Mendham Minutemen’s Shane Sullivan is nominated for the ‘Heart of Giant’ award
MENDHAM, N.J. — The game of football has been prominent throughout Shane Sullivan’s entire life. He’s a student player and player for West Morris Mendham High School. He was one of the first nominees to choose for the 2021 Hear of a Giant Award. This is a special award from the New York Giants and hospital for special surgery. This award is to recognize high-school players from the tri-state area for their amazing efforts and impacts on their communities.
Sullivan actions were so impactful that his head coach Ethan Jeros was able to find inspiration. He has hurdled over his legal blindness to play the game of football. The criteria of this award consist of students being recognized by coaches for their commitment, teamwork, will, character and dedication, per award organizers.
Often winners are often chosen for the grand prize. The grand prize is based on a video they have to submit answering why they have “the Heart of a Giant.” The finalists will earn up to $1,000 for their high school and the grand prize recipient will be rewarded $4,000 more than the finalist. Jeros spoke very highly of Sullivan’s ability and impact on the team. He was asked by reporters why does he believe Sullivan is a legitimate candidate for the award and he responded proudly and was honored to have coached such a young man.
“When I depict that he is enthusiastic each and every play of practice and/or games I am not exaggerating the least,” Jeros said of Sullivan. “When I depict that he is enthusiastic each and every play of practice and/or games I am not exaggerating the least. He [Sullivan] is a ball of fire every play, all for the benefit of our team, while he is the first to volunteer to do anything that is asked of the team.”
Sullivan is grateful for the game of football and how it helped shaped his life. His focus on the game has helped him cope with his impairment and gain confidence and emotional stability. The adversity he faces regularly playing football he often uses as fuel to be instinctive and trust himself to make the right play.
“Football has helped me a lot with the obstacles that I had to overcome,” said Sullivan. “With my eyesight, football has taught me that I do not have to see everything as long as I have good instincts and know what to do on a certain play.”
Although Sullivan’s story is unique and very interesting their many others in the tri-state that are just as capable of winning this award. To view and cast a vote for a candidate to win the award, click here. In addition to Sullivan, here are the other nominees:
● Nicholas Burgess, Clifton High School, Clifton, New Jersey
● Taylor Chrst, Summit High School, Summit, New Jersey
● Melvin Claudio, Roselle Park High School, Roselle Park, New Jersey
● Quinn Devlin, Livingston High School, Livingston, New Jersey
● Tayshawn Dixon, Notre Dame Catholic High School, Fairfield, Connecticut
● Denholm Feldman, Fairfield Ludlowe High School, Fairfield, Connecticut
● Juan Hughes, High Point Regional High School, Wantage, New Jersey
● Vaughn Kyer, Capital Prep Harlem, New York City, New York
● Kelvin Medina, Eastside High School, Paterson, New Jersey
● Dominick Novello, Wellington C. Mepham High School, Bellmore, New York
● Andre Oben, St. Peter’s Prep, Jersey City, New Jersey
● Nicholas Palermo, Leonia High School, Leonia, New Jersey
● John Prince, Archbishop Stepinac High School, White Plains, New York
● Michael Sarlo, Wood-Ridge High School, Wood-Ridge, New Jersey
● Rione Symonds, Saranac Lake High School, Saranac Lake, New York
● Logan Torres, Wallington High School, Wallington, New Jersey
● Dylan Yang, Suffern Senior High School, Suffern, New York
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