WESTERN NEW YORK'S MOST PRESTIGIOUS HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL AWARD - EST. 1972
about us
Our Mission
The Connolly Cup Committee has a mission to inspire the next generation of Western New York athletes and community members by amplifying the legacy of service and excellence embodied by William R. Connolly and the players who have earned his namesake award.
Awarded annually since 1972, the William R. Connolly Memorial Cup is earned on and off the field by the most outstanding high school football player in Western New York (Section VI and Monsignor Martin).
Rooted in community, character, and a love of the game, The Connolly Cup has become a season-long tradition that honors weekly excellence, recognizes leadership and attitude, and celebrates the lasting impact these young men can have in their schools and hometowns.
Our Story
Since 1972, the Connolly Cup Committee has honored Western New York’s finest high school football players. For more than fifty years, The Connolly Cup has become one of the region’s most respected awards in the sport.
The game itself has changed. The standard has not. Each week of the season, the committee recognizes the area’s top performers. At season’s end, ten outstanding players are invited as Finalist to the Annual Awards Banquet, where the William R. Connolly Memorial Cup (a.k.a. The Connolly Cup) is presented to the most outstanding high school football player in Western New York.
How the Cup Began
In 1971, Auburn’s Pat Sullivan won the Heisman Trophy over Cornell’s popular Ed Marinaro. The result sparked a lively debate among members of the Riverside Athletic Club, a group of dedicated football fans.
After Bill’s untimely passing, those friends chose to honor him by naming their award the William R. Connolly Memorial Cup. It is presented each year to the most outstanding high school football player in Western New York—an enduring way to keep his example of service and community alive.
The Man Behind the Cup
The award is well known. The man it commemorates is less so.
William R. “Bill” Connolly lived a life of service. He gave his time to the Boy Scouts of America and the American Red Cross, officiated youth and high school football, and found ways to help others through his work with the United Way. When health issues ended his days as an official, he became a volunteer trainer for the Riverside High School football team and the Riverside Athletic Club in the JFK Touch Football League.
That same spirit followed him on family vacations to the Connolly summer home in Canada. There he organized a softball league for local boys. When his daughter Molly wanted to play, he started a junior co-ed league so younger children could join. In 1971, the ball field near the family’s summer home was dedicated in his honor. Improvements to the field in 2008 renewed that tribute.
Our Process
How The Connolly Cup Committee Decides
Each August prior to the season, the Connolly Cup Committee - which is a board of volunteers with active and deep experience in Western New York high school football - sends nomination requests to high school football coaches across the region. The Committee is not simply looking for statistical leaders. It is looking for players who demonstrate outstanding ability, character, and impact on the field.
Throughout the season, coaches stay in contact with the committee, submitting updates and performance reports by email. Additional candidates are added based on observations from committee members and coverage in local newspapers and other media.
To give every nominee a fair look, committee assignments are organized so that members see as many candidates as possible. Each week, the committee holds a roundtable to review that week’s top performances. Those selections are then released to the press. The full committee also meets four times during the season to discuss the field, and video is available for members who need additional review.
Scouting styles vary. Some members move through the crowd; others watch from the sideline, press box, or stands. Candidates are evaluated in every phase of the game. Members weigh weather, the quality of the opposition, and the strength of a player’s supporting cast. A team’s win-loss record is not a deciding factor. What matters most includes sportsmanship, team play, and exceptional ability.
Immediately after the final regular season game of the Western New York high school football season, the committee begins selecting the top 10 finalists.
That process is thorough. Each committee member reviews the full list of nominees from the season. Only members who attended at least eight games featuring candidates — and, when necessary, reviewed at least 75 percent of available game video — are eligible to vote.
Once the 10 finalists are named, eligible members cast secret ballots to determine the winner. Points are awarded as follows:
- 1st place: 10 points
- 2nd place: 7 points
- 3rd place: 5 points
- 4th place: 3 points
- 5th place: 1 point
The player with the highest accumulated point total is named the outstanding high school football player in Western New York. The William R. Connolly Memorial Cup is presented at the annual banquet and press conference.
