Local Teens Make the Ken Hubbs Team

This year marks the 50th anniversary of the Ken Hubbs Award Banquet, named after the Chicago Cubs Second Baseman who passed away in a plane crash in 1964. The banquet was held on Monday, May 12, 2014 at 6 p.m. sharp. It was put on by Ron and Karen Doty, who, along with the foundations directors, raise the money each year to pay for the awards to give to the outstanding athletes who have worked hard and done their best in the areas of athleticism, school, leadership, and outstanding character. According to Ron Doty, the whole foundation functions on donations. The athletes come from all different schools and all different sports. Female athletes were just recently added to the ceremony in 2012. According to Keith Hubbs, brother of Ken Hubbs, this year generated the most amount of people at the banquet that they have ever had. When the foundation first started there were only four schools, and now they are up to twenty-four, which is two more than they had last year alone. The banquet honored two athletes, one male and one female, from the twenty-four different schools around the Colton area. Out of those forty-eight athletes one male and one female athlete were chosen to be the 2014 Ken Hubbs Athlete of the Year. According to Ron Doty, the process for choosing each athlete “starts with a resume from the Athletic Directors from each school of the top athletes, and the next to best athletes. Each athlete is then assigned to one of the Ken Hubbs Directors.” After they are assigned to the directors it is the director's job to pick out the best athletes from each school. Doty continues, “then from that pool they make an asterisk next to the names of possible overall winners.” If the decision comes down to a few athletes, only the athletes with the best character and grades will be chosen. This years winners were Loren Landrus from Citrus Valley High School and Uzoma Owuama from Bloomington High School. Landrus, who plans on going to the University of Northern Colorado to play soccer next year, stated that “It feels amazing to be compared to and athlete like Ken Hubbs and it gives me such a good feeling.” Owuama, who will be attending the Grand Canyon University, also felt that it was an amazing honor, and added, “it means a lot.” Even those athletes who did not win the overall award were happy obtain recognition for their hard work. Kyle Gornay from Redlands High School stated, “It’s an honor to be in the same line as Ken Hubbs.” His mother, Marie Gornay, was “very excited to have our son nominated. It was a lot of hard work he had to put in, and not everybody sees the sacrifices they make.” Each of the forty-eight athletes received a watch and the two Athletes of the Year received a large trophy in recognition of their outstanding character and achievements. This years awards also had a special guest speaker, Ryan Nece, who was the overall winner in 1997, and who played for the Tamps Bay Buccaneers and Detroit Lions in the NFL. Donations are always welcomed. If anyone would like to make a donation, checks are made payable to Ken Hubbs Foundation – C/O Ron Doty – 26309 Naomi Drive – Hemet, CA 92544.