After nine years of supporting the Jason Foundation in its mission to spread awareness of youth suicide, the Hillsdale College football program’s efforts were recognized at the National Football Coaches Association convention on Jan. 10-13. Chargers head coach Keith Otterbein accepted the Grant Teaff “Breaking the Silence” Award, an accolade given annually to honor a coach who has acted as an ambassador in spreading awareness of youth suicide.
More than 6,000 coaches packed inside the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center in San Antonio, Texas, to hear from Northwestern’s head football coach, Pat Fitzgerald, when Otterbein was called to the stage to accept the award.
“It was really cool because there were guys catching me at the convention, guys texting me, emailing me to congratulate the program. It was very humbling to be up there,” Otterbein said. “They asked me, ‘Do you want to give a speech?’ and I said, ‘Heck no!’ They’re not sitting out there ready to listen to me. We just appreciate it.”
Grant Teaff, executive director of the American Football Coaches Association for over 20 years, presented the award. Otterbein said he was honored to shake Teaff’s hand, as Teaff plans to retire this year.
Since 2004, the AFCA has been affiliated with the Jason Foundation. In 2005, Adam Emery, former Hillsdale College football player, took his own life — which motivated Otterbein to get involved with the Jason Foundation.
“It was a really frustrating time, and you don’t know what to do. It doesn’t make sense,” Otterbein said. “Suicide is the No. 2 reason why kids in the teenage group lose their lives. It’s a major thing. Just the helplessness of that situation made us want to do something.”
The Hillsdale College football program has been donating funds to the Jason Foundation ever since. For the past nine years, proceeds from the team’s annual youth camp have gone to this cause. Every spring, the football team coaches 100-200 elementary-age kids in a one-day football camp.
“Our guys love the camp. I don’t know if the little kids or the big kids have more fun,” Otterbein said. “What we’re trying to teach our players through that experience is how important their role as a college football player is. Everything they do and everything they say, those little kids put them on a pedestal. I think it’s important for them to recognize that. Secondly, the opportunity that we have, as fortunate as we are and as blessed that we are to be at Hillsdale College playing college football, there are less fortunate out there. There’s always an opportunity to help through our own time, like we do with the camp, or by financially supporting someone, like we do by supporting the Jason Foundation.”
Brad Monastiere, assistant athletic director of media relations and event management, said the camp is beneficial to both the kids and to Hillsdale’s athletes.
“The kids benefit from playing with the big college football players, and our guys get a lot from them, too,” Monastiere said. “It’s something that Coach Otter truly believes in and does his best to instill in the players. When the players have the occasion, like the camp, they can exercise that passion, and they do it very sincerely.”
Junior offensive lineman Daniel Drummond said the camp allows Hillsdale football players to instill important values into the minds of the campers.
“As long-time athletes ourselves, we know how important sports can be in molding the character of young people,” Drummond said. “Even if the short duration of the camp limits our ability to impress these valuable lessons upon our campers, we hope to spark an enthusiasm towards athletics in each kid who attends, and we hope that this spark continues to grow throughout their lives.”
Otterbein said that he knows Clark Flatt, president of the Jason Foundation, appreciates each donation, regardless of amount.
“Clark says that when he sees Hillsdale College it makes his day,” Otterbein said. “It doesn’t have to be a million bucks that we’re sending them, but it’s something and everything counts. The message is that every little bit helps and it’s never too small of an effort to make a difference.”
In a press release, Flatt echoed these sentiments.
“The Jason Foundation is grateful to have coaches such as Keith Otterbein in communities across the nation,” Flatt said. “He exemplifies everything that we look for in our AFCA Coach Ambassadors. Our coaches have a tremendous opportunity to touch thousands of young lives and Coach Otterbein has done that.”
After receiving this award, Otterbein said he hopes to inspire other programs to work with the Jason Foundation.
“In college athletics you’re always asking for money,” Otterbein said. “You’re out there saying, ‘We’ve got to redo the stadium, we’ve got to redo the weight room.’ This is an example that giving back when given the opportunity is a really good thing. Hopefully some other programs will find some avenue to support them.”
Monastiere said that this award reflects the Hillsdale coaching staff’s big-picture ideas.
“It’s such a point of emphasis for the coaching staff that they preach to their players, ‘We’re about more than football,’” Monastiere said. “Otter and the staff believe that character, tradition, and service are not just words — and you have to put actions behind them.”
Though the trophy is proudly displayed in the Roche Sports Complex, Otterbein said it’s not about the recognition.
“It’s like tooting your own horn and I’m not big into that,” Otterbein said. “You don’t do it for that. You do it, and you take your bows, but you do it for the cause.”
