Pop Warner Football announced the presentation of the Pop Warner equivalent of the Heisman Trophy. The Len Lyons Commemorative Award, the most coveted career achievement award, was presented to Cameron McDonald-Hyman. Though a California resident, McDonald-Hyman has his roots in Roslyn. He is the grandson of Edith Hyman and the late Dr. Herbert H. Hyman of Roslyn Heights. Dr. Hyman was lauded by the Nassau County Museum as one of the 10 most influential persons in the history of Nassau County.

The award cited the youth's outstanding team leadership as well as athletic distinction in both offense and defense. An all-around athlete, McDonald-Hyman has been on the Major League Little League All Star team and also won first place in the United States Tennis Association Junior Division Regional championship in his age group several times and competed successfully with other Regional USTA youth against Canada.

The award was presented this past Wednesday week to McDonald-Hyman by Stephen A. Fraser, the Redwood Empire Conference Rules Committee Chair at a dinner at the Sausalito Yacht Club.

Though playing in a highly competitive environment, the award to McDonald-Hyman surprised few observers. An athletic and scholarly powerhouse, McDonald-Hyman had played championship football, been on Little League teams that won the city championship, played on the All-Star Major League baseball team, and is a straight A student.

A foundation of both offensive and defensive play, McDonald-Hyman's versatility was legendary as a guard, lineman and fullback. A team captain for three of his five years, McDonald-Hyman was praised by Fraser as a leadership force who nurtured and supported rookies and second string players as well as the superstars, helping each player develop his abilities maximally.

Responding to the award, McDonald-Hyman reflected on Vince Lombardi, "People who work together will win, whether against complex football defenses or the problems of modern society." He then went on to cite former Southern Marine Athletic Director Hank Lopez-Ona, "Courage, integrity, hard work, friendship, heart, discipline, pain, joy - it's what football is all about!"

The teams that McDonald-Hyman led had risen to conference championship competition in every year of play, and in this last year were defeated in the championship only by the team that went on to become the number two Pop Warner team nationally.

McDonald-Hyman is the son of nationally renown forensic examiner, psychologist and television talking head, Dr. Edward Hyman and the famed Feng Shui Master and psychologist, Dr. Deborah McDonald. Cam explains that his intense love for football actually dates back to long before his birth. His maternal grandfather, Duncan McDonald, was a Michigan football great, and a high school football Hall of Famer who went on to become quarterback for four years at Ann Arbor and was drafted by the Lions, where he ultimately retired from football due to an injury.

Following in the footsteps of his father and his grandfather, who was an ordained rabbi, and founder and president of Temple Sinai of Roslyn, Cam is also a developed Hebrew and Judaic Studies scholar. A graduate of Jewish day school in Marin, McDonald-Hyman will become a Bar Mitzvah at Temple Sinai of Roslyn this July. He will attend Marin's Tamalpais High School in the fall.