2024 Jim Donovan Courage Award presented by Cleveland Clinic Sports Medicine winner Josiah Saunders is a high school junior at Avon High School and a team member of the school football team helping them win the 2024 DII Ohio High School Athletic Association Division II State Football Championship. In September 2023, Josiah suffered a catastrophic knee injury that many athletes don’t return to competitive sports after injuring that many knee ligaments. One year later, September 2024, Josiah was back on the field.
Cleveland Clinic Sports Medicine Courage Award is an honor given annually by the Greater Cleveland Sports Commission in collaboration with Cleveland Clinic Sports Medicine at the Greater Cleveland Sports Awards banquet each January.
It is awarded to a student athlete who has faced a medical challenge in his or her life and approached the situation with courage and determination to get back into the game.
2025 Courage Award
If you know a student athlete who has overcome a medical challenge in his or her life and would like to submit them for the 2025 Courage Award nominate them today.
“I went through a lot of pain and everything. But it taught me a lot of life lessons. It helped me to grow as a young man, become better, work hard and strive for the better path.”
