On Saturday, the Kansas City Chiefs announced Dr. Casey Vokolek, Executive Director of Student Activities for the North Kansas City School District, as their recipient of the inaugural 2022 Inspire Change Changemaker Award. The league's newly established award recognizes individuals who are making a difference in their communities through social justice work, either individually or as part of a non-profit organization, across each of the NFL's 32 club markets. Dr. Vokolek was recognized during pregame at the club's Week 16 Inspire Change game as Chairman & CEO Clark Hunt surprised him with a package, including a $10,000 check to a non-profit organization of his choice, as well as tickets to attend Super Bowl LVII in Glendale, Arizona, in February.
Dr. Vokolek receives this award because of his efforts to champion the Chiefs FLAG football pilot integration. He currently serves as a youth coach for one of the YMCA Chiefs FLAG teams, and in 2021, his team was recognized as the club's Youth Tradition guest at a game. This year, Dr. Vokolek advocated for a girl's high school FLAG football program, in which his efforts were pivotal in launching the first pilot program in the North Kansas City School District, which is also the first of its kind in the Kansas City metro area. Because of his hard work and leadership, all four North Kansas City high schools adopted a pilot girl's FLAG football program that saw great success in its inaugural season. Dr. Vokolek has shared his vision and plan with many other school districts throughout the state of Missouri with the hope of seeing it become a sanctioned sport in the years to come.
"I am grateful to have been part of the advancement of female sports in the Kansas City Area. My job as an educator is to remove barriers and provide students hope and opportunity to achieve their dreams," said Vokolek. "We have thousands of girls in the Kansas City area that dream of playing football and deserve to experience the joy of playing this great game. The game of football teaches life lessons, inspires greatness, and develops the character traits that we want in young people. I am hopeful that we have started something special in the Kansas City area that will continue to grow and provide more and more girls the opportunity to play. I want to thank the NFL, the local 'trailblazers' for girl's football, our coaches, athletes and the Kansas City Chiefs for making the first season of girl's flag football truly special."
"It's an honor to recognize Dr. Vokolek as our recipient of the inaugural 2022 Inspire Change Changemaker Award," Chiefs President Mark Donovan said. "Due to his efforts, young girls in the North Kansas City School District now have an easier path to learn and play football, an opportunity that we hope continues to grow throughout Chiefs Kingdom. Football offers young people a chance to gain confidence, learn teamwork, and stay active. It's exciting that the NFL now offers a platform to celebrate the efforts of people like Dr. Vokolek in each team's market because we believe it takes all of us working together to make positive changes in our communities."
Inspire Change Changemaker Award recipients were selected based on their outstanding work in the community, supporting one or more of the four key pillars encompassed in the Inspire Change Initiative: Police-Community Relations, Criminal Justice Reform, Education and Economic Advancement.
Inspire Change is the NFL's social justice initiative which showcases the collaborative efforts of players, owners and the League to create positive change in communities across the country and ensure that equal opportunity becomes a reality for all. Since 2017, the NFL family has provided more than $244 million to 37 national grant partners and hundreds of grassroots organizations across the country, nearing its 10-year, $250 million commitment to social justice efforts.
All 32 recipients will receive a $10,000 donation to the social justice 501c3 non-profit organization of their choice. All donations are courtesy of the NFL Foundation.
