Former Colorado State University head football coach Sonny Lubick talks to the audience Thursday at CHAMP's, or
CHaracter in Athletics - Make it a Priority, Community Kick-off
and annual fundraising breakfast. Photo by: V. Richard Haro/
The Coloradoan
Former Colorado State University head football coach Sonny Lubick, left, talks with current CSU head men's basketball
coach Tim Miles on Thursday before the start of CHAMP's Community Kick-off and Annual Fundraising Breakfast. Photo
by: V Richard Haro/The Coloradoan
Ken Schrader, commissioner of CHAMP, takes his turn
addressing the audience. Photo by V. Richard Haro/The Coloradoan
Find the Denver Post story here.
Listen to Sonny talk to 9 News at the CHAMP
Community Kick-Off & Fund-raising Breakfast here. |
Youth sports character project starts with CHAMP
BY TONY PHIFER
Story and photos used with permission
from the Coloradoan, February 1, 2008
Stay the course, lead with character were repeated often Thursday morning as some of the biggest names on the Fort Collins sports scene gathered at the Lincoln Center for the first CHAMP Community Kick-off and fundraising breakfast.
Colorado Rockies President Keli McGregor and former Colorado State University football coach Sonny Lubick were featured at the breakfast, which drew more than 300 guests, including community leaders and coaches from all levels of competition and raised at least $34,500 for the organization. CHAMP, or CHaracter in Athletics - Make it a Priority, and Character Fort Collins put together the event to raise awareness about the organization, which was formed in 2006 and is sponsored by the City of Fort Collins, the CSU athletic department and Poudre School District.
McGregor, a former All-American tight end at CSU before starting a career in athletic administration, said the mission of CHAMP - teaching character to young people through sports - hits home for him.
The Rockies have been criticized in recent years for declining to add high-priced free agents to their roster and choosing to build the team from within.
That philosophy and the organization's patience paid off in October when the Rockies won their first National League pennant and played the Boston Red Sox in the World Series.
"Your character is who you are, and we have a philosophy to make it all about the people in our organization," he said. "Greatness is oftentimes just a matter of time. It takes commitment to focus on the right things."
He talked about his decision to announce contract extensions for general manager Dan O'Dowd and manager Clint Hurdle on Opening Day - a move that was roundly criticized. McGregor said the Rockies chose Opening Day to reaffirm their commitment to their philosophy and to their chosen leaders.
He said that approach has carried over to the players, who seemed hopelessly out of a playoff spot with three weeks to play before making a memorable run that led to Colorado's first World Series.
"One of the things about character is that you don't let statistics define you," he said. "You have to set your focus on something bigger than that. You have to be willing to stay the course.
"Things of quality are built slowly - character is built slowly, one layer at a time. And oftentimes you pay a significant price to let time take its course."
He reminded those in attendance that the philosophies embraced by CHAMP take time to bear fruit.
"Twenty years, not tomorrow, from now has to be the goal of today," he said. "If that's the case, the results of that approach will be the results you want."
Lubick, who coached McGregor in the early 1980s when he was an assistant under Leon Fuller, was honored for his many years in coaching and commitment to the community. The organization presented him with a No. 1 CSU jersey with his name on the back, and announced that the annual CHAMP Coach of Character Award will be named in his honor. |
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