Citizenship
Through Sports Awards Reception
June 15, 2003
The Citizenship Through Sports Alliance (CTSA) celebrated its Fifth Annual Citizenship Through Sports Awards Reception Sunday, June 15, at Disney's Coronado Springs Resort in Orlando. The event was held in conjunction with the 2003 National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA) Convention.
The event paid tribute to special athletes with the highest ethical standards in sport, whose lives and careers have reflected an enduring commitment to citizenship, sportsmanship and community service.
The 14 honorees and their CTSA organization included: Jody Brylinsky, Western MichiganUniversity, National Association for Sport and Physical Education (NASPE); Andy Geiger, TheOhio State University, NACDA; Jennifer Gillom, Los Angeles Sparks, Women's National Basketballl Association (WNBA); Adam Graves, San Jose Sharks, National Hockey League (NHL); Revaé Green, Tavares High School, Tavares, FL, National Federation of State High School Associations(NFHS); Bob Lanier, Legend and Community Ambassador, National Basketball Association (NBA); Jessica Lenderman, Vanguard University (California), National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA); Melanie Mendrop, Hinds Community College, National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA); Paul Moore, West Virginia Wesleyan College, National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA); Apolo Anton Ohno, U.S. Speedskating, United States Olympic Committee (USOC); Shelton Quarles, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, National Football League (NFL); Jim Thome, Philadelphia Phillies, Major League Baseball (MLB); University at Buffalo Women's Soccer Team, NCAA; and Tyler Yonge, Vanguard High School, Ocala, FL, NFHS.
This
year's theme was "Know Your Role," which focuses on parents
and coaches in youth sports and encourages them to contribute to a positive,
healthy environment for kids in practice and competition. The idea is
that there are four roles we can play in sport - athlete, coach, official
or parent/fan. The key is to choose one and respect the rest. Bruce Brown,
the developer of "Know Your Role" and a special presenter for
the NAIA's Champions of Character program, received the Special CTSA Award
for his commitment to build character through sports. You can read more
information about "Know Your Role" here.
Pat Williams, senior vice president of the Orlando Magic, provided the keynote speech for the evening. He spoke about the "10 Character Traits of Successful People."
Dan Boggan, NCAA Senior Vice-President and former chair of CTSA, was honored for his lifetime commitment to fostering character and citizenship through sport.
The Citizenship Through Sports Alliance is the single largest coalition of professional, collegiate, high school and Olympic athletics organizations in the nation, focused on character in sport. CTSA promotes fair play at all levels - youth leagues to professional sport - to reinforce the value of sport as a test of character. CTSA raises awareness of the issue of citizenship in sports while offering research, resources (www.sportsmanship.org), community forums and specific strategies that help parents and coaches create a healthy sports environment for young people.
