WEST PALM BEACH – Once the Palm Beach County Hall of Fame Awards Ceremony ended, a lot of reflective moments came to mind.
There was a slew of winners announced throughout the evening of March 25, but one arguably stood above the rest.
He wasn’t a football player. He wasn’t a Hall of Famer – at least not on this night.
He was Jackson Destine, the reigning Wendy’s Heisman Trophy winner from Atlantic High School in Delray Beach.
In what was perhaps the most moving moment of the ceremony, the Eagles senior wrestler shared part of his story to those in attendance and announced that he accepted a college scholarship to Florida State University for academics.
He shared with everyone how sports helped him overcome the possibility of being a statistic in Delray Beach. He implored everyone that with a dream and a positive mindset, one can turn any potentially negative situation into a positive one.
He spoke of the times he had to walk to and from practice in the sports of wrestling, track, basketball, and football. He spoke of the courage that it took to avoid the impending dangers of walking the streets alone as a child, sometimes in the late hours.
The current president of Atlantic’s student government poignantly shared how easy it is to get caught up in the “system”, which include drug use and any form of violence that can hold a young person – or any person – back.
“Because of my commitment, I can say that I escaped the shooting life,” Destine said. “Sports gave the confidence to know I can be successful.”
For that, and so much more, Destine received a standing ovation before and after his memorable speech.
There were other moments that stood out as well.
Forest Hill head coach Jude Blessington, who won the Andrews-Ceravolo High School Coach of the Year Award over fellow nominees Mark Boretti (Wellington softball head coach) and Frank Torre (Dwyer baseball head coach), spoke glowingly of his wife’s role in the turnaround efforts at the upstart program.
Hall of Famer Byron Walker, who won three state championships as Glades Day’s football head coach in the 1980’s and 1990’s, took everyone back to memory lane by sharing stories of the men and women behind his staggering success in the coaching realm. He has also had memorable stints at American Heritage-Plantation and Archbishop McCarthy, his current team at the head coach position.
And for the first time ever, FAU claimed two Hall of Fame award winners in head coach Lane Kiffin (Bud Newkirk Coach of the Year) and running back Devin Singletary (Amateur Athlete of the Year).
Here are all the winners from the 2018 Hall of Fame Awards Ceremony:
Hall of Fame Inductees – Geraldine “Jeri” Athey (posthumously), Robert D’Angio, Sr. (posthumously), Larry Kissner, David Presly, Byron Walker, Jim Watt,
Amateur Athlete of the Year – Devin Singletary (FAU running back)
Bud Newkirk Head Coach of the Year – Lane Kiffin (FAU head coach)
High School Athlete of the Year, Female – Madeline Furtado (King’s Academy, volleyball)
High School Athlete of the Year, Male – Trent Frazier (Wellington, basketball)
Andrews-Ceravolo High School Coach of the Year – Jude Blessington (Forest Hill, football)
Dick Moroso Memoria Motorsports Award – Gary Byrd (racing)
Outstanding Sports Contributor – African American Golfers Hall of Fame
Special Olympics Athlete of the Year – Chris Nardone
Wendy’s High School Heisman Trophy Winner – Jackson Destine (Atlantic, wrestling)
