Shagawat nominated for Heart of a Giant Award

Brady Shagawat, a senior at Sparta High School, has been nominated for USA Football’s Heart of a Giant Award presented by the Hospital for Special Surgery and the New York Giants.

Tri-state high school students were nominated for the award by their coaches for their commitment, teamwork, will, character, and dedication on and off the field.

Voting continues online at usafootball.com/heart-of-a-giant/vote until Oct. 26.

The nominee with the most votes will be named that week’s finalist.

At the end of six weeks, six weekly finalists and five honorable mentions will be recognized for their work ethic and character.

Each finalist will receive a $1,000 equipment grant for their high school football program, with the grand-prize winner earning an additional $9,000 grant for their school and being honored on the field at a Giants game this season.

Selection of the grand-prize winner will be based on video submissions explaining why that person has the Heart of a Giant.

Shagawat is a three-sport varsity athlete and team captain who gives back to his community by mentoring youth athletes through camps and clinics.

As a standout running back and safety, he earned First Team Patriot Red Division honors and was named Second Team All-Area by Big State Sports Media.

Off the field, he serves as an Athlete Mental Health Ambassador, leading initiatives such as the Wellness Fair for Suicide Prevention Month.

In the classroom, Shagawat has worked hard to overcome academic challenges, earning Honor Roll recognition.

He has an independently produced sports podcast, “Shags Sports Talk,” which inspired his plans to pursue a career in sports media.