While he wasn’t there to receive it, the Goshen football team insisted on Sammy Jackson getting his letter certificate Thursday afternoon.

Jackson was killed in November just hours after playing his final football game for Goshen, a playoff loss to Sweet Water.

Goshen head coach Bart Snyder said presenting the certificate, and highlight film, to Jackson’s mother was “one of the toughest things I have ever had to do as a coach.”

“Sammy wasn’t a five-star athlete,” Snyder said. “But there is no doubt that he was as good a person that I have ever been around. If we gave awards for being just a great human being, he would have won the Heisman Trophy.”

After announcing Jackson’s name, Snyder walked around the table to give Jackson’s mother the certificate. After receiving the certificate, she reached up and pulled Snyder in for a long, deep hug.

The students and fans in attendance rose to give Jackson a prolonged standing ovation.

“As a coach, you never you want to lose a player,” said Snyder. “We selfishly want Sammy to be here with us today, but I know that he has already received the ultimate award. We love him and miss him ever single day. But we also know that Sammy Jackson will always be a Goshen Eagle.”