ASF Student Athlete Scholarship Fund

Since 2021, Austin Simply Fit has been proud to support Austin high school student athletes as they prepare to continue their education through the ASF Student Athlete Scholarship Fund. Created to honor the legacy of former ASF coach DJ Cedent, who we lost to sickle cell anemia in 2019, the Scholarship Fund has awarded $38,000 to 38 deserving students. Beginning with $500 scholarships in our inaugural year, we have increased our fundraising efforts and have for the past two years have awarded $2000 scholarships to five exceptional students annually. We hope to match or exceed that goal again this year.

Like many of our trainers, ASF owner Krista Bergeron was also a high school athlete. She experienced firsthand how sports can build character and teach lifelong skills. Athletics can be an important outlet for stress, a place to create community, and a powerful tool for learning perseverance, teamwork and accountability. Through the Scholarship Fund, she aims to support student athletes like her as they prepare for college or trade school. 

Exceptional Student Athletes

Our past scholarship recipients represented high schools from all across Austin ISD, and they played a wide range of sports, often more than one. From more common sports like track & field, football and soccer, to less-traditional pursuits, like powerlifting, golf and archery, their athletic paths are diverse. The uniting factors among them all, however, were a sense of leadership, the importance of a team, a commitment to community service, and ambitious plans for their futures.

Each year, we celebrate the hard work and determination that is inherent in students who balance academics with athletics. As part of the application, students are asked to write an essay reflecting on what they have learned through sports. This is one of our favorite parts of the process. Our staff reads each essay, and we are continually impressed with the maturity and thoughtfulness of these young athletes. Many students reflect on the challenge of balancing training, competition, schoolwork, and personal responsibilities, as well as the discipline and confidence that athletics has helped them develop.

We also seek to award students who demonstrate leadership and actively work to make the world around them a better place. These students volunteer in their communities, mentor younger athletes, advocate for causes they care about and demonstrate leadership on and off the field. Their impact extends far beyond their sport.

Past recipients have gone on to Texas universities like UT, Texas State, and Rice, while others have gone as far as Villanova, University of Georgia, and Stanford. Common future plans include studying medicine, law, engineering, as well as creative outlets like writing and film. Across their applications, one theme appears repeatedly – a desire to use their education and future careers to help improve the lives of others. 

Looking to the Future

As we prepare to award this year’s scholarships, we invite our community to be a part of the impact. Our annual Bench-A-Thon is our primary fundraiser, and this fun and friendly event is a great way to show your strength and support the Austin community! Your Bench-A-Thon registration, tee shirt order, or donation directly supports amazing student athletes who are preparing to do great things with their futures. Every contribution helps to lessen their financial barriers and lets them know that their hard work and dedication to community matters, and that we support them. Join us in investing in the next generation of leaders!

Click here to register for Bench-A-Thon or donate to the ASF Student Athlete Scholarship Fund.