The Pigskin Club Hosts 85th Annual Awards Celebrating Spring Sports

By Ed Hill WI Contributing Writer

The Pigskin Club of Washington continued its rich tradition of honoring athletes, coaches and community service leaders during its 85th Annual Athletics Awards banquet.

The Pigskin Club, which was founded in 1938 recognized seniors and coaches who excelled in the following spring sports: baseball, softball, girls and boys basketball, track and field, lacrosse, swimming and diving, and tennis. It was held at the First Baptist Church of Glenarden in Landover, MD.

For Sage Hinton, it was a rare accomplishment. This was her second time receiving the honor of being named to the Pigskin Club All-Met team. The senior sprinter was also honored at the Fall sports banquet in December.

“As a young student athlete, it means a lot to be recognized for not only your contributions in sports but also in academics,” said Hinton, who is headed for Stanford in the fall where she will be preparing to become a neurosurgeon.

“It says a lot about the Pigskin Club that they have created this legacy.”

Hinton is a two-time All American and will be running in the nationals in a couple of weeks.

Eric Singletary has emerged as one of the top high school coaches in the country. He has been at Sidwell Friends, his alma mater, for 14 years and has led the program to backto-back titles, championships and achievements.

“I have been fortunate to grow up knowing the history of the Pigskin Club and what it has done to promote athletes and coaches and for me to be in that company is humbling,” said Singleton, who has coached two NBA players in Josh Hart (New York Knicks) and Sadiq Bey (Atlanta Hawks) during his tenure at the Northwest Washington School. “When you come from an area where there are so many heavyweight coaches like Dickie Wells and A.B. Williamson, you know that you are in elite company.”

Christy Winters-Scott added extra special sauce to the mix, serving as the event’s emcee. Winters-Scott, a graduate of South Lakes High School and the University of Maryland, where she was a standout on the women’s basketball team, is one of the top basketball broadcasters, providing commentary on the Wizards, WNBA, and women’s college basketball on various platforms.

“To be a part of this event is especially gratifying,” said Winters-Scott, a mother of three. “I am happy to be a part of this and honored that they chose me to serve in this capacity.”

Local college athletes were also cited for outstanding achievement. Howard University was recognized after winning a school-record eight championships in its 21 sports for the first time ever. Jahmir Young of Winters-Scott's alma mater was named 2023 Collegiate Player of the Year after leading the Terps to a successful season and being named to the All-Big10 second team.

“I am honored to be named for this award,” said Young, a senior from St. Mary’s Ryken High School. “Most people are aware of the Pigskin Club and what it does to promote the athletes and coaches. But I have a special connection to the organization; my great grandfather was one of the early founders of the Pigskin Club and told me of who they are and what they do through my early years. And now, here I am receiving this award that I know he was a part of establishing.” Young’s great grandfather was the late John L. Young, who was a part of the 1939 founding team.

This year’s changemaker awardee was Chuck West, a former basketball standout at Central High School and later at local American University. West has transitioned from the sports arena and is President and CEO of OCTET Productions, a full-service film and television production company.

He is also a producer on Broadway, Urban Theater and the film industry.

In its evolution, the Pigskin Club has expanded to include an All-Academic team composed of the senior athletes, who score a 3.2 or higher GPA. There were 15 awardees this year, who will be attending universities such as Harvard, Stanford, North Carolina and the University of Maryland to name a few.

“Being named to the academic team is another incentive for the athletes,” said Hinton, student body president at Bullis. “It is a motivator that we can achieve in both.” WI

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