During the evening, athletes were presented with first-, second- and third-team honors as well as All-State honors. Bears Chairman George H. McCaskey and President and CEO Kevin Warren were also in attendance.
Opening the dinner with introductory remarks, Warren expressed his gratitude for the student-athletes, coaches and parents in attendance and shared his excitement for the players to move on to the collegiate and Olympic levels.
“We’re just very grateful to be here,” Warren said. “This is an incredibly, incredibly special group. From a state perspective, you are in the top 1% of young women playing flag football in the state of Illinois. There have been studies done – I heard one earlier this week – that 94% of women in leadership positions in corporate America exercised, which is saying a lot. And that means a lot: you do better academically, you make the world a better place.”
Prominent figures in the Illinois girls community, including Juliana Zavala, CPS senior manager of elementary sports, Willowbrook High School coach Rachel Karos, Fremd High School coach Becca O'Dette and IHSA assistant executive director Tracie Henry, also shared theirs Thoughts on the rapid chess sport of the sport expansion.
“This started as a conversation between Gus and I,” Zavala told the girls. “He shared his vision: 'Hey, let's start flag football for girls.' We did it, but girls, you are the pioneers. We need you to continue to grow the sport.
“This is not just something that will go away. This is here to stay. We will own this – this is our sport. We finally have a platform and we won’t let anyone take it away from us.”
The celebration was also rounded off with two surprises. Silva announced Jones High School graduate and receiver Tory Smith as the recipient of the inaugural Player of the Year award. As part of the honor, Smith will receive a $5,000 college scholarship from the Bears.
