If you like me, are new the Morris Lions, you may not have heard of the Willie Blumberg Award. This award is given out at the end of season banquet. The Willie Blumberg Memorial Award acknowledges the player voted by his peers for having given his all at each match, for always being an active member of the club, socially as well as on the field, who has shown exemplary sportsmanship and is the personification of a great all around player and personality.
It was established by the Levin family, who's son, David played for the Lions a few years ago. The award was set up as a memoriam to Mrs Levin's brother, Willie, a South African who died tragically, prematurely. He loved the game with real passion. The award celebrates his spirit.
In the extended post below are two of the award speeches. They are moving and explain more about what the award means
FIRST AWARD SPEECH – 2003 – By Dawn Levin
Our family has been in the United States for almost two years. Moving a family this size around the world is a huge undertaking. People toss the words “get a life” around as easily as one would throw a ball against the wall, but I wonder how many people actually know what goes into getting a new life.
A very important aspect of this process is to find groups and individuals who are like-minded, so that you can quickly gain a sense of identity and belonging. This can be a daunting task when you actually don’t know where to start.
It is for this reason that I stand here today with a huge sense of both pride and achievement. Sensing one day that our son David was starting to have serious withdrawal symptoms from not playing rugby, I decided that there just had to be a club out there, and I was determined to find it. I know this is the land of baseball and football, but please, God, I asked silently, help me stop this child from pacing the halls and direct me to a rugby club.
I went onto the internet and within a few minutes was on the phone to my husband, Daniel insisting he phoned that very day to find out if Morris Lions was a suitable club for David. The rest, as they say, is history.
For those who don’t know who Posh and Becks are …. David Beckham plays soccer for Manchester United and is regarded as England’s top player. His wife Victoria, is ex Spice Girl, Posh. If you are wondering why I am mentioning this, it is because if Posh can get on TV and say she doesn’t know the rules of a soccer game, I can certainly stand up here and say, I don’t know the first thing about rugby other than what you want to do is score a try! However, what I do know is that this is a game that requires strength, both of body and spirit. It takes commitment, integrity, passion, sportsmanship, skill and discipline.
I wanted to dedicate something to the living memory of my brother, who unfortunately recently died a premature death. In his youth, like all other South African scholars, he enjoyed playing school rugby. In his later years, he was an equally avid armchair supporter.
The Willie Blumberg Memorial Award acknowledges the player voted by his peers for having given his all at each match, for always being an active member of the club, socially as well as on the field, who has shown exemplary sportsmanship and is the personification of a great all around player and personality.
It is therefore with great pleasure, that Daniel and I, on behalf of the team members, acknowledge OWEN LEE as the Morris Lions High School Rugby Player’s Player of the Year 2003.
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WILLIE BLUMBERG AWARD – 2007
By Dawn Levin
I am always surprised when John contacts us with the details of the new recipient of this award. I am surprised because again, the year seems to have gone so quickly and it seems hard to believe another season has been completed.
While this last season might not have brought the team the final scores you would have liked, the fact is there is a team, once again, together to celebrate the achievement of another season. Success is relative to how you measure it. While the score boards might not reflect the desired numbers, there is indeed still much to celebrate and a great deal of success for you all to bask in.
When a group of people come together and form a team which forms a club - you have success. With the commitment of the players, coaches, parents and general support network that brings you together each year at this time – there can be no doubt that you have achieved success.
It is for these reasons that my family was motivated to dedicate this award to your club as a way of honoring the memory of my late brother. It honors perpetuity. To be singled out and acknowledged for your achievement is a great measure of success. To know that as time passes, the fact that you were here does not fade away. To know that you contributed and were noticed is again a great form of success.
I truly hope that the process you go through that ultimately brings you all to this moment allows you to not only honor the recipient, but to honor yourselves as well. You are each an integral part of what makes this club your club.
On behalf of your club, it is my pleasure and honor to celebrate my brother’s life by presenting the 2007 Willie Blumberg award to James Miley.
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