When your father is a football coach many times it becomes more than just a game and it’s a part of your life where you embrace every aspect of it. That’s the way it was for Will Mansfield, the Jack Millard Officials Award winner. While his dad was a coach at Northern Burlington, Mansfield playe d at Holy Cross, he coached his sons in youth football and now he has become one of the area’s top officials. Mansfield has seen the game in every light and it truly is a part of his life. The 64th Annual George Wah Scholar-Leader-Athlete Awards Dinner, hosted by the Delaware Valley Chapter of the National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame, will be held Sunday, March 8 at the Princeton Marriott at Forrestal in Princeton, NJ. Over $30,000 in scholarships will be presented to Scholar-Leader-Athletes from area high schools. The dinner begins at 2 p.m. at Princeton Marriott at Forrestal. Scholar-leader-athletes from 20 schools in Burlington, Mercer, Monmouth and Ocean counties are being honored with $30,500 in scholarships awarded. For dinner/ticket information contact Steve Tuckerson at 609-202-4166 or email [email protected] While individuals from the coaching, officiating, collegiate and youth football ranks are honored, the stars of the program are the Scholar-Leader-Athletes of the Delaware Valley, chosen by their respective schools based on their achievements in academics, in their community, and on the playing field. All scholar-leader-athletes will receive at least a $1,000 scholarship, the Delaware Valley Chapter will also present the following top scholarships: $5,000 – Jack Stephen Scholarship, $4,000 Steven “Coach Gaz” Gazdek Scholarship, $3,000 Ron Rick Sr. Scholarship, $2,000 Ed Cook Scholarship and $1,500 Ed “Windy” Morris Scholarship. The Robert F. Casciola Distinguished American Award is the most prestigious award bestowed by the Chapter. This year’s recipient is Ken Fisher, Owner/President of Nassau Communications and a member of the Chapter’s Board of Directors for two decades. The Chapter’s George O’Gorman Contribution to Amateur Football Award will recognize Jon Adams, who spent 33 years at Nottingham High School as head football coach and athletic director. Hank Johns Coaches Award is Stephen Everette, Burlington Twp., Brandon Deckard from West Windsor-Plainsboro will be recognized as the John McKenna Assistant Coaches Award, the Jack Milliard Officials Award will be presented to Will Mansfield, the Delaware Valley Chapter Little Scholar is Brady Rowan, from the Hopewell Valley YFCA, the Eunice Kennedy Schriver Champion Award honoree is Joseph Burr, the Nick Gusz “Good Guy” Award will be presented to Bob Harris, the Tony Persichilli Meritorious Award goes to Breanne O’Neill, from WBCB, the Judge Arthur Lane/Princeton University Scholar-Leader-Athlete recipient is Marco Scarano and the Earl H. Dean/The College of New Jersey Scholar-Leader-Athlete is Dylan Patscher. The high school Scholar-Leader-Athlete seniors being honored are Allentown’s Kevin Cunningham, Bordentown’s Calvin Nice, Burlington Township’s Jordan Wimberly, Ewing’s Ryan Greig, Florence’s Conor Clevenger, Hamilton West’s Brody Hunt, Hightstown’s Aidan Schendlinger, Hopewell Valley’s Matthew Helmrich, Hun’s Alex Russey, Lawrence’s Zack Hartman, Lawrenceville’s Michael Zampardi, New Egypt’s Clyde Ferris, Notre Dame’s Dominic Cuniglio III, Pennington’s Bryce Werner, Princeton’s Anderson Potter, Robbinsville’s Drew Damasiewicz, Steinert’s Gabriel Pena Bak, Trenton’s Aivaye Ingram and West Windsor-Plainsboro’s Kavin Kumar. Mansfield, who is also a lacrosse official, has been officiating football since 2010. “I was very humbled when I found out that I won the award,’’ said Mansfield. “Being recognized is an honor. Football is the ultimate team game. and so is officiating. A football officiating crew is a team of six officials that must also work together. Without support from my crew members and members of the Mercer Chapter I would not be successful.’’ It has been that support from fellow officials and family that has guided Mansfield as he coached his three sons, Matthew, Kevin and Scott, in football, basketball, baseball and lacrosse. “I’ve had great support throughout my football career,’’ said Mansfield. “It started with my father who coached at Northern. Burlington. He would bring me to games and let me be on the sidelines when I was only 4 or 5. He coached in my youth football days as well. While playing high school football at Holy Cross I had a tremendous coach, Frank Paris who gave me confidence and kept my passion for football going.’’ A passion that saw Mansfield win a Parochial A Championship at Holy Cross and go on to West Virginia Wesleyan. He coached his sons in the West Windsor Pop Warner and when the youngest son went to high school he became an official. Mansfield has been fortunate to have the full family support. “My wife (Beth) and three sons fully supported me while i was coaching Pop Warner for 15 years in West Windsor,’’ stated Mansfield. While at West Windsor I got to know some of the officials. So. I signed up for the football cadet class thinking it would be a piece of cake.’’ It might be Gatorade and hot dogs at halftime, but it is no piece of cake. “I was never so wrong,’’ admitted Mansfield. “You officiate because you love the game, embrace the relationship you build and make life-long friends, not the money.. Lastly, I knew none of the rules. Learning the rules is hard work and applying the rules in live game action takes of experience.’’ ...read more read less