Hobart College Football Defensive Coordinator Aaron Backhaus '00 will be honored as the Ability Partners Foundation Volunteer of the Year at the 17th annual Winter Gala and Auction in the Finger Lakes. The celebration will begin at 6 p.m. Friday, Feb. 7 at Belhurst Castle.
 

Backhaus has led the football team's efforts on behalf of the Ability Partners Foundation, including coordinating team visits to Happiness House in Geneva and organizing the annual Tackles and Touchdowns fundraiser. Tackles & Touchdowns asks fans to pledge a donation based on the number of tackles or touchdowns scored by the Statesmen during a game. This year's game was a 41-27 win over Rensselaer. It was Hobart's highest scoring home game of the season. In addition to the game, members of the team visit Happiness House, playing games and reading to the children in the preschool program.
 
"Our Volunteer of the Year Award is presented to an individual who has provided extraordinary service over a significant period of time to our agencies," says Mary Walsh Boatfield, president and CEO of Happiness House, CP Rochester and Rochester Rehabilitation Center. "For almost a decade, Aaron Backhaus has given invaluable support to Hobart's Tackles and Touchdowns fundraiser helping to develop the relationship between Happiness House and Hobart and William Smith Colleges. We are excited to honor Aaron with this prestigious award at Ability Partners Foundation's 17th Annual Winter Gala & Auction in the Finger Lakes."
 
Senior defensive back Andrew Koonz, who led Hobart in interceptions and earned All-Liberty League honorable mention this season, is grateful for Backhaus' mentorship on and off the field.
 
"Coach Backhaus embodies all the characteristics of a great coach; he's passionate, knowledgeable, and an extremely strong leader," says Koonz. "What makes him different though is that in addition to being a phenomenal coach, he is also a great teacher, father, and human being. Without Coach's relationship with the Geneva community, I wouldn't have had the opportunity to participate in so many great community service activities, especially visiting Happiness House."
 
Backhaus has been a member of the Hobart coaching staff for 15 years, including the past two as defensive coordinator. In 2019, the Statesmen ranked second in the Liberty League in scoring defense, total defense, and passing defense. Backhaus' defense was eighth in the nation in turnovers gained, posting 17 interceptions and 13 fumble recoveries. Hobart finished the season with a 9-2 overall record and won the New York State Bowl 30-10 over Cortland.
 
Backhaus was a four-year starter at inside linebacker for the Statesmen. He was named all-conference four straight times and completed his career with 279 tackles and six interceptions. He earned a bachelor's degree in psychology from Hobart and a master's degree in education from Alfred.
 
Backhaus will be the fourth member of the Hobart football program to be honored as the Ability Partners Foundation Volunteer of the Year, joining Jarrid Blades '12 (2012), Michael Green '14 (2014) and Patrick O'Connell '17 (2017).
 
Blades founded Tackles and Touchdowns in 2010, planning and coordinating the first three fundraisers. Over the past decade, the Statesmen have raised more than $41,000 for Ability Partners Foundation and Happiness House.
 
Proceeds from the Happiness House Gala Dinner and Auction Event benefit Ability Partners Foundation in support of the programs and services of CP Rochester, Happiness House, and Rochester Rehabilitation.
 
Ability Partners Foundation is the parent corporation of Happiness House and CP Rochester. The two agencies have a long history of providing clinical, therapeutic, educational, recreational (adaptive sports), and residential services to people of all ages and abilities. By joining forces, CP Rochester and Happiness House developed even greater efficiencies which benefit thousands of adults and children with and without disabilities in the Finger Lakes and Greater Rochester regions.
 
Happiness House, based in Geneva and Canandaigua, is an educational, residential, health and human service organization that excels in providing the highest quality, innovative and cost effective services to children and adults with and without disabilities through collaboration with families and partners throughout the Finger Lakes community.