Clovis’ Adam Prentice named B’nai B’rith winner in emotional night

Clovis High’s Adam Prentice, a multi-sport athlete and honor student, was named the B’nai B’rith Student-Athlete Award winner Monday night in an emotional setting at Clovis Veterans Hall.

This occurred six days after the passing of his father, Gary Prentice, 58.

The immensely popular head counselor at Clovis High died last Tuesday from complications of leukemia only two weeks after he had been diagnosed with the disease.

Adam Prentice made track and field practice hours after the death. And, a day later, he qualified in the shot put for this week’s Central Section Masters Championships at Buchanan.

“Everyone deals with their situations in different ways,” Clovis football coach Rich Hammond said, “and, for Adam, he dealt with this by doing the job he was supposed to be doing and keeping focus on that. Knowing his father as well as I did, I’ve got no doubt he’d want his son doing those things.”

Prentice was also The Bee All-Star Football Team’s Defensive Player of the Year, and placed second in the state in wrestling at 195 pounds. He’s also played baseball.

He has a 4.16 grade-point average and will walk on as a fullback at Colorado State.

“Adam is the quintessential student-athlete, a kid from a different generation,” Hammond said. “He isn’t into social media; he’s into school, church and his family. He’s always doing the right thing, and goes above and beyond the call of duty, always picking up other people.”

Prentice was announced the winner by local doctor Rod Kraft, a star quarterback and baseball player at McLane in the early 1970s, who said: “An angel was with us, watching from above.”

A standing ovation followed for Prentice, who, like his father, was conscious of the needy.

Gary Prentice organized food drives at Thanksgiving and toy drives for Christmas.

“He ran all the charity work in our area,” Hammond said.

Adam Prentice’s mother, Renae, teaches at Fancher Creek in Clovis Unified.

“The way Adam has reacted to his father’s death is admirable, yet not surprising,” Hammond said, “because of the standards put forward as a family.”

Prentice followed Nick Nevills as the second straight B’nai B’rith Student-Athlete Award winner from Clovis High.

This story was originally published May 18, 2015 at 9:47 PM with the headline "Clovis’ Adam Prentice named B’nai B’rith winner in emotional night."