Why Nashville Police Chief John Drake is being honored by the National Football Foundation
Nashville Police Chief John Drake will receive the top award − Fred Russell Distinguished American − from the Nashville Football Foundation & College Football Hall of Fame Middle Tennessee Chapter.
The presentation will be made during the group's annual awards banquet at Franklin Marriott Cool Springs on Wednesday.
Drake was a three-sport athlete at East Nashville High who participated in football, wrestling and track. He embraced his role as a leader, especially on the Gray Eagles football team, and credited the disciplines he acquired then for helping him to rise up through the ranks of the Metro Police Department where he was named chief in 2020.
Drake was two-way starter as an offensive guard and defensive end. He served as a team captain every year he played football from junior high through high school except for his sophomore season.
As a captain, Drake once had an East starting quarterback kicked off the team because the quarterback didn't believe he needed to properly perform a certain drill.
Drake exemplified such extraordinary leadership skills on the wrestling team that his coach Charlie Dahlgren, who had just taken over the program, made Drake an assistant coach. Dahlgren compensated Drake by paying for his tuxedo for prom.
Drake went on to play football one semester at Middle Tennessee State before deciding to leave the team so that he could work a part-time job to help take care of family. His father was blind and mother was disabled.
Longtime area high school football coach Maurice Fitzgerald will receive the Roy Kramer Contribution to Football Award at the banquet. During his 36-year career Fitzgerald coached at Pearl-Cohn, Stratford and Hillsboro. He posted a 151-101 career record, led Pearl-Cohn to back-to-back Class 4A state championships (1996 and 1997) and Hillsboro to the 5A playoffs four straight seasons (2017-20).
The Rick Regen Community Volunteer of the Year Award will go to Pearl-Cohn public address announcer Orlando "Catfish" Pender and the Art Demmas Outstanding Official Award will go to Chris Humphreys.
The chapter's former president Bob Hyde, a longtime Tennessee Titans executive who died in June after a 15-month battled with cancer, will receive the Bonnie Sloan Courage Award posthumously.
High school and college players receiving awards include Mt. Juliet tight end/linebacker Garrett de Araujo Jorge (Admiral William P. Lawrence Award); Franklin Road Academy running back Ty Clark (Bob Sullins Inspiration Award); Lebanon defensive back Brice Njezic(Joe L. Worden/Jack Redgren Courage Award); East Nashville wide receiver D'Anthony Lanier (Jim Barrom Spirt Award); Centennial defensive back Cody Williamson (Harold "Cotton" Clark/Scott Brunette Spirit Award) and Sewanee defensive lineman Quinn Johnson (C.R. Bickerstaff/Bill Pace Scholar- Athlete Award.
Seventy former high school football players from Middle Tennessee will receive college scholarships from the NFF at the banquet.
Former MTSU football coach and athletics director Boots Donnelly will be recognized for his longtime service. Donnelly stepped down from his position on the NFF board of directors in 2023.
Vanderbilt inducts 2024 Athletic Hall of Fame class
Thirteen individuals were part of the Vanderbilt Athletics 2024 Hall of Fame class inducted on March 2.
The class included Gonzales “AJ” Austin (tennis), Simone Charley (soccer/track and field), Joey Cora (baseball), Phil Cox (basketball), Bowling Fitzgerald (athletic trainer), Tom Galbierz (football), Dennis Harrison (football), Zuzana Klimesova (basketball), Lindsy McLean (athletic trainer), Frank Mordica (Football), Sara Riske (tennis), Whit Taylor (football) and Joe Worden (athletic trainer).
Dinah Shore received the the Lifetime Achievement Award.
Vanderbilt's Frank Seckar is an SEC Legend
Former Commodores guard Frank Seckar will be honored at the SEC Basketball Tournament as an SEC Legend. The tournament will be at Bridgestone Arena from March 13-17.
Seckar, who played from 1993-96, made the All-SEC second team as a senior and third team as a junior. He also was the Commodores' captain in his junior and senior seasons. He scored 1,317 career points and had 214 steals, which is tied for the program record.
Seckar will be recognized during halftime of Vanderbilt’s first game in the tournament.
Belmont's Dylan Windler signs with Atlanta Hawks
The Atlanta Hawks signed former Belmont standout Dylan Windler on Monday to a two-way contract. The Hawks were able to sign Windler, 27, after converting Trent Forrest to a standard deal.
Windler was on a two-way deal with the Los Angeles Lakers before being waived March 2 to make room for post player Harry Giles.
Windler was the 26th overall pick in the 2019 NBA Draft. He spent his first three years with the Cleveland Cavaliers where he averaged 3.3 points and 2.3 rebounds in 84 games.
PGA Tennessee Section 2024 schedule released
The PGA Tennessee Section released its 2024 tournament schedule this week.
Key tournaments include:
∎ April 1: Club Car Pro-Official Championship, Hermitage
∎ June 3-4: Tennessee Junior PGA Championship, Franklin Bridge
∎ June 10-11: Tennessee Senior State Open, Stonehenge
∎ July 29-30: Yamaha Harold Eller Pro-Am, Old Hickory
∎ Aug. 5-6: Tennessee Assistant PGA Professional Championship, Blackthorn
∎ Aug. 5-6: Tennessee Senior PGA Professional Championship, Blackthorn
∎ Aug. 12: Pro-Lady Championship, Vanderbilt Legends
∎ Aug. 26-28: Tennessee PGA Professional Championship, Chickasaw
∎ Oct. 28-29: Tennessee Challenge Cup Matches, to be determined.
For the complete schedule visit bit.ly/3P63mkq.
Sports card and memorabilia show coming to Gallatin
A sports card and memorabilia show is set for March 23 at the American Legion Post 17 in Gallatin.
Admission is free and the show will be from 8 a.m.-2 p.m. It will include cards and memorabilia from football, basketball, baseball, hockey, NASCAR, soccer, wrestling and more.
All proceeds go to American Legion Baseball. For table rental call Larry Gammon at 629-267-0103.
If you have an item for Midstate Chatter contact Mike Organ at 615-259-8021 or on X @MikeOrganWriter.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Nashville Police Chief John Drake honored by National Football Foundation
