Josh Speidel gained instant fame March 3 when he scored a basket in a prearranged play in his first and only college basketball game.
Since then, the Columbus North and University of Vermont graduate who is recovering from a traumatic brain injury, has received national attention and won several honors. The latest honor came this week when he was named one of the recipients of the Musial Award.
"It was gratifying," Speidel said. "I thank my family and everybody here in Columbus and at Vermont. It’s just gratitude when I heard I got the award. I’m so thankful just for everyone I’ve come across in this journey. I was blessed to learn that my name was chosen."
The award, which is named for former St. Louis Cardinals slugger and Baseball Hall of Famer Stan Musial, recognizes honorees from all over the country "for their extraordinary displays of sportsmanship and overall class and character."
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"I had heard of Stan Musial, but I had never heard of the award. It is a big honor."
Speidel, who was critically injured in a car accident late in his high school senior season, is one of nine honorees. They include Baseball Hall of Famer Hank Aaron, who won the Stan Musial Lifetime Achievement Award for Sportsmanship, and NASCAR’s Bubba Wallace, who won the Stan Musial Award for Extraordinary Character.
"To be mentioned with those names, I couldn’t be more blessed," Speidel said.
Speidel was set to go to St. Louis to pick up his award at a ceremony next week, but the event has been postponed to Nov. 21 because of COVID-19 concerns.
This spring, Speidel won Vermont’s Russell O. Sunderland Memorial Trophy, which is given to a male and female senior athlete who have exemplified character, leadership and persistence in overcoming obstacles. He also won the America East Conference’s Inspiration Award.
Last month, Speidel took a job as an instructional assistant for K-3 Life Skills at Schmitt Elementary. He also has been named assistant eighth-grade boys basketball coach at Northside Middle School under head coach Mike Reed and is looking forward to that.
"That should be fun," Speidel said.
