South Carolina Football: Hilinski’s Hope Receives Stuart Scott ENSPIRE Award
By Jacob Elsey
Over the weekend, South Carolina football team member Ryan Hilinski and his family were the recipients of an honorable award that reaches much further than sports.
On Sunday, Hilinski’s Hope was recognized as the recipient of ENSPIRE Award. The award was created in honor of former ESPN newscaster Stuart Scott, who lost a battle with cancer at the age of 49, but whom used his platform to promote awareness of the illness to a large audience.
The award celebrates people that have taken risk and used an innovative approach to helping the disadvantaged through the power of sports. Successful candidates personify the ethos of fairness, ethics, respect and fellowship with others.
Former recipients of the award include NBA legend David Robinson, tennis star Billie Jean King, WWE’s Stephanie McMahon, and Seattle Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll.
Hilinski’s Hope was created following the suicide of Tyler Hilinski, Ryan’s older brother. Parents Mark and Kym formed the foundation in order to raise mental health awareness.
Tyler, who was 21 at the time of his death, was the starting quarterback for Mike Leach’s Washington State Cougars. The foundation sets out to ensure that the mental health of student-athletes is tracked, supported, and prioritized in the same manner as their physical health.
Ryan Hilinski uses his platform as a starting quarterback in the SEC to honor his brother’s memory. You’ll see Ryan, his teammates, and fans at Williams-Brice Stadium holding up three fingers at the start of each third quarter in Tyler’s respect. He wore the number three while playing for the Cougars.
Last season, Ryan started 11 games, throwing for 2,357 yards and 11 touchdowns. He is set to resume his duties in 2020, and should be the face of the Gamecocks program for the next couple of years.
Thus far, Hilinski’s Hope has raised over half a million dollars to fund mental wellness programs for student-athletes at colleges and universities throughout the country. To learn more about the foundation and its mission, visit HilinskisHope.org.