from Punahou High School in Hawaii, who
started for Notre Dame as a true freshman linebacker this fall. The Butkus
family received all rights to the Butkus Award in 2008 and expanded its
reach to include high school and professional ranks in addition to its
25-year history honoring the top linebacker in college football.
Hicks joins Rolando McClain, a junior linebacker at Alabama, as a fellow
Butkus Award winner for 2009. A professional honoree will be announced in
January 2010. A reception honoring all three winners is expected in late
February 2010, and a Butkus Award television program will air on Fox Sports
Net and TUFF TV. Details will be posted at www.thebutkusaward.com
The Butkus Award is selected by a 51-person panel comprised mostly of
scouts, coaches and journalists, and coordinated by Hub Arkush of Pro
Football Weekly. Selectors follow all rules of their leagues. Individual
votes remain completely confidential.
The Butkus Award is named after Dick Butkus, who is considered one of the
greatest football players in history. Butkus was inducted into the Pro
Football Hall of Fame in 1979, following an illustrious career with the
Chicago Bears, University of Illinois and Chicago Vocational School.
Butkus and his son Matt want the Butkus Award to draw attention to the I
Play Clean™ campaign, which aims to end steroid use in organized sports.
More information is available at www.iplayclean.org