Craig Conlin will be honored with the Speedy Morris Service Award for his work spearheading the Holy Ghost Prep C.A.R.E.S. (Cancer Awareness Reaches Everyone’s Spirit) Fest benefitting Coaches vs. Cancer. Holy Ghost Prep also participates in Suits & Sneakers Week annually, fundraising money in the fight to crush cancer!
Craig played basketball, baseball, and football at La Salle College High School. He finished his basketball career as the school’s second all-time leading scorer with 1,202 points, behind the legendary Tom Gola. He earned an athletic scholarship to La Salle University, where he scored over 1,000 points and was named the 1989 Big 5 Sportsman of the Year, crediting coaches Speedy Morris, Fran Dunphy, and Joe Mihalich for much of his success.
After playing professional basketball in Europe for five seasons post-grad, Craig earned his Master’s Degree in Athletic Administration from Temple University in 1997. Craig knew he wanted to devote his life to teaching and coaching young men. He dedicated 25 years to teaching P.E. and coaching basketball, baseball, and football at Germantown Academy, and later Episcopal Academy, serving as head basketball coach. In 2019, Craig took on the new challenge of becoming the Athletic Director at Holy Ghost Preparatory School, which was recently admitted into the prestigious Philadelphia Catholic League this year.
Craig married the love of his life, Elizabeth, in 1992. Beth herself was an accomplished student-athlete, playing on a college basketball scholarship. They are proud parents of a pair of twins, Shannon and Shane, who were also highly successful college athletes.
Michael Edwards has 25 years of experience as a varsity assistant baseball coach, being named Head Baseball Coach at Holy Spirit High School in Absecon, New Jersey last year. He will be honored with the Juan Namnun Service Award for his work as the Founder and President of Downbeach CvC, a nonprofit organization established to support the American Cancer Society and to provide scholarships to local student-athletes affected by cancer. Entering its 14th year and taking place April 23-26, Downbeach CvC has raised over $150,000 through this annual high school baseball event in Margate, New Jersey, uniting teams and communities in the fight against cancer.
Michael has also served as an English teacher at Millville Senior High School for 24 years. In 2022, he was honored with the New Jersey Scholastic Baseball Coaches Association Mike Stang Service Award and the Hot Stovers Baseball Club of South Jersey Humanitarian Award, recognizing his service, leadership, and commitment to the baseball community. He was named the 2023 American Baseball Coaches Association Assistant Coach of the Year, High School Division.
He resides in Ocean View, New Jersey, with his wife Ali and their three children, Finley, Camden, and Lincoln.
Joshua Klein will be honored with the Unsung Hero Award for his many years of dedication as a Coaches vs. Cancer executive committee member. Josh decided to get involved with CvC to help raise funds for research and the Hope Lodge as a way to memorialize his parents, who both died way too young from cancer.
But in November last year, Josh got a gut punch when his doctor asked him to get a CT Scan because of weight loss and loss of appetite. It revealed a tumor on the pancreas, which had metastasized. Because of the research and work of doctors and funders like the American Cancer Society, his cancer can be maintained, which he hopes will allow him to continue to support the great work that Fran and Phil started.
A lifelong Philadelphia area resident, Josh Klein is a former sportswriter for The Philadelphia Inquirer. After 15 years in journalism, he joined the family business at a non-profit apartment community in 1998, becoming president in 2007. In 2023, he repurposed the non-profit and sold the community, with all of the proceeds providing rent relief to families in Bucks County. Josh also runs The Rittenhouse Foundation, a small family foundation started by his grandfather 79 years ago.
Josh can be found at Phillies games or charitable golf outings, as well as LuLu Country Club. During college basketball seasons he tries to visit each of the city’s six Division I teams. Josh lives in Villanova with his wife Wendy. He has two grown daughters, Marielle and Samantha.
