Doris M.H. Lewis Memorial Award
The Lewis Sports Foundation (LSF) awards grants to local practitioners. At least two sports professionals are presented small tokens of appreciation for their tireless work and effort to service youth. These awards are designated to provide support to each practitioner and their organization.
The Doris M.H. Lewis Memorial Practitioner Award is given to recognize outstanding effort as a teaching professional who tirelessly works in leadership and physical activity positions in the Minneapolis-St. Paul metro area. We target those individuals who teach and/or coach young people despite the odds that confront them as they succeed.
We’d like to recognize Doris M.H. Lewis Memorial Award recipients:
2024
Audrey Kludtke
Metro Deaf School
Audrey Kludtke serves as the Athletic Director at Metro Deaf School, bringing with her a wealth of knowledge and experience. Her focus centers on harnessing the athletes' full potential through tailored equipment and physical training regimens. The school seeks to optimize funding for the performance of their deaf athletes, underscoring the significance of suitable equipment used in sports. Fundraising goals for this year are to add football as one of the school sponsored sports. The school will compete against other deaf schools from around the country. As a proud alumna, Audrey excelled in volleyball, basketball, and softball during middle school at Metro Deaf School and enrolled in high school at the Wisconsin School for the Deaf, earning four years of varsity awards. Audrey transitioned to Athletic Director after coaching for five years in diverse sports including volleyball, girls' basketball, and track and field. She has undertaken the solemn responsibility of ensuring that nearly hundreds of athletes realize their athletic potential and surmount the challenges posed by deafness. Beyond her professional commitments, Audrey finds solace in hiking through forests and mountains with her spouse and their cattle dog. Notably, she has explored close to 40 state parks in Minnesota and aspires to visit all 73 statewide parks in the future.
To view Audrey’s interview click here.
Past Recipients:
2023 - JoeAnn Jackson-Matthews - Eagles Wings Track Club
2022 - Meredith Lang - Mosaic Hockey Collective
2021 - Lori Prioleau - Summit University Girls Athletics Association
2020 - No award given
2019 - Deborah Williams - St. Paul Parks & Rec
2018 - Kiara Buford - Robbinsdale Cooper High School
2017 - Beulah Verdell - Minneapolis North Community High School
2014 to 2016 - No award given
2013 - Linda Coleman - Merrick Community Services
2012 - Crystal Flint - Shooting Stars Girls Program
2011 - Tonyus Chavers - Richard Green Middle School
Doris M.H. Lewis
Doris M. H. Lewis was a scholar and physical education teacher at the primary grade levels. She was a cheerleader and graduate of Lincoln University in Jefferson City, MO. She was a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority and Order of the Eastern Star and earned her Master’s degree from the University of Missouri. Doris was an early integrator of the Columbia Public Schools in Columbia, MO, and taught for over 25 years. She was very instrumental in raising three sons, two of whom were professional football players. She was also the stabilizing force and supportive wife of Leo Lewis, Jr. during his Hall of Fame football career and coaching roles at Lincoln University. Doris passed away in 1980.
Founded in 1999 by Leo Lewis, the Lewis Sports Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit community service organization dedicated to providing our youth with the tools to develop lifeskills through education and physical activity.
