Four to receive Gold Key from sports writers

Super Bowl champion defensive end Dwight Freeney of the Atlanta Falcons, five-time Olympic archer Butch Johnson, Farmington boys soccer coach Steve Waters and former Cheshire swim coach Ed Aston will be honored at the 76th Gold Key Dinner on April 30 at the Aqua Turf Club in Southington.

The Gold Key is regarded as one of the highest sports awards in the state. Since 1940 the Connecticut Sports Writers’ Alliance has recognized individuals who have achieved excellence on the amateur, high school, collegiate and professional levels.

Past recipients of the Gold Key include: Connie Mack (1940), Willie Pep (1961), Carm Cozza (1975), Bob Skoronski (1975), Larry McHugh (1985) George H.W. Bush (1991), Gordie Howe (1992), Tracy Claxton (1993), Bill Rodgers (1994), Geno Auriemma (2001), Jim Calhoun (2003), Brian Leetch (2009), Amby Burfoot (2014) and Marlon Starling (2016).

The Class of 2017 recipients add to that proud and rich tradition. Together, the four have played a

major role in the history of Connecticut sports, and the CSWA is honored to celebrate their achievements.

Tickets to the 76th Gold Key Dinner, which begins at 4 p.m., are $75 and can be purchased by contacting CSWA President Matthew Conyers of The Hartford Courant at 860-874-4166 or mconyers@courant.com or dinner chairman Tim Jensen of Patch Media at tim. jensen@patch.com. Tickets can also be obtained by mailing a check to Connecticut Sports Writers’ Alliance, P.O. Box 70, Unionville, CT, 06085.