Tuesday, March 18, 2014

BURNABY, BC –  Super Bowl champion and Seattle Seahawks cornerback Richard Sherman will be the keynote speaker at Simon Fraser's 2014 Gathering of the Clan Breakfast this May. Canadian sports broadcasting icon Brian Williams will host the event.

The fifth annual fundraiser for athletic scholarships will take place on May 30 at the Vancouver Convention Centre West.

“The Gathering of the Clan is our highlight fundraising event,” said Senior Director of Athletics and Recreation Milton Richards.

“I am very excited that Seattle Seahawk Richard Sherman has agreed to be our guest speaker at this event, and I am certain that everyone will enjoy Richard’s life story. From his humble up bringing to his college career at Stanford and now as a member of the Super Bowl Champion Seattle Seahawks, he has great insight and experience to share with those in attendance.”

This year's program will run from 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. with registration beginning at 6:30 a.m.

In its first four years, the Gathering of the Clan has raised over $1,000,000 for athletic scholarships at Simon Fraser University.

Sherman began his football career at Stanford University as a wide receiver, leading the Cardinals in receiving as a freshman on his way to being named a Freshman All-American.

In his next two seasons Sherman caught 47 passes before suffering a season-ending knee injury, the return from which sparked his move to the cornerback position.

Over his final two seasons he made 112 tackles and six interceptions, and was a member of the 2010 Cardinal football team which broke Stanford’s school record, going 12-1 that season.

Sherman has a degree in communications from Stanford University and returned to the school post-graduation to pursue a Master’s degree.

It is his professional career, however, that is garnering great attention at this time, as he was a key member of the Seahawk’s 2014 Super Bowl winning team, the first in franchise history.

He was selected by the Seahawks in the fifth round of the 2011 NFL Draft and was named to the 2011 Professional Football Writers All-Rookie Team, leading the league’s rookies with 16 passes defended, four interceptions and 55 tackles that year.

He has solidified himself as one of the top cornerbacks in the league, and helped lead the Seahawks defensive unit that allowed the NFL’s fewest passing yards this past season.

He was also the leading vote getter among defensive players in the league, leading to his second consecutive Pro Bowl honour.

A Canadian broadcasting icon, Brian Williams will act as host at the Gathering of the Clan Breakfast for the first time.

With a career that spans over 40 years in the field, he is renowned as one of the most respected broadcasters in the country, as the Winnipeg native was named to the Order of Canada in December 2011 for both his broadcasting career and extensive community and volunteer work.

He anchored CTV’s primetime Olympic coverage of both the London 2012 and Vancouver 2010 Olympic Games, for the former of which he was awarded the first-ever Canadian Screen Award for Best Sports Host or Analyst in a Sports Program or Sportscast.

His endless resume extends to 14 Olympic Games as well as numerous high-profile sporting events from around the globe, including work with the National Hockey League, Major League Baseball, PGA Tour, Canadian and World Figure Skating Championships, World Cup Skiing, men’s and women’s Rogers Cup events in Toronto and Montreal, Formula One, IRL, Breeders’ Cup, Pan Am Games, and Commonwealth Games.

In 2011, he received an honourary doctorate from Simon Fraser, and delivered the commencement address to that year's graduating class.

Tickets for the fourth annual Gathering of the Clan Breakfast will go on sale on Friday, April 14 at 12:00 p.m.

Seats cost $200.00 while tables of ten are available for $2000.00 each.

Charitable tax receipts will be provided following the event.