Area native honored by the NCAA
One of St. Marys most famous and accomplished natives, Floyd Keith, has received a 2021 Legacy Award from the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA).
The NCAA nominated and honored eight individuals with this award due to their excellence and their work within the field and how they’ve helped the NCAA and similar organizations meet their goals. The awards were given to those that had a noted career including community outreach, activism (local or national) and inclusiveness.
Keith was given the award after having served 50 years in the business, along with many other accomplishments he’s made within that time period. Not only is he the chief executive officer of the Planned Positive Attitude Professional Services (PPA), but he is is also a noted motivational speaker and the figurehead of several initiatives. He has served as the member of the Black Coaches and Administrators (BCA) organization for 12 years, and has driven up membership from the hundreds to the thousands. He is noted for coaching collegiate football for 30 years on the Division I level, earning him a place in the Ohio Northern University Athletics Hall of Fame.
Keith is also credited for joining and creating many new practices that are being used in collegiate sports today. One of his most famous initiatives is the Equity in Hiring Summits, the creation which led to increased minority hirings in coaching and administrative positions. He was recognized as an influential figure in sports because of this.
The NCAA gave him the Legacy Award because he, like many of those that received it before him, has dedicated so much time to his craft and improving it for everyone else that works within it. Keith was one of eight people to received it this year, and is one of many achievements that are to come.
The Legacy Awards program has been active since 2014 and has recognized many different athletes, coaches and other people in the industry.
The awards were given out virtually this year due to concerns about COVID.
Keith was inducted into the St. Marys Memorial High School Alumni Hall of Fame in 2008.
Other recipients for the award included Clarissa Davis-wrightsil, Stacey Johnson, Major General Angie Salinas, Dr.virginia Caine, Pastor Jeffery Johnson Sr., Rep. Greg Porter, and Becky Hammon.