BEVERLY, Mass. — Endicott baseball student-athlete Nickolas Perkins (Nashua, N.H.) has received the 2021 Adam Keenan Sportsmanship & Scholarship Award of the Nashua Silver Knights of the Futures Collegiate Baseball League (FCBL).
The Adam Keenan Sportsmanship & Scholarship Award is presented in honor of Adam Keenan who passed away suddenly on June 6th, 2011. Keenan was an exceptional individual that exemplified an unbridled enthusiasm and passion for baseball and his legacy lives on in the Sportsmanship and Scholarship Award.
From 2011-2019, the Adam Keenan Sportsmanship & Scholarship Award was presented to one individual who embodied Keenan's spirit. However, in 2020, and moving forward, the Futures League decided to honor one individual from every team in the league.
Below is the Nashua Silver Knights' nomination they submitted to the league on why Perkins was their choice for the prestigious Adam Keenan Sportsmanship & Scholarship Award winner.
Nick Perkins, an incoming graduate student at Endicott College, embodies what it means to be a great teammate.
As a two-time Silver Knight, Nick has not only built relationships with those in the clubhouse, but he has also developed connections with the front office staff. During the 2020 season, Nick had success coming off the bench for the Silver Knights earning him several starts as a designated hitter for the 2021 season. At games, regardless of if he was in the lineup, Nick is constantly supporting his teammates.
As one of the hometown players on the roster, he quickly became a fan favorite as well.
Coming up in clutch positions, Nick always keeps a level head with doing the job at hand and encourages others to focus on what they can control in high-stress situations.
In a recent interview about this year's uncharacteristically challenging season in Nashua, he said, "We never get our heads down. ... We can still win; we have to prove it now." This control of his mindset to persevere has had an incredible ripple effect on the rest of the team in the second half of the season.
In the longest Futures League season ever, it is a breath of fresh air to consistently see a smile on-field from Nick. Without him knowing it, his positive energy from the beginning to the end of every game has helped improve the overall team culture and reminds other players on the team to have fun during games.
Beyond how he carries himself on the field, Nick has shown his leadership, maturity, and work ethic off the field as well. This is Nick's second year helping with the Silver Knights Baseball Camp, and campers always look forward to learning from a local player, who attended many of the same schools in Nashua that they currently attend. As a leader of kids who have a wide range of ages, campers have gravitated to Nick during camp weeks.
Nick also assisted with set-up, clean-up, and lunch distributions, helping to set an expectation with other players helping during camp.
In addition to camp, there is a huge emphasis on academics for Nick even during the summer as he has been getting a head start on his graduate courses throughout the season.
As a three-time member of the CCC Academic All-Conference team, his focus on school comes as no surprise.
Ultimately, the Nashua Silver Knights are proud to nominate Nick Perkins for the 2021 Adam Keenan Award. His positive attitude on the field is second to none. Though he might be quiet at times, Nick's subtle lead-by-example approach with teammates, campers, coaches, and fans, demonstrates his character each day.
He is genuine, hardworking, and respectful to those around him.
Win or lose, Nick has highlighted that "we all have the one same love: baseball."
There is no doubt that Nick Perkins will continue to exemplify Adam Keenan's legacy long after he leaves the sport of baseball.
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(Portions of the press release courtesy of the Nashua Silver Knights | Photo Credit - Nashua Silver Knights)
