Athletes for a Better World (ABW) mourns the passing and celebrates the life of Vince Dooley who died at home on Friday, October 28th at age 90, surrounded by wife Barbara and their four children. Dooley was Board Director Emeritus of ABW, and Chairman of the Vincent J. Dooley Awards & Scholarships program begun by ABW in 2008. The Dooley Awards are presented to one male and one female athlete in every high school in the state of Georgia for excellence on and off the field while mirroring the ABW Code for Living. All high school award recipients are then considered for the statewide scholarships that are conferred upon one male and one female athlete each year, regardless of their sport. The annual spring awards event is held at the College Football Hall of Fame in Atlanta where Dooley was inducted in 1995 for his coaching achievements.

Dooley’s philanthropic efforts were wide ranging inside and outside of athletics. In recognition of these selfless accomplishments, he was awarded the Professional division Coach Wooden Citizenship Cup in 2016 by ABW. The latter award recognizes exemplary character in all sports within Professional, Collegiate and High School divisions on a national basis. Dooley often attributed his inspiration to two legendary sports icons and role models, basketball Coach John Wooden and baseball great Stan Musial.

While coaching the Georgia Bulldogs, Dooley is the winningest football coach with 201 victories, six SEC titles and the 1980 national championship in his 25 years (1964-1988). He was also an award-winning athletic director at Georgia (1979-2004).

Dooley has been the recipient of countless awards, including the highest national awards in coaching and in athletic administration encompassing the Bear Bryant Lifetime Achievement Award, the Amos Alonzo Stagg Award, the Duffy Daugherty Memorial Award, the James J. Corbett Memorial Award, the John L. Toner Award, and the Homer Rice Award. He is the only person ever to hold the presidency of both the American Football Coaches Association and the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics, plus the only person inducted into the Sports Hall of Fame in two states, Georgia and Alabama. He was twice named NCAA National Coach of the Year, SEC Coach of the Year seven times, and NCAA District Coach of the Year six times. His football legacy was completed with his election to the National College Football Hall of Fame.

Read more about the legacy of Vince Dooley and ABW. Go Dawgs!

Ms. Isabel Calimlim of St. Vincent’s Academy and Mr. Matthew Brown of Wesleyan School have been named as the two recipients of the four-year scholarship of $1000 per year. These two recipients will also each receive $500 to donate to the charitable organization of their choice. Coach Vince Dooley and the GHSA Executive Director Dr. Robin Hines offered inspirational remarks during the ceremony held at the College Football Hall of Fame on May 21st. Athletes for a Better World Executive Director Brad Catherman plus ABW Board member and Chair of the Awards ceremony Matt Miller served as masters of ceremonies.
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SCHOLARSHIP FINALISTS ANNOUNCED!

Our ceremony at the College Football Hall of Fame in downtown Atlanta will take place from 10AM to noon on Saturday, May 21st, with attendance for all Dooley Award recipients listed below with the Scholarship Finalists (plus their families/coaches/AD). All student-athletes will be notified soon of the online RSVP process to log their attendance. The traditional customized plaques for every student-athlete in the Dooley Awards process will be mailed to the representative of the high school as we did last year during the pandemic shutdown. The one male and one female Scholarship recipients will be announced at the event on May 21st, but attendance is not required to win the scholarships. Coach Vince Dooley is scheduled to attend in person as usual, and he’s always excited to participate in the ceremony! There is no charge to attend the event, and beverages will be served for all guests. CDC Guidelines are in effect: wear a mask based on your personal preference, informed by your personal level of risk.
Thanks for your participation in the awards process this year!
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Ms. Shemetria Risper of Westside High School and Mr. Andrew Correa of First Presbyterian Day School have been named as the two recipients of the four-year scholarship of $1000 per year. These two recipients will also each receive $500 to donate to the charitable organization of their choice. Coach Vince Dooley and the GHSA Executive Director Dr. Robin Hines offered inspirational remarks during the ceremony held at the College Football Hall of Fame. Athletes for a Better World Executive Director Brad Catherman served as master of ceremonies, with Chairman of the Board Steve Petyerak in attendance to bestow the scholarships.
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Ms. Sovi Wellons of The Heritage School with Mr. Quinn Harron of Marist School have been named as the two recipients of the four-year scholarship of $1000 per year. These two recipients will also each receive $500 to donate to the charitable organization of their choice. Wellons and Harron were selected from Finalists listed below. Due to the national circumstances surrounding the Coronavirus pandemic, the College Football Hall of Fame has canceled all spring events. Plaques for all Dooley Award recipients and scholarship information will be mailed to the respective athletic directors during the month of May.
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Karsen Ochs of First Presbyterian Day School and William McKinley Thompson III of Stratford Academy were named as the recipients of the four-year scholarship of $1000 per year by legendary Coach Vince Dooley on May 11, 2019 at a ceremony held at the College Football Hall of Fame in Atlanta.  The two scholarship recipients will also each receive $500 to donate to the charitable organization of their choice.

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Sadie Frame of First Presbyterian Day School, and Wesley Simpson of Union Grove High School were named as the recipients of the four-year scholarship of $1000 per year by legendary Coach Vince Dooley on May 12, 2018 at a ceremony held at the College Football Hall of Fame in Atlanta.  More than 550 student-athletes and guests attended the event which featured inspirational messages from Coach Dooley, Executive Director of the Georgia High School Association Dr. Robin Hines, and ABW Founder/President Fred Northup.  All enjoyed a breakfast meal, compliments of The Chick-fil-A Foundation.  The Hudgens Family Foundation was once again the Presenting Sponsor for the event.
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Anna Katherine Cates of Darlington School, and Noah Shepard were named as the recipients of the four-year scholarship of $1000 per year by legendary Coach Vince Dooley on April 29, 2017 at a ceremony held at the College Football Hall of Fame in Atlanta.  Nearly 300 student-athletes and guests attended the event which featured inspirational messages from Coach Dooley, ABW Founder/President Fred Northup, and Atlanta Public Schools’ Assistant Director of Athletics Kandice Mitchell.  In attendance was last year’s speaker and special guest Carror Wright of the Georgia High School Association.  All enjoyed a breakfast meal, compliments of Chick-fil-A.  The Hudgens Family Foundation was once again the Presenting Sponsor for the event.
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Regan Sikes of Pierce County High School, and Jack McRae III of Grace Christian Academy were named as the recipients of the four-year scholarship of $1000 per year by legendary Coach Vince Dooley on May 7, 2016 at a lunch ceremony held at the College Football Hall of Fame in Atlanta. Nearly 500 student-athletes and guests attended the event which featured inspirational messages from Coach Dooley, ABW Founder/President Fred Northup, and Carror Wright of the Georgia High School Association. All guests enjoyed a self-guided tour of the Hall, compliments of the Chick-fil-A Foundation. The Scott Hudgens Foundation was once again the Presenting Sponsor for the event.
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Abbi Mabry and Blake Carter Win 2015 Vincent J. Dooley Scholarships

Abbi Mabry of Lakeview/Fort Oglethorpe High School and Blake Carter of Tattnall County High School were named as the recipients of the four-year scholarship by Coach Dooley on April 18.  Abbi’s stellar high school multi-sport career included being named Valedictorian, the State of Georgia recipient of the Wendy’s High School Heisman, contributor locally to Habitat for Humanity, and as a teacher’s aide to students with special needs.  She will declare a pre-med major as will her co-winner, Blake Carter, who distinguished himself in two sports while acting as Senior Class President, President of the Future Business Leaders of America, and President of the Tattnall County Chamber of Commerce Junior Board.  Carter’s projects on the Board include blood drives, food drives, and elder care.
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