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PERKASIE, Pennsylvania. (September
5, 2005) – In 1995, Rob Martin
began transforming the Deep Run
Valley Sports Association’s
(DRVSA) softball program to what
community supporters now say is
“the luckiest sports association
in Pennsylvania.” For his tireless
efforts Today Martin has carried
his vision to admired achievement
earning him the 2005 Hershey’s
STRIVE Local Youth Sports Administrator
of the Year Award presented by the
National Council of Youth Sports
(NCYS).
Through his exemplary leadership
Martin has shaped a youth sports
program introducing the “Everybody
Hits” program for special needs
players, implementing coaches and
umpires clinics/training, a youth
coaching mentoring program, and
more than doubling the youth participation
in the intramural program.
Martin led his association to raise
substantial funds to build a state
of the art sports facility complete
with five fields, permanent fencing,
a two story clubhouse, concrete
block dugouts, bleachers, a pavilion
and batting cages.
According to team manager Jean Denard
and many other enthusiastic supporters,
“Rob captures the essence of
our organization’s mission
for continuous improvement in player
development, fields, coaching, tournaments,
and forming a softball community
in a family atmosphere.”
Martin is dedicated to creating
an undying zeal for the girls and
their families as well as a safe
environment for all children of
all skill levels to play. Martin
humbly says, “Every girl should
experience the fun side of the game.”
STRIVE stands for Sports Teach Respect,
Initiative, Values and Excellence
and the award honors adult leaders
for their “heartfelt passion,
enthusiastic commitment and contagious
spirit to help kids succeed in youth
sports activities.” This year,
NCYS will present Hershey’s
STRIVE Awards to two administrators,
one volunteer and one coach. Honorees
were nominated by team members,
parents or colleagues and judged
by a panel of NCYS officials.
“This award recognizes four
outstanding leaders, but these individuals
are not alone,” said Stephanie
Moritz of The Hershey Company, which
sponsors the award. “They are
a reflection of thousands of other
youth sports mentors across the
nation that work very hard and expect
little or nothing in return. Hershey
congratulates each of this year’s
winners and we are proud to be associated
with them.”
Sally Cunningham, NCYS Executive
Director, noted that the shortage
of national spotlights for those
involved in youth sports prompted
the NCYS to create the awards.
“We felt it was time to recognize
them on a larger stage and to give
them the praise they deserve”
Cunningham said. “Many of these
individuals devote countless hours
each week, all while juggling fulltime
careers, families, and other commitments.”
Martin will be honored on Sunday,
October 9 th at the Deer Run Sports
Complex in the heart of Hilltown
Township in Perkasie, Pennsylvania.
The event is hosted by the NCYS
and The Hershey Company. During
the celebration, Martin will receive
a check for $2,500, which he has
announced will be donated to the
Deer Run Valley Sports Association.
Other STRIVE winners
Other STRIVE Award winners are Lenny
Silberman, Jewish Community Center
Association’s Director of the
JCC Maccabi Games, who received
the Hershey’s STRIVE National
Administrator of the Year Award.
Among many exceptional achievements,
Silberman created the “Day
of Caring, Day of Sharing”
where youngsters are taught the
lesson to give back to others in
the form of a community service
project and to help “repair
the world.” Silberman has also
been instrumental in advancing the
Israel Sport Center for the Disabled,
a leading rehabilitation facility.
The JCC Maccabi Games are an annual
international Olympic style sporting
and cultural sharing event, which,
under Silberman’s leadership,
has grown from 2,200 to 6,500 teenage
athletes. Silberman is committed
to sports being the conduit through
which children learn life lesson,
values, compassion and ethics.
The Hershey’s STRIVE Volunteer
of the Year Award was presented
to Janet Holliday, who thirteen
years ago became the chair of the
San Antonio Sports Hall of Fame
Tribute. The gala occasion recognizes
the legends in sports. All event
proceeds go towards young hopefuls
“Dream for Youth” program
which provides training to disadvantaged
children in the Olympic sports of
badminton, diving, gymnastics, fencing,
swimming, and volleyball. Holliday
is also an active leader of the
Go!Kids Challenge, a fitness walking
program for K-5th graders and the
cochair of the NCAA Final Four Division
1 Volleyball Championship.
Holliday says, “I have seen
time and time again the relationship
between sports skills and life skills.
I will do my best to continue to
‘strive’ for excellence
in sports for our young people.”
Brenda Gilmore of Upper Marlboro,
Maryland received the Hershey’s
STRIVE Coach of the Year Award for
her devotion to the Prince George’s
Tennis & Education Foundation.
Against all odds, and from a wheelchair,
Gilmore launched the foundation
to enrich the lives of underserved
county youth through productive
activities.
Gilmore coaches tennis as well as
afterschool programs, tutorial and
college preparation assistance,
highperformance player support and
tennis camps for hundreds of youth
of all ages. The program develops
selfesteem and promotes physical
activity, healthy lifestyles, life
skills, and academic excellence.
Gilmore is an example of all that
is best sport and life. She is a
role model of inspiration both on
and off the court.
# # #
EDITOR'S NOTE: For more information
about Brenda Gilmore or the Hershey's
STRIVE Awards, please contact Sally
Cunningham, NCYS Executive Director
at (772) 781-1452 or youthsports@ncys.org.
ABOUT THE NCYS:
The National Council of Youth Sports
(NCYS) comprises the who's who in
the youth sports industry. Its membership
represents more than 173 organizations/corporations
serving 52 million boys and girls
participating in organized youth
sports throughout the United States.
NCYS member organizations include
Little League Baseball, Pop Warner
Football, the American Youth Soccer
Association and the Boys & Girls
Clubs of America. To learn more
about the Council visit www.ncys.org.
ABOUT The Hershey Company
The Hershey Company has long offered
successful fundraising programs
for youth in America. Its sponsorship
of the STRIVE Awards stems from
The Hershey Company's devotion to
helping children of all ages to
"Dream, Reach and Succeed"
in everything that they do. For
more information about The Hershey
Company and its fundraising programs,
visit www.hersheysfundraising.com.
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National
Council of Youth Sports
presents the Hershey STRIVE
Awards recognizing hometown
heroes in their local
communities nationwide.
Sports Teach, Respect,
Initiative, Values, and
Excellence.
Rob
Martin is honored as Hershey's
STRIVE Awards Local Administrator
of the Year for his exceptional
dedication to leading
with an upbeat and tenacious
spirit working hard to
give his all to all the
kids for a more wholesome
society. Pictured left
to right: Sally Cunningham
Executive Director of
the National Council of
Youth Sports; Pete Waldron
Marketing Consultant for
the Hershey Corporation,
Rob Martin "hometown
hero;" Pennsylvania
State Representative District
144 Katharine Watson;
Pennsylvania State Representative
District 145 Paul Clymer.
Deep
Run Valley Sports Complex
was the site of Rob Martin's
tribute. A field of dreams
that under Martin's leadership
helped raise substantial
funds to build a remarkable
state-of-the-art sports
facility. Community supporters
say it's, "the luckiest
sports association in
Pennsylvania!
The
Martin family beam with
pride sharing in Rob Martin's
special moment. Rob with
his wife Diane, and daughters
Brittnay and Megan (in
front) loving Hershey
in a big way!
Mark
Phipps, DRVSA Past President
serves as master of ceremonies
as the town comes out
to honor Rob Martin as
the 2005 Hershey's STRIVE
Award for Local Administrator
of the Year presented
by the National Council
of Youth Sports.
Joining
in the festivities were
Martin's many supporters
who recognize his leadership,
professionalism, spirit
of honesty, and vision.
Martin has created an
everlasting zeal for the
girls and their families
to have a safe environment
for all children of all
skill levels to play and
experience the fun side
of the game.
Pennsylvania
State Representative Katharine
M. Watson presents Rob
Martin with a U.S. flag
and a Pennsylvania State
flag. Pennsylvania State
Representative Paul I
Clymer is on hand with
a distinctive Proclamation.
Other dignitaries paying
tribute to Martin were:
U. S. Senator Specter,
Governor Edward Rendell,
and State Senator District
10 Joseph Conti.
Pete Waldron,
Marketing Consultant for
the Hershey Corporation
acknowledges Rob Martin's
great work ethic that
encourages the young players
to continue to work hard
and to excel in their
sport and life itself.
The community
gathers and is proud to
be part of the Deep Run
Valley Sports Association.
It is Martin's perseverance
to inspire others, provide
coaches clinics and umpires
training and exemplary
leadership that has made
the program what it is
today.
Deep Run Valley's hometown
hero Rob Martin proudly
receives the 2005 Hershey's
STRIVE Award for Local
Administrator of the Year.
Presenting are Sally Cunningham,
Executive Director for
the National Council of
Youth Sports and Pete
Waldron, Marketing Consultant
for the Hershey Corporation.
The DRVSA softball program
is not just a softball
community, it is a family
atmosphere. The Martin
& Denard families
celebrate this special
day together. Front row
left to right: Diane Martin,
Megan Martin (holding
the giant Hershey bar!),
Brittany Martin, Sarah
Denard, Kelly Denard.
Back row left to right:
Rob Martin, Tim Denard,
Jean Denard--Rob's nominator
for the STRIVE Award.
Rob Martin implemented
a youth mentoring program
where the older girls
are trained to coach the
younger girls. He also
implemented the "Everybody
Hits Program" for
special needs players.
Jon Kutzner, Past President
and current board member
(left); and Rob Martin
(right) praise DRVSA youth
mentoring program leader
Aubrey Tatarowicz a senior
at Pennridge with a class
ranking of #1 out of 570.
The outpouring of respect
Martin has earned is awe-inspiring.
Rob received more than
a dozen nominations for
the Hershey's STRIVE Award
from his cherished friends
and colleagues!
Sharing a moment of honor.
Left to right: Deep Run
Valley Sports Association
President Hans Sumpf,
DRVSA Past President Mark
Phipps, Sally Cunningham
Executive Director National
Council of Youth Sports,
and Rob Martin Local Administrator
of the Year.
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