Stanford QB Isaiah Sanders named recipient of 2021 Wuerffel Trophy
On Thursday, Stanford Sixth-Year quarterback Isaiah Sanders was named the recipient of the 2021 Wuerffel Trophy, which is awarded to the college football player “who best combines exemplary community service with athletic and academic achievement.”
The following is a passage from the release on GoStanford.com:
"I am beyond honored to be awarded the 2021 Wuerffel Trophy," Sanders said. "I'm extremely grateful to God, my family, friends, coaches, and everybody else who has supported and encouraged me along this journey. I also want to thank Danny Wuerffel and the entire Wuerffel committee for this award. I look forward to joining the Wuerffel Trophy family and to future opportunities to make a difference!"
The Wuerffel Trophy is awarded to the Football Bowl Subdivision football player who best exhibits exemplary community service, and was created in 2005 to inspire greater service in the world. The award exists to honor college football players who excel in Community Service and celebrate their positive impact on society.
"We are excited to announce that Isaiah Sanders is this year's recipient of the Wuerffel Trophy and are so honored to have him join our family of past recipients," said Danny Wuerffel. "His mindset and strong passion to serve others and inspire change where his platform allows, truly reflects what the Wuerffel Trophy is all about. We salute his accomplishments, and as he is an officer in the United States Air Force, we salute him literally as well. Also, I wish that we could present three Wuerffel trophies, because our other two finalists this year are so deserving as well – Nakobe Dean of Georgia and Patrick Fields of Oklahoma. Congratulations to all these amazing young men. We look forward to following their next chapters as they work to make our world a better place."
Sanders, a graduate transfer from the Air Force Academy, is studying for his master's in management science and engineering. He was previously a finalist for the award in 2019 while at Air Force. "I am so proud of Isaiah for winning the Wuerffel Trophy," said Bradford M. Freeman Director of Football David Shaw. "His impact on our team over the last two seasons has been as significant as his impact on our community. His integrity, unselfishness and effort are impressive to witness every day. He has been a great example for the Air Force, an exemplary Stanford Man, and will represent the Wuerffel name with honor."
Back when he was first nominated for the Wuerffel Trophy, Sanders spoke to CardinalSportsReport.com about what it meant to him to get nominated for the award.
“Oh I mean it’s awesome, right?” Sanders said of getting nominated. “To know that I’m one of twelve that they’re considering for such a prestigious community service award is really cool and I think community service is such a big thing to me and being able to give back to my communities and help other people and hopefully bring along some of the other guys on the team and show them opportunities that we have to make an impact using our platform and our position. Is really awesome. So, definitely appreciate the recognition. Don’t want to make it to where you only do it for the awards or anything at all. You do it for the actual people you get to impact and the joy that it gives you. But to know that people are recognizing it is really cool.”
As far as what he most enjoys about community service, Sanders really enjoys the public speaking aspect and setting a good example for others by putting out positive messages to make his community better.
“Oh man. I love public speaking,” Sanders said. “So I’ve performed like spoken word poetries/raps or like giving keynote messages to I think probably this went close to 4,000 students and just people over the past few years including my time at the academy and so that’s kinda my comfort zone. I really just enjoy being able to step on a stage and just share what I can with other people to help them just see life from maybe a different perspective and maybe find a little more hope in their situation.”
As far as where his love of community service comes from, Sanders really feels like his faith in God has played a big role in addition to his military background. Sanders feels being surrounded by service growing up and also having a knowledge that he’s a child of God has been a driving force in him becoming the person that he is today.
“Honestly, mainly from my faith,” Sanders said of where his love of service comes from. “I think just understanding my position just as a child of God and trying to serve and give back in that way. And then I think in a practical way, my father and my grandfather and my mother and honestly just my family in general have just been really big examples of service to me. I mean, my dad served 23 plus years in the Air Force, my mom just watching her the way she takes care of our family, my grandfather was in the Air Force, so service and just caring for other people has been a big thing just watching them as I grew up.”
When looking at who Isaiah Sanders is, it’s clear why he’s such a deserving recipient of the Wuerffel Trophy. He values community service and putting others before him. An attitude that he's had both on and off the field. It’ll be fun to see where Sanders goes in the coming years and what type of impact he’ll make on future generations.