High school senior Caleb Elliot lands in top five finalists for Indianapolis Colts leadership award.

Zach Carter Reporter

Who is Caleb Elliott? Some high schoolers might be asleep at 9 a.m. on a winter Saturday morning. But not Elliott.

The senior hops out of bed and gets dressed. He heads to the school he’s been to all week.

Elliott, a wide receiver and point guard for the Delta Eagles football and basketball teams, is not going for a practice. Delta runs a program called “The Future Eagles.” It allows elementary kids to play team basketball inside the school’s gym.

For this to happen, the teams need a coach, an official and a scoreboard operator.

Once he arrives, Delta’s varsity basketball head coach Mark Detweiler lets him and his teammates decide which role they would like to do.

Usually, he decides to do the officiating because for one, he will still be a part of the game.

Delta High School senior Caleb Elliott poses on the football field Jan. 21 at Delta High School in Muncie, Ind. Elliott was chosen as a finalist for the Indianapolis Colts High School Man of the Year Award. JACY BRADLEY, DN

“Not many people like to make calls,” Elliott said. “It takes more effort than you’d think.”

But that last factor is something that defines Elliott. He does something some people may not want to do: volunteer his time.

The Indianapolis Colts youth program gave out its second Man of the Year award for this season. The award goes to a high school football player who shows uncommon leadership.

Five finalists were chosen for the 2022 award. Cory Robinson, a senior from Seymour High School, won the award, but one of the finalists this season was Elliott.

“I was just kind of in awe,” Elliott said. “Being one of the top five kids in the state to be acknowledged for it. I think it was pretty cool.”

For an athlete to be recognized, they have to be nominated by a teacher or coach. Delta’s head football coach Chris Overholt picked Elliott.

See ELLIOTT, 14

On the road in Lebanon, Tennessee, Ball State Gymnastics set event records in the vault (49.250) and beam (49.350) en route to a program record 196.550 overall score. The Cardinals, now 6-4 this season, picked up wins over Fisk (190.025), Kent State (195.925), Lindenwood (196.175) and Southeast Missouri (195.350) with their performance.