Warren youth is finalist for national award

By JOHN BASSETTI

bassetti@vindy.com

WARREN

Trey Waite’s nomination for the high school football Rudy Awards is fueled by online votes from supporters.

Some of those individuals posted comments on the Rudy Awards webpage.

They include:

“Please support this Raider.”

“Take a minute and vote for this athlete from Warren, Ohio.”

“Trey has triumphed over all the tragedy he has experienced in his short life to become an amazing young adult. He should be an inspiration to young and old alike.”

And, finally: “Good luck, Trey.”

Luck is one thing Trey didn’t have in his early years, which were filled with misfortune.

Through the hardship, Waite maintained strong character and didn’t stray.

For Waite, who was a junior football player at Warren Harding last fall, the service award — to be presented Tuesday night — would be payoff for a journey through survival.

Waite is one of 12 national finalists for the “High School Rudy Awards,” which recognize students who inspire the community on and off the field — those players who best define what Dan “Rudy” Ruettiger refers to as the “The Four C’s”: character, courage, contribution and commitment.

The winner will receive a $10,000 academic scholarship to a college of his choice. Two runners-up and a fan favorite will each receive a $5,000 scholarship.

He is the only athlete from Ohio up for the prestigious national scholarship. The program was started by Ruettiger, who was an inspirational member of the Notre Dame football team and the subject of the film, “Rudy.”

Read the story in Monday’s Vindicator and vindy.com.