Premier Players is a proud promoter of helping and making people’s lives better. We are readily involved in helping the disadvantaged through our various funds and foundations. The Community Spirit Awards serves an identical purpose; it honors those who, apart from performing well on the field, have also shown great determination in helping others make their lives better.
Let’s dive into how these awards originated, and which players have won it in recent years.
Community Spirits Awards: How did it start?
The Community Spirit Awards started in honor of Freddie Solomon, a University of Tampa college player that played for Miami Dolphins for three seasons. Then, he joined the San Francisco 49ers, where he played a pivotal role in helping them clinch the Super Bowl Championship twice. His 11-year old career in the National Football League was widely recognized and appreciated.
But, what he did next was what led to the founding of the Freddie Solomon Community Spirit Awards. He devoted his next twelve years to the youth of Tampa Bay, where he worked with the Sheriff’s department to train the kids in football, along with teaching them life lessons. Not only did his lessons impacted more than two decades of the youth, but his teachings are still renowned and appreciated in the community.
The Community Spirit Awards is an initiative to continue Freddie’s efforts to make the world a better, more helpful place. Thus, Premier Players honors a college football player every year who has impacted the lives of others through social and community service.
How does the award process work?
Each season, universities and colleges can submit their candidate recommendations to Premier Players. The submissions include details like grade-point average, on-field performance, and recent community involvement. After receiving the nominations, they are forwarded to The Solomon Family for the final results.
Past recipients
Here are the last five recipients of the community spirit awards.
- 2019: Tre Tipton, Wide Receiver, Pitt Panthers
- 2018: Jonathan Lloyd, Wide Receiver, Duke Blue Devils
- 2017: Greg Joseph, Kicker, Florida Atlantic Owls
- 2016: Travis Rudolph, Wide Receiver, Florida State Seminoles
- 2015: Matt Dobson, Safety, Georgia Southern Eagles
Conclusion
Community and social service is the best service, and Premier Players acknowledges it. Every year, we honor the player that has shown involvement in the well-being of the community.
premier players 