Dr. Warren J. McClain, Superintendent of the Woodbury Schools and a fierce proponent of scholastic sports, dropped in to visit Woodbury Times sports editor Bob Shryock with an idea one day in 1967. Frustrated with the lack of attention his school was receiving from a Camden County football club, McClain shared with Shryock his thoughts for starting a new club in Gloucester County.
Dr. McClain’s dream was to start a football club that would honor only players from Gloucester and Salem counties – 17 schools at the time – on a weekly basis. Shryock wrote a story in the Woodbury Times about the idea and invited prospective members to attend an informal meeting at the old Zaberer’s Restaurant on the Black Horse Pike.
Among those who attended were Herb Neilio, Dutch Mauk, Joe Herrschaft, Jack Herbert and Herbert’s close friend, Pete Retzlaff, a future Philadelphia Eagles Hall of Famer.
A year later, The Touchdown Club of Southern New Jersey incorporated and held its first weekly dinner meeting at the old Tall Pines Inn in Sewell (later to become the Maple Ridge Golf Club).
The Touchdown Club evolved to include 35 schools in four counties. Including backs, linemen and special team honorees, end of the season high school and college players, coaches of the year, captains, trainers, cheerleaders and others, The TD Club honored more than 2,400 individuals through its first 39 years.
Dr. McClain wanted the Club to be innovative and current, honoring players for their performances in the previous weekend games.
Each week, members of the Board of the Directors of The Touchdown Club call the head coach of each member school and solicit nominations for players to be honored as a back, lineman or special teams player.
In 2006, there were 147 players nominated and 74 were honored at the in season dinners. In addition, 23 players were honored on Unsung Heroes Night, 22 players were honored after being chosen by their coaches for their efforts in championship bracket playoff games and 17 seniors were selected for the All-Academic Team.
In 2007, weekly phone calls garnered 157 nominations and 75 players were honored as backs, linemen or special teams players. Adding in players selected for Unsung recognition, playoff recognition and All-Academic recognition, 128 players were honored.
Each season the final awards banquet honors scholastic players of the year as backs, linemen and receivers, a John Aveni Memorial Special Teams player of the year and an All-Academic honoree.
Those players recognized are asked to speak upon receiving awards and the best acceptance speech earned special recognition. A Sportsmanship Award to one of the 35 teams, an honored player from Rowan University and college Players of the Year also are honored. And the Coach of the Year Award caps the final banquet and another football season.
In 2008, the 41st annual Awards Banquet will be held on December 17 at the Woodbury Country Club.
