Arkansas' Patience Beard Nominated for Discover Orange Bowl-FWAA Courage Award
By: Orange Bowl Committee - UA Sports Info.
Updated: October 10, 2012
DALLAS (FWAA) -
Arkansas' Patience Beard is the weekly nominee for the 2012 Discover
Orange Bowl-FWAA Courage Award, to be announced at the end of the
season. Beard, a freshman from
Texarkana, Texas, made the Razorbacks' cheerleading squad despite a prosthetic left leg.
Beard
is already becoming known as "the girl with the zebra leg," a reference
to the special design of the prosthetic she wears. She was born with a
proximal femoral focal deficiency, which affects bone growth. At age 9
months, her left leg was amputated, but it barely slowed her down. She
participated in gymnastics as a child, took
up cheerleading in middle school and was homecoming queen last year at
Texas High School. But even she was surprised to make the 12-member
freshman squad at an FBS-level school.
"I've always dreamed of this," Beard said, "but never thought I'd be here
doing what I've always wanted to do. I can't even put into words how exciting and amazing this year has been already."
Arkansas cheerleading/spirit coordinator Jean Nail said Beard is able to
perform all of the required stunts and routines.
"She's
the kind of person we want," Arkansas cheerleading/spirit coordinator
Jean Nail told Yahoo! Sports. "She's a good role model. And she's
absolutely qualified." And Nail adds: "Sometimes when you see Patience,
it just gives you that little extra edge you need to try one more time."
Beard credits her parents with "giving me my drive" and never allowing her
to have excuses.
"I'd just hope everyone ... would know they can do whatever they put their
mind to," she said.
For
the seventh straight year, the Football Writers Association
of America and the Discover Orange Bowl will announce a weekly nominee
each Wednesday during the season. A blue-ribbon panel will determine the
winner from all of the nominees. The winner of the Discover Orange
Bowl-FWAA Courage Award will be announced in December
and be presented with the trophy during the week of the 2013 Discover
BCS National Championship Game.
The Courage Award
was created by ESPN The Magazine's senior writer Gene Wojciechowski,
also an FWAA member. A select group of writers from the FWAA vote on the
winner each year. The requirements for nomination include displaying
courage on or off the field, including overcoming
an injury or physical handicap, preventing a disaster or living through
hardship.
Previous
winners of the FWAA's Courage Award are Michigan
State offensive lineman Arthur Ray Jr. (2011), Rutgers defensive tackle
Eric LeGrand (2010), the University of Connecticut football team (2009),
Tulsa's Wilson Holloway (2008), Navy's Zerbin Singleton (2007),
Clemson's Ray Ray McElrathbey (2006), the Tulane
football team (2005), Memphis' Haracio Colen (2004), San Jose State's
Neil Parry (2003) and Toledo's William Bratton (2002).
About the Orange Bowl
The
Orange Bowl is a 348-member, primarily-volunteer non-profit
sports organization that promotes and serves the South Florida
community. The Orange Bowl Festival features a year-round schedule of
events culminating with the Discover Orange Bowl on January 1, 2013 and
the Discover BCS National Championship on January 7,
2013. Other Orange Bowl core events include the MetroPCS Orange Bowl
Basketball Classic, Orange Bowl Youth Football Alliance presented by
Sports Authority, Orange Bowl International Tennis Championships, Orange
Bowl Sailing Regatta Series and Orange Bowl Paddle
Championships. For more information on the 2012-13 Orange Bowl Festival
and its events, including promotional and volunteer opportunities
through the Ambassador Program, log on to www.orangebowl.org.
The Football
Writers Association of America,
a non-profit organization founded in 1941, consists of more than 1,200
men and women who cover college football for a
living. The membership includes journalists, broadcasters and
publicists, as well as key executives in all the areas that involve the
game. The FWAA works to govern areas that include gameday operations,
major awards and its annual All-America team. For more
information about the FWAA and its award programs, contact Steve
Richardson at tiger@fwaa.com
or 972-713-6198.
2012 Discover Orange Bowl Courage Award Nominees
Sept. 26: Daniel Rodriguez, Clemson
Oct. 3: Angelo Richardson, Arizona State
Oct. 10: Patience Beard, Arkansas
