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Struthers football player receives Rudy award
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Kory George, on one of the exercise machines he used during rehab - Kory George, football player at Struthers High School, has received the Rudy Award for coming back from 2 knee surgeries and while recuperating, cheered his team on from the sideline.
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Kory George,with his mom Janet George-Kory George, football player at Struthers High School, has received the Rudy Award for coming back from 2 knee surgeries and while recuperating, cheered his team on from the sideline.
MAKING A COMEBACK
Playing football is a George family tradition that Kory never considered breaking.
STRUTHERS — The crowd at the Struthers High School Wildcat Stadium might well yell Ko-ry! Ko-ry! as the football team takes the field for its first home game on Aug. 29 — just as Ru-dy! Ru-dy! roared through Notre Dame Stadium on Nov. 8, 1975.
The “Ru-dy Ru-dy” chant was for Daniel Eugene Ruettiger, known as “Rudy,” who, through determination and perseverance and courage became first a student at Notre Dame and then a walk-on member of the Notre Dame football team.
The traits attributed to Rudy are also used to describe Kory K. George, a junior at Struthers High School, who has received the Rudy Ruettiger Foundation Award for his courage and determination in coming back from two surgeries on his left knee. He is the probable starting center on this year’s team.
Ruettiger’s story was the basis for the 1993 movie “Rudy,” which made him one of Notre Dame’s most famous graduates, and in the only two varsity plays in which he participated, one of Notre Dame’s best-known football players.
He was a leading tackler on his high school football team, but at 5’ 7 “ and 165 pounds, was an unlikely candidate to make the Notre Dame team.
Ruettiger went on to become a motivational speaker and founded the Rudy Ruettiger Foundation with his wife, Cheryl. It honors student-athletes, such as Kory, who display the characteristics shown by Ruettiger in overcoming obstacles to achieve their goals and dreams.
Kory’s return from two serious knee injuries has drawn the praise of his teachers, parents and coach, as well as the Rudy Award, which includes a $1,000 scholarship.
“He is a very determined young man who never settles for less than his best. He is also caring and compassionate and well-respected by other students and his teachers,” said Jennifer Colosimo, who nominated Kory for the award.
Colosimo was Kory’s English language arts teacher in Struthers Middle School’s gifted and talented program for grades four through eight. He carries a 4.0 grade point average.
Colosimo, who has watched the movie “Rudy” many times, said Ruettiger is who inspires her to “be there for my kids to help them achieve their goals and dreams, whatever they may be.”
Kory tore the meniscus in his left knee during basketball season in the fall of his freshman year. After rehabilitating for six months, he rejoined the football team, and the meniscus was damaged again in the third game of his sophomore season.
That time, the damaged portion of the meniscus was surgically removed, and he missed the remainder of that season.
The meniscus of the knee is a crescent-shaped cartilage pad that serves as a cushion between the two joints formed by the thigh and shin bones.
Despite his disappointment, Kory didn’t quit the team during his rehabilitations. He was on the sidelines during games encouraging his teammates even though he couldn’t play.
Kory is the son of Kenneth and Janet George, and has a brother, Kyle, 12, who is a member of the seventh grade football team. His grandparents are William and Helen George and Ed and Doris Lancy, all Struthers residents.
Playing football is a George family tradition that Kory wanted to continue.
His father, who graduated in 1982 from Struthers High School, was quarterback of his team; and Kory’s grandfather played football at Youngstown South High School.
“Quitting was never an option for him. His question was, when can I start playing again?” said his mother, an eighth-grade mathematics teacher at Struthers Middle School.
But when the surgeon said he would have to sit out the remainder of his sophomore season, Kory said, in an essay he wrote as part of the Rudy Award process, that he was “devastated. I had no idea what I would do without sports in my life.”
“It has been a challenge for me to stay committed throughout all of my knee problems. To go to practice every day, knowing that I couldn’t do any thing but sit and watch was mentally tiring,” he wrote.
“Through his injury, Kory learned a valuable life lesson: That it is not always easy to accomplish what you want. His determination and character are a testament to his parents and family. He’s a great choice for the Rudy Award,” said Dallas Saunders, Struthers head football coach.
“He does everything asked of him and is a very unselfish teammate who is well respected by his peers. Kory’s a great person to have on the team, both as a player and as an individual,” Saunders said.
Kory, who is also a baseball player but has given up basketball, said he is “keeping his fingers crossed” that he can complete his first full season of high school football. He admitted to some nervousness about his knee at the start of summer practice, but he said he took a hit on it recently and “it felt fine, so it will probably be all right.”
As for receiving the Rudy Award, Kory thanked his family, Colosimo and the rest of his teachers and coaches for their support and inspiration.
alcorn@vindy.com