2003 Award Honoree

Bruce Brown
Special CTSA Award Winner

During more than three decades as a coach and athletics administrator, Bruce Brown learned to listen to athletes and understand what they seek - and gain -- from participation in sports. Drawing from that experience, he became a nationally sought-after speaker who masterfully helps audiences comprehend the importance of character-building in athletics. When his audiences ask him where he gained his insights into today's young athletes, he simply answers, "It's stuff kids told me."

Soon after the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics began its Champions of Character Program in the late 1990s, NAIA officials met with Brown and discovered he was promoting the same ideas that the association wished to encourage in the new program. Now, Brown serves as a "special presenter" for the NAIA, regularly addressing athletes, parents, coaches and business groups on the subject of character.

"Who can take values and principles and pass on the message to our young people?" Brown asked during a presentation at the 2002 NAIA Convention. "I think five institutions can do that: the family, the church, the military, the schools, and athletics." He speaks about the roles - as athletes, coaches, officials or parents/fans -- that various participants play in athletics. His advice to choose just one of those roles is the inspiration behind the "Know Your Role" theme of this year's Citizenship Through Sports Alliance awards reception and CTSA's current initiatives.

Brown taught in public schools in Washington state for more than 30 years and also was employed by the National Football League for more than 25 years. Most recently, he served as athletics director at Northwest College in Kirkland, Washington, and directed ProActive Coaching before becoming involved full-time in Champions of Character. He has produced six instructional coaching videos and is the author of four coaching books: 101 Drills for Youth Basketball Coaches, Teaching Character Through Sport, The Call to Coaching: Creating a Legacy, and Another 1001 Motivational Messages and Quotes. He also is author of the booklets The Role of Parents in Athletics and Positive Coaching.