6th Annual C.A.S.T. for Kids B.A.S.S. Humanitarian Award
Nominations Open until Monday, February 24, 2025
Nominate a Deserving B.A.S.S. Angler Today!
Nominations Close Monday, February 24th
This year the 6th annual C.A.S.T. for Kids B.A.S.S. Humanitarian Award will be presented on stage at the Bassmaster Classic in Ft. Worth, Texas. This award recognizes a B.A.S.S. member for extraordinary community service to disadvantaged populations. This award is the fishing community’s version of the Roberto Clemente Award in MLB, or the Walter Payton Man of the Year award in the NFL. There are many deserving people nominated for this award annually, proof that the fishing world is full of big-hearted folks who love to give back.
This award is significant for the C.A.S.T. for Kids Foundation, as it emphasizes the tremendous humanitarian work of volunteers across America who give selflessly to enrich the lives of others that are less fortunate. These are the same type of people who volunteer to make C.A.S.T. for Kids the life-giving charity it has become to so many children with special needs. These exemplary Americans deserve to be recognized and celebrated for their good works in making the world a better place. These folks deserve to be honored, and we are thankful for each and every one of you!
If you know someone deserving of this award, nominations are open through February 24, 2025 here: Bassmaster.com/award.
Nominations for the 2025 award are open until February 24, 2025.
Any B.A.S.S. member engaged in exemplary community service is eligible.
The recipient will be announced during the 2025 Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Classic presented by Under Armour, scheduled for March 21-23 in Fort Worth, Texas.
Past Award Winners
It’s hard to watch a friend suffer and not feel something; it’s harder still when the struggle reaches a tragic conclusion. Feelings of helplessness swirl with sorrow. While Jake Klopfenstein admittedly experienced such heart-wrenching emotion, he decided to turn his despair into action by founding Angling for Relief, a nonprofit organization that brings fishing activities to pediatric cancer patients.
For his efforts, Klopfenstein received the 2024 C.A.S.T. for Kids B.A.S.S. Humanitarian Award prior to the Day 2 weigh-ins at the Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Classic presented by Jockey Outdoors. Former Bassmaster Elite and 2002 Bassmaster Classic winner Jay Yelas, who serves as C.A.S.T. for Kids Executive Director, presented the award, which honors a B.A.S.S. member committed to underserved groups.
A senior at Plant High School in Tampa, Fla., Klopfenstein is the award’s youngest recipient. His objective: Bring light to a dark place.
The 2023 C.A.S.T. for Kids B.A.S.S. Humanitarian Award
honored Bob Wall of Baltimore, Md., during the 2023 Bassmaster Classic in Knoxville, Tenn. Wall devoted a lifetime to serving inner-city youth in Baltimore by providing fishing opportunities, most notably at Patterson Park. Tracing his love for city recreation to a volunteer commitment that began at age 11, Wall coordinated the annual Patterson Park Lake Fishing Rodeo for the children of Baltimore.
The 2022 C.A.S.T. for Kids B.A.S.S. Humanitarian Award
honored Bill Wilson of Fort Collins, Colorado during the 2022 Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Classic. Wilson started his local C.A.S.T. for Kids program 25 years ago, which draws participants from up to 200 miles away and uses 35-40 boats to take special needs children and their families out on the water. Additionally, Wilson serves as the safety boat for the City of Fort Collins’ Adaptive Recreation Programs, getting special needs children and adults on various local lakes and reservoirs on paddle boards and in kayaks and sailboats. He has also organized the community’s annual veterans’ breakfast for 21 years and makes sure that no food goes to waste by ensuring anything remaining goes to feed local homeless populations.
The 2021 C.A.S.T. for Kids B.A.S.S. Humanitarian Award honored Allen Nation, Founder and Executive Director of Adaptive Sports for Kids during the 2021 Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Classic presented by Huk. Nation, of Orange, Texas, was selected by a panel of judges from a strong field of nominations for his deep commitment to encourage kids of all ability levels to get outdoors.
The inaugural 2020 C.A.S.T. for Kids B.A.S.S. Humanitarian Award recognized Chris Rambough, of Meridian, Idaho, for his deep commitment to encouraging kids of all ability levels to get outdoors. Among Rambough’s accomplishments are personally mentoring kids in his community, creating a youth program for Payette River Bassmasters and two decades of involvement with C.A.S.T. for Kids events for children with special needs.
