Food & Wellness, People

Sam Russell and Reid Rooney look forward to another successful CHIPYS in 2011

Central baseball players Reid Rooney and Sam Russell look for continued success in raising money for cancer research with the 2011 CHIPY Awards.

CHIPYS co-creators, Reid Rooney (left) and Sam Russell, hold their trophies from the 2010 CHIPYS Awards. (Photo courtesy of CMU Athletic Communications)

The CHIPY awards recognize the top athlete performers in the past year at Central Michigan University. Eleven different awards will be presented on Sept. 18.

-Best Team

-Breakthrough Athlete

-Best Game

-Best Championship Performance

-Coach of the Year

-Best Play

-Comeback Athlete of the Year

-Best Record Breaking Performance

-Freshman of the Year

-Best Male Athlete

-Best Female Athlete

The CHIPYS started as random talk in the outfield between Central baseball players Reid Rooney and Sam Russell. They envisioned an award show that emulates ESPN’s ESPY awards. The CHIPYS include a “Maroon” Carpet prior to the event, the award show itself and even prepared skits throughout the show.

Over a year later and one successful CHIPYS under their belts, Russell and Rooney are now preparing for the second annual show that will take place Sunday, Sept. 18, 2011 at 7 p.m. in the Plachta Auditorium.

CMU Baseball from Joe Samson on Vimeo.

Last year’s event featured over 650 guests and raised $2,500 for the V Foundation which supports cancer research, an impressive feat for an event created out of outfield chatter.

Former NFL running back T.J. Duckett will be attending as well as presenting an award at the event. Duckett is a major supporter of the Special Olympics and Rooney said that it will be a “powerful moment” when Duckett presents the award.

The CHIPYS are a black tie event and tickets can be purchased in advance for $3 and at the door for $5. All proceeds go to the V Foundation.

“It’s a cheap way to take a girl or a guy out and to dress up and look snazzy,” Rooney said.

Russell will be hosting the show by himself this year as last year’s co-host Brendan Emmet graduated. More information can be found on the CHIPYS by visiting their Facebook page.

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