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For more information, contact:
The St. Louis Sports Commission
314-345-5121
bshulman@stlsports.org
ST. LOUIS SPORTS COMMISSION RECEIVES PRESTIGIOUS NATIONAL HONOR FOR EFFORTS PROMOTING SPORTSMANSHIP
INSTITUTE FOR INTERNATIONAL SPORT RECOGNIZES SPORTS COMMISSION AS ONE OF 20 AMERICAN ORGANIZATIONS CONTRIBUTING TO PRACTICE OF FAIR PLAY
ST. LOUIS – April 18, 2011 – What do ESPN Outside the Lines, the NCAA, USA Today and the
St. Louis Sports Commission have in common? All are being recognized by the Institute for International Sport for enhancing the national consciousness regarding the importance of sportsmanship. A team of Institute staff members and outside consultants selected 20 living Americans, 20 deceased Americans and 20 American organizations/initiatives that have made significant contributions to the practice of fair play. The St. Louis Sports Commission is on the list.
“We wanted to recognize individuals as well as organizations and initiatives that have brought fair play to the forefront through their actions and examples,” said Dan Doyle, founder and executive director of the Institute for International Sport. “We are privileged to announce who we consider to be an extraordinary team of fair play practitioners.”
In addition to attracting and producing major sporting events for the St. Louis region, the Sports Commission promotes and encourages good sportsmanship through its Sportsmanship Initiative. The Initiative is part of the Sports Commission’s charitable St. Louis Sports Foundation. It creates more positive environments for kids to play sports so they remain active and lead healthier, happier lives. Through several innovative platforms, the Sports Commission reaches out to coaches, parents, fans and young athletes to make youth sports more enjoyable and to reinforce the values of respect, civility, selflessness, integrity and fair play at all levels.
“Through our Sportsmanship Initiative, the Sports Commission can have a tremendous impact on young people in the region,” said Sports Commission President Frank Viverito. “When they have positive experiences playing sports, children are more likely to stay involved in sports and reap the associated benefits like character building, lifelong lessons about teamwork and a decreased risk of obesity. It’s very gratifying to have our efforts be recognized nationally and be among such prestigious company.”
As part of its Sportsmanship Initiative, the Sports Commission will host the National Sportsmanship Awards in St. Louis on Saturday, April 30. The annual event celebrates the best sportsmanship stories, moments and people from the past year. In addition, the organization implements several other sportsmanship programs, including:
- An annual Sportsmanship Summit, a forum for youth sports coaches and parents to connect with national and local experts on ways to improve sports for children in the region.
- The Sportsmanship Brigade, a program in which volunteers attend youth athletic events and personally recognize and reward exemplary acts of sportsmanship on the spot.
- The Team Players Program, an alliance of community youth organizations that belong to the Sportsmanship Initiative. Program members all receive a free “Cardinals Care Package,” which includes a Cardinals duffel bag stuffed with sportsmanship and character-building materials.
- The Sportsmanship Scholarship, a $2,500 scholarship awarded annually to a graduating high school senior from St. Louis who exemplifies outstanding sportsmanship in athletic competition.
- Coach it Right! Clinics, a series of free clinics for volunteer youth coaches that emphasize sportsmanship and help adults become better coaches in their volunteer role.
- The Sportsmanship Pledge, an online pledge that parents, coaches and athletes sign indicating their commitment to practice good sportsmanship and create a positive environment on the playing field.
“Without question, the St. Louis Sports Commission merits recognition and continues to serve as an inspiration to those who want to ensure that fair play remains an essential element of competitive sports,” said Kim Kennedy, director of National Sportsmanship Day for the Institute for International Sport.
For more information on the Sports Commission’s Sportsmanship Initiative, visit www.stlsportsmanship.org. The list of individuals and organizations recognized by the Institute for International Sport follows:
The 20 Organizations/Initiatives
American Football Coaches Association
Boys & Girls Club of America
Center for Drug Free Sport
Center for the Study of Sport in Society
ESPN Outside the Lines
First Tee Organization
The Institute for Diversity and Ethics in Sport
The Josephson Institute of Ethics
Little League Baseball and Softball
National Alliance for Youth Sports
National Association of Independent Schools
National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) Champions of Character Program
NCAA Foundation
New York Catholic Youth Organization
Peter Westbrook Foundation
Positive Coaching Alliance
Special Olympics North America
St. Louis Sports Commission
USA Today Sports Department
Women's Sports Foundation
The 20 Living Americans
Jody Conradt
Tony Dungy
John Gagliardi
Grant Hill
Michael Josephson
Billie Jean King
Richard Lapchick
Richard Lawrence
Bob Ley
Chuck Mitrano
Stan Musial
Jack Nicklaus
Erin Quinn
Mike Richter
Cal Ripken, Jr
Donald “Dee” Rowe
Jim Thompson
Dara Torres
Dick Vitale
Rick Wolff
The 20 Deceased Americans
Arthur Ashe
Clair Bee
Patty Berg
Paul “Bear” Bryant
Walter Camp
James “Doc” Counsilman
Lou Gehrig
Althea Gibson
Bobby Jones
Christopher “Christy” Mathewson
Dr. James Naismith
Byron Nelson
Harold “Pee Wee” Reese
Grantland Rice
Branch Rickey
Wilma Rudolph
Eunice Kennedy Shriver
Byron “Whizzer” White
John Wooden
Kay Yow
The St. Louis Sports Commission is the privately funded nonprofit
organization that benefits St. Louis through sports.
Its mission is to make the St. Louis region a better place to live, visit, work and play through sports.
- www.stlsports.org -
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