2013 Lemak Winners Push Grants Past $150,000 Milestone
Ten AHSAA member high schools have been selected to receive Dr. Lawrence Lemak Award need-based grants at the Coaches Championship Banquet July 19 at the Renaissance Montgomery Convention Center.
The recipients for the 2012-13 school year include the Alabama School for the Deaf (Talladega), Fultondale, Oakman, Fyffe, Hanceville, Carbon Hill, Marbury, Jeff Davis (Montgomery), Huffman (Birmingham) and Hazel Green. Each school will receive a $2,500 grant for the schools’ athletic programs.
The Lemak Group has provided a total of $155,000 in grants to 56 AHSAA member schools since the inception of the program in 2008. Schools apply for the grants through the AHSAA and are selected by a special committee comprised of Central Board members and Lemak Group CEO Matthew Lemak.
The banquet, which is considered the highlight of the AHSAA Summer Conference and All-Star Sports Week, will also recognize coaches who led their school teams to state championships in 2012-13. Six individuals will also receive the 2013 Making A Difference Award – a special recognition to one person in each of the six AHSAA classifications who has made a major, positive impact in the school and community he/she serves. Alabama Forever, a non-profit organization dedicated to helping Alabama’s communities and schools in need, will also present
“Dr. Lemak is a very important part of the AHSAA family,” AHSAA Executive Director Steve Savarese said. “His contributions to the health and medical safety of our student-athletes and coaching staffs are too numerous to list here. He continues to serve our schools tirelessly and unselfishly.
“The Lemak Awards have helped many schools in a variety of ways, ranging from transportation to uniforms to purchasing equipment to starting new sports programs. We appreciate him and his medical team so much for all they do for the children of this state.”
Dr. Lemak, who has served on the AHSAA Medical Advisory Board for three decades, also serves on the NFHS Medical Advisory Board.
“I think it is important to always give back to those who have been so important and have done so much for me and my practice,” Dr. Lemak said. “We really enjoy our partnership with the AHSAA and its member schools and look forward to continuing our relationship.”
The Birmingham orthopedic physician, who can be found each Friday night during football season on the sidelines of a high school game, was a founder and board member of the American Sports Medicine Institute (ASMI). He was also a founding partner of Alabama Sports Medicine and Orthopedic Center, which began in 1986 and became one of the nation's leading orthopedic clinics until 2007 when the center was dissolved.
Dr. Lemak and his team of physicians serve as team doctors for numerous high schools in the state as well as Samford University, Miles College, Alabama State University and the University of South Florida. He also continues as the medical director for several professional sports.
He revolutionized sports safety and prevention both on and off the field by helping standardize treatment for professional and college athletes, educating coaches and researching injuries. As the rehabilitation provider, Lemak continues his commitment to sports safety and prevention.
AMSI and the Alabama Sports Medicine and Orthopaedic Center developed an internationally recognized fellowship program. More than 100 physicians and surgeons have studied under his leadership.
A total of 23 Class 1A high schools have received Lemak Awards (including 2013) for a total payout of $62,500 – tops among the classes. District 3 schools lead all districts with $35,000 in Lemak Awardsm followed by District 7 is next with $25,000, Districts 2 and 6 with $20,000 each. Districts 5 and 8 with $17,500 each and Districts 1 and 4 with $10,000 each.
Lemak Award Recipients (2008-2013)
2013 – Alabama School For Deaf (1A), Fultondale (2A), Fyffe (2A), Oakman (2A), Hanceville (3A), Carbon Hill (4A), Marbury (5A), Hazel Green (6A), Huffman (6A, Jeff Davis (6A).
2012 – Addison (1A), A.L. Johnson (1A), Brantley (1A), Fruitdale (1A), Notasulga (1A), Hatton (2A), Central-Coosa County (3A), Slocomb (3A), Chilton County (5A), Enterprise (6A).
2011 – Alabama School for the Deaf (1A), Notasulga (1A), Skyline (1A), Sweet Water (1A), Parrish (1A), Central-Hayneville (1A), Wicksburg (2A), Tarrant (3A), B.B. Comer (3A), Washington County (3A), Cherokee County (3A), Woodlawn (5A).
2010 – Collinsville (1A), Fayetteville (1A), Florala (1A), Keith (1A), Linden (1A), Ariton (2A), G.W. Long (2A), Slocomb (3A), Jemison (4A), Chilton County (5A).
2009 – Fruitdale (1A), Cedar Bluff (1A), Paint Rock Valley (1A), Vina (1A), Appalachian (1A), Randolph County (2A), Dadeville (3A), Brewbaker Tech (4A), Vigor (5A), Sidney Lanier (6A).
2008 – Hackleburg (1A), Hazlewood (1A), Lynn (1A), Mountain Hope (1A), Isabella (2A), Lamar County (2A), Aliceville (3A), Glencoe (3A), Hamilton (4A), Sidney Lanier (6A).