Caleb Kelly from Clovis West and Adam Prentice from Clovis High, two local football stars who are now producing at the college level, were nominated to the 2018 Allstate AFCA Good Works Team for their contributions off the field.
Nominees for this award not only demonstrate a unique dedication to community service and desire to make a positive impact on the lives around them, but also show tremendous perseverance and the ability to overcome personal struggles.
Kelly, the Butkus Award winner in 2015 as a senior at Clovis West, is a junior starting linebacker at Oklahoma. He was nominated for his work as a guest speaker at After Dark, a one-night event that promotes conversation, investigation and hope for college students, as well as president of the Oklahoma Fellowship of Christian Athletes and as a volunteer at the Bethel Foundation summer camp which supports children with single mothers through mentoring, rehabilitation and housing.
“Going and serving those who don’t have the same abilities and opportunities I’ve been given is what is expected,” Kelly said. “If I have free time out of my day and a couple buddies are going to serve, why wouldn’t I join in?
“In all the places I’ve volunteered, the people there who are less fortunate but are just as blessed and happy, if not more, make my days better than I could ever make theirs.”
Kelly helped lead the Sooners to the 2018 Rose Bowl and was an honorable mention All-Big 12 selection, ranking seventh on the team with 56 tackles and returned a fumble for touchdown against TCU in the Big-12 Championship Game victory.
Prentice, who starred at Clovis as a three-sport athlete, is a junior fullback at Colorado State. He took part in CSU’s Green & Global initiative in Jamaica where he talked to students about the value of education and athletics.
He also dedicated time to Tim Tebow’s Night to Shine 2018 and Respite Care of Fort Collins, helping children who have developmental disabilities.
Prentice played in all 13 games in 2017 and started six at fullback, recording one carry for two yards and five catches for 33 yards with a receiving touchdown. He served as the lead-blocking fullback for an offense that ranked 11th in the country and a rushing attack that ranked 31st.
Adam’s father, Gary, who served Clovis Unified for 35 years at Tarpey, Temperance-Kutner and Fancher Creek Elementary schools, Alta Sierra Intermediate and Clovis High School, passed away at the end of Adam’s senior year at Clovis after a short and courageous battle with leukemia.
Only one student-athlete from each school was nominated and the final list of 22 players will be announced in September.