CASTLE ROCK — As a 7-year-old helping the Parker Hawks beat Cherry Creek with a late defensive stop to win a youth title, Christian McCaffrey knew. Football, he decided, would be his sport.
And it wasn’t because his father, Ed, was a crowd-pleasing Broncos wide receiver.
“I fell in love with it,” McCaffrey said. “It was a huge benefit that (my father) knows what it takes to get to the highest level. But I love the concept of contact, taking all of your energy and playing, the unity and teamwork it involves.”
Football has loved McCaffrey back. The Denver Post has selected McCaffrey for its 2013 Gold Helmet Award, the 63rd winner, honoring his football accomplishments in conjunction with scholastic and community work.
“I’m very honored. It’s the best (award) I’ve won,” he said.
McCaffrey is about as decorated as a Colorado high school athlete can be, particularly among larger schools. The Valor Christian running back helped lead his team to four state championships, set the all-time Colorado 11-man marks for career touchdowns (141) and points (848) and won two Gatorade state player-of-the-year honors. He has committed to continue his football career at Stanford, where his father played.
In four seasons, the 6-foot, 195-pound McCaffrey rushed for 5,340 yards and gained 8,845 all-purpose yards. But his story was much more than numbers.
Said former Valor coach Brent Vieselmeyer, “All you had to do was see him.”
McCaffrey either sat out after halftime when the Eagles (13-1) built huge leads or didn’t play much against lesser foes — he had 17 carries in four games in October. He averaged 9.8 yards per carry for his career. He had 19 touchdowns in five playoff games this year, 10 in four championship games at Sports Authority Field at Mile High. And, he also starred as a defensive back and punter.
“Christian’s impact on the field is irreplaceable,” Eaglecrest coach Mike Schmitt said.
Valor Christian coach Rod Sherman called McCaffrey “special.” Special? That might be an understatement. McCaffrey also flirted with the all-time state mark for receiving touchdowns, finishing with 47, just two behind, even though he was a running back.
“It’s a team game, and I couldn’t have done it without my teammates,” McCaffrey said.
Academically, McCaffrey has been stellar, with a grade-point average of 3.65, impressive considering Valor Christian’s curriculum is challenging and stingy in grading — there’s no extra weight for honors classes, only AP.
It’s why his parents, Ed and Lisa McCaffrey, both Stanford graduates, have sent their sons to Valor. Max is now playing football at Duke, and Dylan is a freshman at Valor. In two years, it will be youngest son Luke’s turn.
“My mom and dad are hard on all of us about grades. It was always student-athlete, and without the student part you’re not one,” Christian said.
He is taking the maximum seven classes allowed, spiced with honors and advanced-placement curriculum.
“It’s not easy to get an A here. But he’s very insightful. He wanted an Ivy League-level school,” said Valor director of academics Gary Fisher, who called McCaffrey “Stanford ready.”
Last summer, McCaffrey was part of a school group that visited Rwanda, a two-week trip he described as “life changing” that involved performing services amid immense poverty. “It’s hard to describe to someone who didn’t go, you have no idea. … They have nothing, but they have big hearts,” he said.
So do the individuals with Down syndrome who attend his father’s camp for football drills and cheerleading. Admittedly, he’s a sucker for those who give so much love, enjoying the interaction and reminding him of how blessed he has been.
“I try to stay humble; never be satisfied,” McCaffrey said. “I’m going to keep pushing. At the next level, I’ll be a no-name. I’m excited for that. I can’t wait to take that on. I’ll have to work myself back up again.”
Gold Helmet winners
| Year | Name | School | Pos. | College | Resides today | Position today |
| 2013 | Christian McCaffrey | Valor Christian | RB | Stanford | Castle Rock | High-school student |
| 2012 | Xavier Lewis | Eaglecrest | S | Wyoming | Centennial | Student |
| 2011 | Sean Rubalcaba | Grand Juntion | QB | Northern Colo. | Greeley | Student |
| 2010 | Ian Imamura | Pueblo West | TE-LB | Air Force | Colorado Springs | Student |
| 2009 | Matt Brown | Limon | QB | Colorado Mines | Golden | Student |
| 2008 | Bryan Peters | Rocky Mountain | QB | Nebraska | Lincoln, Neb. | Student, intern civil engineer |
| 2007 | Tyler Jackson | Douglas County | DB | Boise State | Boise, Idaho | Real estate analysists, A10 CapitalStudent |
| 2006 | Clay Garcia | Alamosa | QB | Colorado Mines | Houston | Mechanical engineer |
| 2005 | Tim McGraw | Douglas County | OL | Northern Colorado | Denver | Auditor for accounting firm |
| 2004 | Tyler Sale | Arapahoe | OL-DL | Colorado | Denver | Environmental engineer |
| 2003 | Jeff Byers | Loveland | OL-DL | USC | Charlotte | Carolina Panthers center |
| 2002 | Jonathan Lucas | Arvada West | LB | Cornell | Charlestown, Mass. | Comptroller for Boston city government |
| 2001 | Jake Stone | Limon | WR | Harvard | London | Portfolio manager |
| 2000 | Nick Brown | Woodland Park | WR-DB | Princeton | Breckenridge | President, High County Healing and TZ Financial |
| 1999 | Marcus Houston | Thomas Jefferson | RB | CU-CSU | Aurora | Lawyer |
| 1998 | Ryan Haywood | Thomas Jefferson | Line | Texas-UNC | Denver | Marketing, Done Right |
| 1997 | Jason Lucas | Arvada West | SS | Brown | London | President of Amstar Global Partners |
| 1996 | Wayne Southam | Overland | Line | Air Force | Herriman, Utah | Project Manager, CECO concrete |
| 1995 | Matt Rillos | Golden | WR | Air Force | Golden | Investment adviser |
| 1994 | Shane Cook | Bear Creek | OL | Colorado | Iowa City, Iowa | Medical residency at University of Iowa |
| 1993 | Ryan Clement | Mullen | QB | Miami | Denver | Partner, Clement Group Public Affairs LLC |
| 1992 | Jeff Singleton | Broomfield | Line | Colorado | Westminster | Engineer, Marvell Semiconductor |
| 1991 | Greg Jones | J.F. Kennedy | DE | Colorado | Castle Rock | Mortgage broker, Vertex Financial Group |
| 1990 | Justin Armour | Manitou Springs | Back | Stanford | Manitou Springs | Restaurant owner |
| 1989 | Kent Kahl | Fort Morgan | Back | Iowa | Fort Morgan | Scout for San Francisco 49ers |
| 1988 | Doug Musgrave | Grand Junction | Back | Oregon | Vancouver, Wash. | Orthopedic surgeon |
| 1987 | Jerry Dunn | Mullen | Back | CSU | Boise, Idaho | Principal, CEO of A10 Capital |
| 1986 | Lance French | Green Mountain | Back | Yale-Colorado | Broomfield | Real estate agent |
| 1985 | Bill Musgrave | Grand Junction | Back | Oregon | Minneapolis | Offensive coordinator, Minnesota Vikings |
| 1984 | Maurice Frilot | Montbello | G | Harvard | Denver | Wells Fargo financial adviser |
| 1983 | David Gaines | Wasson | C | Air Force | Versailles, Ky. | Retired lieutenant colonel; consultant, farmer |
| 1982 | Eric McCarty | Boulder | Back | Colorado | Boulder | UCD chief of sports medicine |
| 1981 | Steve Markstrom | Rocky Mountain | T | Colorado | Denver | Hydrologist for USGS |
| 1980 | Griff Wirth | Wheat Ridge | Back | Colorado | Arvada | Wheat Ridge High School principal |
| 1979 | Alvin Rubalcaba | Grand Junction | Back | Colorado | Las Vegas | Civil engineer |
| 1978 | Ellis Wood | Centaurus | Back | Colorado | Sacramento, Calif. | Regional director, Dish Network |
| 1977 | Tony Federico | Northglenn | Back | Colorado | Brighton | Self defense and strength training |
| 1976 | Greg Jaeger | Ranum | Back | Dartmouth | Vienna, Wash. | Attorney |
| 1975 | Mike Edwards | J.F. Kennedy | End | CSU | Centennial | Independent oil and gas; attorney |
| 1974 | Pete Cyphers | Grand Junction | Back | Colorado | Grand Junction | Holy Family School AD, Grand Junction |
| 1973 | Randy Strandberg | Arvada West | End | CSU | Littleton | Certified public accountant |
| 1972 | Tom Tesone | Cherry Creek | Back | Colorado | Englewood | Owns Complete Closets; Rock Canyon asst. coach |
| 1971 | Dave Logan | Wheat Ridge | End | Colorado | Littleton | Cherry Creek coach; broadcaster |
| 1970 | Doug Quimby | Grand Junction | Back | Harvard | Colorado Springs | CEO La Plata Investments |
| 1969 | Joe Duenas | La Junta | Back | Colorado | Lake Charles, La. | Retired |
| 1968 | Mike Boryla | Regis | Back | Stanford | Castle Rock | Mortgage banker |
| 1967 | Paul Arendt | Thomas Jefferson | Back | Colorado | Littleton | Dentist |
| 1966 | Fred Steinmark | Wheat Ridge | Back | Texas | Deceased | |
| 1965 | Craig Bozich | Aurora Central | Back | BYU | Arvada | Retired arline pilot |
| 1964 | Bobby Anderson | Boulder | Back | Colorado | La Quinta, Calif | Liberty tax service |
| 1963 | Steve Elliott | Lakewood | T | Colorado | Arvada | Certified public accountant |
| 1962 | Jim Blaschke | Denver East | Back | Stanford | Sunnyvale, Calif | Retired |
| 1961 | Tom Elliott | Lakewood | Back | Stanford | Denver | Attorney |
| 1960 | Gordon Rowley | Arvada | End | Colorado | France | Consultant |
| 1959 | Ted Somerville | Greeley | Back | Colorado | Colorado Springs | Owns nutrition company |
| 1958 | Kent Hutcheson | Denver South | Back | Wheaton | Aurora | Founder, Colorado UpLift |
| 1957 | Joe Romig | Lakewood | Back | Colorado | Boulder | Physicist, engineer, CU professor |
| 1956 | Kay McFarland | Englewood | End | CSU | Littleton | President, Alpha Dental Plan |
| 1955 | Bob Erickson | Denver East | G-LB | Northwestern | Main | Retired |
| 1954 | Charles Inagaki | Denver North | Guard | Denver | Lakewood | Owner, real estate firm |
| 1953 | Eloy Mares | Annunciation | Back | Denver | Deceased | |
| 1952 | Ray Carlsen | Denver East | Back | Yale | Bellevue, Wash. | Dermatopathologist |
| 1951 | Bill Faddis | Regis | Back | USC | Aurora | Retired |
Updates may be provided to Neil H. Devlin, high school sports editor, ndevlin@denverpost.com
An open letter from Christian McCaffrey:
It was Mark Twain who said that “To get the full value of joy you must have someone to divide it with.” As I reflect upon the many blessings in my life, including now becoming a recipient of The Gold Helmet Award, I can’t help but feel it is only right to share it with and acknowledge the outstanding people who have supported and mentored me from my family, my coaches, my teachers and my teammates.
I am truly thankful for each of you. I attribute all of my successes to the people who have pushed me to be the very best I can be in every aspect of life. To win The Gold Helmet award is truly an honor that I will never forget.
Since my freshman year, I have had the opportunity to play at the varsity level. It was daunting at first. I was a 14-year-old freshman wandering aimlessly through the halls of Valor, very much intimidated by my surroundings, yet more than willing to give my all. I was lucky enough to have played with and against numerous Division 1 prospects. Being surrounded by this abundance of talent not only humbled me, but also made me realize what it took to be the very best: hard work, dedication, and perseverance. Those aren’t just cliché words to me … they truly define the commitment and standard I have set for myself.
I began to follow the footsteps of the upperclassmen who instilled all three of these traits, and as seasons went on, we continued to be successful. I learned quickly, though, that gloating, pride or self-satisfaction are dangerous emotions that should not and cannot be present in one’s agenda. As we continued to have success, we continued to stay hungry and humble. These beliefs have been instilled in my head since I was that young impressionable freshman, and will continue to guide me as life goes on. I am so thankful for my teammates and coaches who have worked extremely hard to earn the right to be called champions. They are equally deserving of this award and without them, I would not be writing this essay.
Academics have always been a primary focus for me. My Mom and Dad have stressed education over athletics since my youth. I wasn’t always in agreement with that philosophy, but I am forever grateful now that they ingrained in me that education will always be my No. 1 priority. God has given us a beautiful mind to acquire knowledge. God has given us endless opportunities to be great in school and on the playing field to give 100 percent effort, not to be mediocre. Therefore, I believe it is a sin to not use all of your talents to the absolute fullest. In school, I have always loved learning because I believe not only is knowledge power, but it equalizes the playing field in life and affords a person from any socio-economic background the opportunities to succeed. I have been able to maintain good grades due to the help of my teachers and the productive atmosphere that my classmates maintain. When I fall short, I know I can rely on the community around me to remind me what it takes to be a mindful student, and I am so thankful for an atmosphere filled with constructive feedback and positive reinforcement.
Although successes on the field and in the classroom may garner attention and awards, they are nothing without integrity and good character. Rings and trophies fade away, but one’s character lasts forever. It is how you are truly remembered by those closest to you. I have always wanted to be a leader who can have a positive impact on others, and I knew I had an amazing opportunity to do so when I walked into Valor and saw in big letters, “Influence Through Excellence.” Without an outstanding community around me, I would not be where I am today and cannot express how thankful I am for the people who have had a positive impact on my life.
This award is a tremendous honor, yet humbling in its meaning. I share this with my teammates and coaches. Again, I feel thankful that I was able to attend a school where excellence is encouraged, not frowned upon. I hope to live up to the spirit of the award in all my future actions and strive to embody the ideal for which it represents.
Thank you.
Sincerely,
Christian McCaffrey
