Manning to headline inaugural S.D. Sports Awards
Super Bowl-winning quarterback Peyton Manning will appear June 3 at the Pentagon in Sioux Falls as the featured speaker for the inaugural South Dakota Sports Awards, Argus Leader Media president and publisher Bill Albrecht announced Monday.
The event, with help from title sponsor Sanford Health and Lewis Drug, will honor a statewide array of high school athletes for achievements spanning the 2015-16 school year. It also will include recognition for coaches, teams and community contributors.
“As we watch, write about and follow high school athletes throughout their prep careers, we believe a capstone event produced at a high level is an appropriate thank-you to them for their efforts and accomplishments,” Albrecht said. “It’s an event that will create a memory for the rest of their lives.”
Ticket information will be announced soon.
More than 100 athletes will be nominated for awards involving 17 sports. The Sanford Health Awards for overall male and female athletes of the year will be given in addition to recognizing a coach of the year.
“We are creating an event and atmosphere where the top athletes in the state can meet each other and spend some time together,” Albrecht said. “It raises the profile of high school sports and acknowledges what those activities mean to communities large and small.”
The featured speaker is an 18-year NFL veteran who is a five-time league MVP and a little more than a week ago quarterbacked the Denver Broncos to a 24-10 win over Carolina in Super Bowl 50.
Manning, 39, has not yet announced whether he will play next season. If he retires, he will leave the NFL having amassed one of the greatest careers in the history of the game. He is a 14-time Pro Bowl selection, the only quarterback in league history to win 200 games and is also the all-time leader in passing yards (71,940) and touchdown passes (539).
“Bringing in someone like Peyton Manning indicates the level of commitment and scale Argus Leader Media and our sponsors Sanford Health and Lewis Drug have invested in making sure this is a top-notch production,” Albrecht said. “He is going to be part of an event our whole community can take pride in.”
South Dakota Sports Awards
What: An event to honor more than 100 high school athletes, including best male and female athlete of the year and coach of the year.
When: June 3
Where: Sanford Pentagon
Guest speaker: Super Bowl-winning quarterback Peyton Manning