Archie Griffin is a two-time Heisman Trophy winner from The Ohio State University.  During his high school and collegiate career, Mr. Griffin demonstrated outstanding sportsmanship, integrity, and ethics. This award is given to one middle school male and one middle school female athlete from each school in the Ohio High School Athletic Association and is the highest honor an athlete can achieve from our school.

Application/requirements LINK: Archie Griffin Application 2023

Purpose: 

To recognize one outstanding male and female athlete who exemplifies the ideals of sportsmanship.  Some of these ideals and qualities, which Mr. Griffin himself displays, are integrity, leadership, a positive attitude, academic discipline, humility and volunteerism.

Criteria:

1. The athlete shall have displayed the qualities mentioned above.
2. The athlete shall be in good academic standing, with 2.5 or higher.
3. The athlete will have participated in at least four sports seasons for Hilliard Memorial Middle School.

• Participation on a club sports team does not count towards the four sports seasons

4. The finalists for this award will meet all the procedures and criteria listed below.
5. Any disciplinary action will automatically eliminate an athlete as a candidate for this award.

Procedure:   

1. Any interested athlete will fill out the Archie Griffin Award Application, and submit it with the essay described procedure #2.
2. Essay
   • Each sportsmanship award winner will write a three-five paragraph essay on a topic to be determined by a panel of coaches and teachers.
   • All athletes will write on the same topic.
   • The panel of coaches/teachers will determine five female and five male athletes from the essay portion.
   • The authors will remain anonymous to the panel of coaches reading the essays.
   • A scale will be used to evaluate the essays, with the high and low scores removed. An average of the remaining scores will be taken.

3. Interview
   • The ten finalists, five males and five females will be interviewed by a panel of coaches/teachers via Zoom.
     • This panel may not be the same as the essay panel.
     • The interview panel will interview each finalist individually with a series of questions to be determined by the athletic director.
     • The panel will help to determine the recipients of the Archie Griffin Award.

Timeline:

1. Application (with essay) is due to Mr. Bobek by Monday, April 17^th, 2023 by 2:30pm. This is a firm deadline.
2. Interviews will be held Wednesday, April 26th. We will email you your interview time for that week.
3. Finalists will be announced via email and the school’s lunchtime announcements on Friday, April 28th.
4. The Archie Griffin Awards Ceremony will be held on Friday, May 5^th at 9am in the main gym at Memorial Middle School.

 

If there are any questions, please contact Chad Bobek @ chad_bobek@hboe.org or 614-921-7416.