Jerry Tolley, director of annual giving and former head coach of the Elon football team, was honored along with some of the all-time greats in football at a June 13 banquet in New York City. Several people with Elon connections also attended. Details...
The All-American Football Foundation’s 52nd Banquet of Champions honored Tolley, along with Frank Gifford of the University of Southern California, Marty Lyons of the University of Alabama, Coach Larry Coker of the University of Miami, retiring Fordham President Joseph O’Hare, West Pointer Joe Steffy, and legendary sportswriters Red Smith and Jimmy Cannon.
Gifford received the Foundation’s Golden Anniversary All-America Award. Lyons received a Silver Anniversary Award.
Tolley received the Foundation’s Johnny Vaught Head Coach award. He won 49 of his 62 games as Elon’s head coach from 1977-1981. Tolley is the author of two books on football practice drills. His most recent book, titled “101 Winning Football Drills from the Legends of the Game,” includes detailed, illustrated drills from some of the game’s most well known coaches, including Bear Bryant, Joe Paterno, Jim Tressel, Steve Spurrier and Tom Osborne.
Tolley previously received a lifetime membership award from the American Football Coaches Association and was honored with the Laurel Wreath award in 2002, the highest honor given by the State of North Carolina for achievement in athletics.
An Elon contingent joined Tolley for the occasion. Pictured at right in the first row is Bob Morphis ’32, Elon’s oldest living football alumnus; Tolley; and Dawn Pickler ’77. On the back row are Jerry Pickler ’75; Jack Duval ’93, president of the alumni association and a former Elon football team captain; Bruce Proctor, an Elon Parents Council member; and his son, Jeff Proctor, an Elon sophomore. The Picklers’ son, Brian, is also a sophomore at Elon.
The AAFF was founded in 1994 and supported by 165 colleges and universities nationwide. It was established to honor individuals for distinguished contributions to the game of football in all phases of the game.
In addition, regional award banquets raise scholarship funds that are presented to institutions attended by outstanding college seniors who are selected for exemplary leadership from a national pool.
Banquets of Champions are held in selected cities where honorees are hosted and presented with plaques attesting to their contributions. In 2003, dinners are held in Biloxi, Pasadena, Washington D.C., New York City, Tunica, Dallas Chicago, Jackson and Princeton, NJ. All of the Foundation’s dinners are open to the public by subscription. The proceeds help to support the Foundation’s activity, including its scholarship fund. Last year 11 scholarships were awarded on behalf of selected atheletes to the general scholarship fund of their schools.