Aspiring Astronaut Wins Prestigious 2007 Disney¹s Wide World of Sports
Spirit Award
LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. (Nov. 27) U.S. Naval Academy slot back Zerbin
Singleton has displayed an unwavering determination, overcoming a serious
car wreck and a series of family tragedies to follow his dream of one day
becoming a part of the U.S. space program. For his courage and perseverance,
Singleton is this year¹s recipient of Disney¹s Wide World of Sports Spirit
Award, given each year to college football¹s most inspirational figure.
Disney¹s Director of Sports & Recreation Planning and New Event Development
Kellen Winslow, an NFL Hall of Famer, will present the award to Singleton
during The Home Depot ESPNU College Football Awards at the Atlantic Dance
Hall at Walt Disney World Resort on Thursday, Dec. 6. The 17th annual
awards show is scheduled for 7:30-9:30 p.m. ET and will be televised live on
ESPN.
Singleton, a senior aerospace engineering major from Decatur, Ga., overcame
several obstacles growing up, including leaving Alaska after his mother¹s
incarceration following a parole violation. He met his father for the first
time as a senior in high school, then was forced to cope with his father¹s
suicide a year later.
At age 11, Singleton found stability in Decatur, Ga., where he lived with
his cousins and quickly developed a natural aptitude for school and
athletics. A three-year football letterman at Columbia High School (Decatur,
Ga.), he was also elected Senior Class President, along with President of
CHS¹s National Honor Society.
Initially accepted into the Naval Academy and the Air Force Academy,
Singleton chose the Navy because of the challenge of flying a jet to and
from an aircraft carrier. However, Singleton¹s dreams of aviation were
derailed after his car was struck by a drunk driver one week before
graduating from high school as class valedictorian. As a result of a broken
collarbone suffered in the accident, he couldn¹t participate in Navy¹s plebe
summer and was subsequently denied admittance to the academy.
Undeterred by his physical limitations as a result of the car accident,
Singleton never gave up and instead enrolled his freshman year at Georgia
Tech University. Once healthy enough to complete the physical requirements
set forth by the Naval Academy in 2004, he transferred to the academy in
Annapolis, Md.
³Zerbin Singleton is the embodiment of character, purpose and
determination,² said Winslow. ³We at Disney¹s Wide World of Sports are proud
to present this honor to a member of our Armed Forces whose ambition and
focus will ultimately lead him to inspiring new heights.²
A three-year starter at slot back, Singleton enters the annual Army-Navy
game on Dec. 1 playing perhaps the best football of his collegiate career.
Primarily utilized as a blocking back the past two seasons, he has compiled
back-to-back 100-yard rushing performances the past two games (at North
Texas and vs. Northern Illinois), along with scoring three touchdowns in
each of those contests. This season, he has rushed 59 times for 423 yards
and eight touchdowns for the nation¹s leading rushing offense (357.4 ypg.).
³I am honored and humbled to be selected for this award,² said Singleton.
³All the credit goes to God and my family.²
Singleton also excels in the classroom where he carries a 3.14 GPA in
aerospace engineering. Last season, he was named Academic All-District by
ESPN the Magazine.
This honor marks the second Disney¹s Wide World of Sports Spirit Award for
the U.S. Naval Academy. In 2001, the U.S. Service Academy football teams
from Air Force, Army and Navy collectively received the Disney Spirit Award
in recognition of their academic, athletic and military commitments
following the tragic events of Sept. 11th.
Disney¹s Wide World of Sports Spirit Award is presented annually to college
football¹s most inspirational figure. Singleton becomes the 12th recipient
of the Disney Spirit Award, joining past honorees Daniel Huffman (1996),
Dwight Collins (1997), Matt Hartl (1998), East Carolina University (1999),
Hameen Ali (2000), the United States Service Academy football teams (2001),
Dewayne White (2002), Neil Parry (2003), Tim Frisby (2004), the Tulane
University football team (2005) and University of Louisville band member
Patrick Henry Hughes (2006).
Huffman, a high school player in Rossville, Ill., sacrificed a promising
football career to donate a
kidney to his ailing grandmother. Collins, a native of Lake Charles, La.,
overcame his loss of hearing to meningitis at 11 months of age to earn a
scholarship to the University of Central Florida as a running back. Hartl,
from Denver, Colo., battled Hodgkin¹s disease throughout his college career
as a fullback at Northwestern University before succumbing to the illness in
August 1999.
The East Carolina football team finished the season in the national rankings
after overcoming the floods and devastation that affected the entire eastern
North Carolina community during Hurricane Floyd in1999.
Ali overcame a troubled youth and poverty-stricken conditions to earn a
football scholarship and a degree from William & Mary.
Dewayne White suffered the loss of his parents, two house fires and serious
injury before matriculating to the University of Louisville where he earned
school records for career sacks and tackles for loss, as well as the 2002
Spirit Award.
Neil Parry overcame the amputation of his right leg to return to San Jose
State to play in six games for the Spartans, while 39-year old Tim Frisby
followed a career in the Army by pursuing a life-long dream to play college
football at South Carolina.
The Tulane University football team played 11 games in 11 different
stadiums, including ³home² games in six different cities after Hurricane
Katrina devastated the team¹s home city of New Orleans.
University of Louisville band member Patrick Henry Hughes captured national
headlines for his inspiring story of determination and remarkable
achievement despite being physically challenged. Despite being born with a
rare genetic disorder that left him with no eyes and the inability to fully
straighten his arms or legs, and with his dad guiding his way, Hughes is a
trumpet player in the University of Louisville marching band, a concert
pianist, a recording artist and, most important, a straight-A student. The
significant role of marching bands amid the landscape of college football,
coupled with Hughes¹ remarkable achievements despite his physical
challenges, made him the overwhelming choice for Disney¹s Spirit Award even
though the award has traditionally been given to a student-athlete.
Disney¹s Wide World of Sports Spirit Award Recipients:
Date Recipient School (Hometown)
1996 Daniel Huffman Rossville High School
(Rossville, Ill.)
1997 Dwight Collins Central Florida University
(Lake Charles, La.)
1998 Matt Hartl Northwestern University
(Denver, Colo.)
1999 East Carolina University * East Carolina University
(Greenville, N.C.)
2000 Hameen Ali College of William & Mary
(Dover, Del.)
2001 United States Air Force Academy ** United States Air Force
Academy (Colorado Springs, Colo.)
United States Military Academy ** United States Military
Academy (West Point, N.Y.)
United States Naval Academy ** United States Naval Academy
(Annapolis, Md.)
2002 Dewayne White University of Louisville (Marbury,
Ala.)
2003 Neil Parry San Jose State University
(Sonora, Calif.)
2004 Tim Frisby University of South Carolina
(Allentown, Pa.)
2005 Tulane University* Tulane University (New
Orleans, La.)
2006 Patrick Henry Hughes University of Louisville
(Louisville, Ky.)
2007 Zerbin Singleton United States Naval
Academy (Annapolis, Md.)
* presented to entire football team
** presented to football teams at all three service academies
