Photo at left:  Landry Award Recipient, Jonathan Gray with Coach Tim Buchanan

The Landry Award honors the best high school football player in North Texas each year who also displays character and leadership attributes on and off the field of play. This award is in honor of Coach Tom Landry who started Greater Dallas FCA in 1966.

The five finalists for The Landry Award 2011 were:
Bryan Driskell - McKinney Boyd High School
Mario Edwards, Jr. - Ryan High School (Denton ISD)
Johnathan Gray – Aledo High School
Alec Morris – Allen High School
Jake Oliver - Jesuit

The award recognizes the top high school football player (at any position, any division, and any school) in Dallas/Fort Worth and the surrounding area, as chosen by a voting panel of former coaches and players, members of the media and local leaders. In addition, individuals vote at www.LandryAward.com, which accounts for one vote in the panel balloting.

The winner was announced on Thursday, Dec. 8 at the Communities Foundation of Texas. The ceremony aired live on TXA 21 with CBS 11/TXA 21’s Babe Laufenberg and Bill Jones hosting along with emcee Roger Emrich of CBS RADIO’s 1080 KRLD and 105.3 The Fan.

The Landry Award is presented by the North Texas GMC Dealers.

The Landry Award was created by CBS 11, TXA 21 and CBS RADIO in partnership with the Greater Dallas Fellowship of Christian Athletes' Character and Leadership Initiative highlighting the “One Way 2 Play-Drug Free” program.

“Beyond his legacy as a great coach, Tom Landry was known as a man of strong faith,” says Rick Bowles, Executive Director of the Greater Dallas FCA. “He was an active supporter and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Greater Dallas Fellowship of Christian Athletes for 30 years and he left a legacy in the community as well as with his former players. In fact, Roger Staubach and Rayfield Wright, both of whom played for Coach Landry, serve on the advisory board for the Character and Leadership Initiative.”

“Coach Landry began his career as a high school standout in Mission, Texas,” says CBS 11/TXA 21 President and General Manager Gary Schneider. “He set high standards, and he achieved some very lofty goals, including two Super Bowl Championships. The Landry Award honors Coach Landry’s spirit of excellence.”