For special ability and character on and off the football field, senior quarterback Aidan McHugh has been selected as Peddie's honoree at the 59th Annual George Wah Scholar Leader-Athlete Awards Event. Established in 1962, the Delaware Valley Chapter of the National Football Foundation is intimately involved in amateur football, covering six counties in the Central New Jersey area. Scholarships are awarded to players from the 21 schools within the chapter.

Ron Hoehn, a board member of the Delaware Valley Chapter and event organizer, said, "Each student-athlete is selected for their combined academic performance, service to the community, sportsmanship and football ability. Coaches understand that they need to select someone who excels in all the areas and certainly Aidan did that." 

The COVID-19 pandemic may have put a damper on the 2020 football season, but it didn't stop McHugh from bringing energy and positivity to the practice field. 

“Not having football season could have been Aidan’s excuse to forget about football and focus on other areas within the Peddie community," said first-year coach Patrick Loughlin. "He instead decided that he would serve as a leader for this team. Aidan did this to perfection, pushing the team to work hard and compete, while also bringing along the younger players within the program. He was the ultimate captain, helping to shape the culture for the future success of Peddie football.

"I am in gratitude for his efforts this past fall. He did not have to be out there every day at practice, as football was giving him so little back. This was a test of character that Aidan aced. When everything seemed so negative, his last opportunity to play high school football so abruptly taken away, he turned it into a positive. Aidan is, without doubt, the most well-rounded student-athlete I've ever coached."

Away from the gridiron, McHugh has served Peddie as a Blue Key tour guide, student ambassador and member of the Gold Key Society. McHugh co-founded the annual winter clothing drive for a Hightstown charity and has developed a keen eye for art.

“Aidan’s leadership has set a positive tone and culture in the dormitory," said Erik Treese, of the Department of History. “Not afraid to confront his peers when they forget to wear masks or social distance, Aidan has shown the ability to do what is right even when it is uncomfortable. Yet, he has also organized socially distanced cookouts and marshmallow roasts in order to build community in the dormitory. That he is willing and able to do this while also focusing on his athletics, his art and his schoolwork is a testament to his commitment to his school, his peers and his desire to make this the best year possible, even with the challenge of the pandemic."

This year the athletes and other honorees were recorded at the Princeton Marriott on March 21. The broadcast will be available on the Delaware Valley Chapter website on Sunday, April 25 at 6 p.m.

Del Valley Awards Program 2021