Frates Family Accepts Inspiration Award at NCAA Honors Celebration
January 19, 2017 | Baseball
“Frates fits the criteria as a leader role model and most certainly an inspiration”
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – On Dec. 13, former Boston College baseball captain and ALS patient and advocate Pete Frates was presented the 2017 NCAA Inspiration Award by NCAA president Dr. Mart Emmert in his home in Beverly, Mass. On Wednesday night, his father John and brother Andrew accepted the award on his behalf from William V. Campbell Director of Athletics Brad Bates at the annual NCAA Honors Celebration at the Gaylord Opry Resort & Convention Center.
"The Inspiration Award is given to someone who displays determination, perseverance and as a consequence, serves as a role model to others," host Jack Ford said. "Our winner tonight – Pete Frates – certainly fits that criteria, as a leader, role model and, most certainly, as an inspiration."
"Pete sat (our family) down six hours after diagnosis and he pontificated to us that we are going to change the course of this disease. He attacks this disease the same way he attacked his studies at Boston College, the way he attacked centerfield and the batter's box at Boston College," Andrew Frates said. "To hear the number of YouTube videos that were uploaded and the hundreds of millions of Facebook videos that were uploaded – the impact is beyond anything that we could have dreamed."
Along with Frates, many other former student-athletes were recognized. Beth Brooke-Marciniak (Purdue women's basketball) earned the prestigious Theodore Roosevelt Award and Florent Groberg (Maryland track), a Congressional Medal of Honor recipient in 2015, was named the recipient of the NCAA Award for Valor. Six former standouts earned the NCAA Silver Anniversary Awards (Ty Demer, Alonzo Morning, Susan Robinson Fruchtl, Heather Taggart, Tommy Vardell and Troy Vincent) and the NCAA presented its Today Top 10 Award to the 2015-16 graduates.
"The Inspiration Award is given to someone who displays determination, perseverance and as a consequence, serves as a role model to others," host Jack Ford said. "Our winner tonight – Pete Frates – certainly fits that criteria, as a leader, role model and, most certainly, as an inspiration."
"Pete sat (our family) down six hours after diagnosis and he pontificated to us that we are going to change the course of this disease. He attacks this disease the same way he attacked his studies at Boston College, the way he attacked centerfield and the batter's box at Boston College," Andrew Frates said. "To hear the number of YouTube videos that were uploaded and the hundreds of millions of Facebook videos that were uploaded – the impact is beyond anything that we could have dreamed."
Along with Frates, many other former student-athletes were recognized. Beth Brooke-Marciniak (Purdue women's basketball) earned the prestigious Theodore Roosevelt Award and Florent Groberg (Maryland track), a Congressional Medal of Honor recipient in 2015, was named the recipient of the NCAA Award for Valor. Six former standouts earned the NCAA Silver Anniversary Awards (Ty Demer, Alonzo Morning, Susan Robinson Fruchtl, Heather Taggart, Tommy Vardell and Troy Vincent) and the NCAA presented its Today Top 10 Award to the 2015-16 graduates.
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