2005 Citizenship Through Sports Alliance Awards Dinner

"Celebrating America's Best Sports"

Click on any thumbnail above to begin slide show. Photos by Dave Preston

June 4, 2005 – Renaissance Grand Hotel

America's best sports left their respective playing fields and took to the stage on Saturday, June 4, for the 2005 Citizenship Through Sports Alliance (CTSA) Awards Dinner presented with the St. Louis Sports Commission. The event, held at the Renaissance Grand Hotel Downtown, was the cornerstone of a successful “Sportsmanship Weekend” in the Gateway City. More than 400 people attended the seventh annual Awards Dinner, which celebrates America's best sports.

The CTSA is the largest coalition of professional and amateur athletics organizations in the United States focused on building character through sport. Each year, the alliance presents the awards to honorees from each of its 12 member organizations, which include: Major League Baseball (MLB), the NCAA, NAIA, NFL, NHL, NBA, WNBA, U.S. Olympic Committee (USOC), National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA), National Association for Sport and Physical Education (NASPE), National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS), and the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA).

Seventeen of the nation's most respected athletes and administrators were recognized for exemplifying outstanding sportsmanship, ethical play in athletic competition, citizenship, and community service. Award recipients included: Shane Laurie (Kickapoo High School - NFHS); Jamie Vest (Stoutland High School - NFHS); Kayla Shaul (Daytona Beach Community College - NJCAA); Jim Kessler (Grace College - NAIA); Amanda Larsen (Concordia University - NAIA); Danny Gathings (High Point University - NCAA); Chanda Gunn (Northeastern University - NCAA); the 2003 Mesa State Football Team (NCAA); Dr. Dan Gould (Institute for the Study of Youth Sports, Michigan State University - NASPE); Wood Selig and Tim Van Alstine (Western Kentucky University and Western Illinois University - NACDA); P.J. Brown (New Orleans Hornets - NBA); Teresa Edwards (Minnesota Lynx - WNBA); Torry Holt (St. Louis Rams - NFL); Edgar Martinez (Seattle Mariners - MLB); Doug Weight (St. Louis Blues - NHL); and Paul Hamm (USA Men's Gymnastics - USOC).

KSDK-TV News Anchor Mike Bush and Sports Director Rene Knott served as the event's emcees. The Awards Dinner was topped off by a moving keynote address by Craig MacFarlane, known as the “world's greatest blind athlete.”

The CTSA Awards Dinner and its affiliated weekend activities represent the centerpiece to the Sports Commission's sportsmanship initiatives.  By partnering with the CTSA and recognizing the nation's most respected athletes, the Sports Commission aims to expand the reach and impact of its sportsmanship focus – and ultimately make St. Louis the model when it comes to coaches who exemplify outstanding sportsmanship and children who get the most out of playing sports.

"I want to thank the staff at the St. Louis Sports Commission for their tireless work to make the 2005 CTSA Awards Dinner such a special evening," said Ted Breidenthal, director of the CTSA.  “Our celebration of America's best sports was inspirational for all who attended and the first of many future CTSA events in
St. Louis.  CTSA is proud to have partnered with an incredible group of people and a city committed to helping parents and coaches in youth sports provide the best possible positive sports experiences for kids."

Echoing the importance of making an impact within the community, the CTSA and the Sports Commission's Sports for Kids program produced several ancillary activities during the weekend, which emphasized the value of sportsmanship.

On Friday, June 3, youngsters from the Herbert Hoover Boys and Girls Club attended “Good Sports Nite.” They participated in fun physical activities and attended character-building programs offered by the NCAA, NAIA, and USOC. The event also featured a program for adults focused on the role of parents in athletics.

The CTSA and Sports Commission put together an all-star lineup for the “Good Sports Day” Coaches Symposium held on Saturday, June 4, at Saint Louis University. The free event provided youth and high school coaches, parents and administrators a chance to receive coaching tips from four SLU head coaches: Brad Soderberg and Shimmy Gray (men's and women's basketball); Anne Kordes (women's volleyball); and Dan Donigan (men's soccer). Participants also received instruction from nationally known sportsmanship and youth sports experts Bruce Brown, national spokesperson for the NAIA Champions of Character Initiative, and Dr. Dan Gould, a 2005 CTSA Award recipient and director of the Institute for the Study of Youth Sports at Michigan State University.