For Immediate Release:
Contact: Staci Schottman, NAIA Director of Public Relations and Communications, 816-595-8116

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The Sprint Foundation awarded the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) Champions of Character Foundation a $15,000 grant to support outreach initiatives emphasizing the tenets of character aimed at interscholastic and youth sports communities. Over the past eight years Champions of Character has helped change the culture of sport in the lives of more than 700,000 coaches, athletes and parents across the nation. This grant will significantly enhance the Champions of Character program’s ability to provide character-driven curriculum to larger audiences in the Kansas City metropolitan area.   

“On behalf of the NAIA I sincerely thank the Sprint Foundation for its generous contribution to the Champions of Character program,” said Eric Massey, director of development for the Champions of Character Foundation. “With the support of partners like the Sprint Foundation, this program will continue to accomplish meaningful change by helping young students grow to their full potential with great character values in and out of competition.”

In the past 18 months the Champions of Character program has reached more than 100,000 student-athletes, coaches and parents through school and district partnerships, national championship events, presentations and online training. Most recently, Dr. Rob Haworth, Vice President for Champions of Character, was a featured speaker at the Missouri State High School Activities Association Sportsmanship Summit held in Kansas City, Mo.  

Created by the NAIA in 2000, the Champions of Character initiative is to promote five core values: integrity, respect, responsibility, sportsmanship and servant leadership. Thanks to this mission, character values have been learned and repeated by a generation of students who continually demonstrate the Champions of Character attitude. The process, which was initially launched on NAIA campuses around the country, is now finding an audience in our nation’s high school and youth sports communities. To encourage these character ideals to a younger audience, the Champions of Character Foundation was formed in 2007. Its dedication to positive character principles encourages students to be champions on and off the court.

The Champions of Character program aligns with the core values of the Sprint Foundation to create opportunities to develop young people. Since its establishment in 1989, the Sprint Foundation has provided more than $105 million to community organizations across the country. The Sprint Foundation focuses its national efforts on K-12 public education, arts and culture and youth development. The Sprint Foundation creatively and thoughtfully continues the Sprint culture of community engagement. 

"Character education plays such a critical role in shaping our young people -- but it's one that doesn't always get the attention it deserves," said Ralph Reid, vice president of Corporate Social responsibility for Sprint and executive director of the Sprint Foundation. "The Sprint Foundation is honored to support NAIA through its Champions of Character program and we are excited to see the great results this program will continue to have with young people across the country."

To learn more about this partnership and the Champions of Character Foundation contact Eric Massey at 816-595-8103 or by email at emassey@naia.org. To learn more about the Sprint Foundation visit www.sprint.com.  

About the NAIA
The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA), headquartered in Kansas City, Missouri, is the governing body for athletics programs at its nearly 300 colleges and universities throughout the United States and Canada. The long-held mission of the NAIA is to promote the education and development of well-rounded students and productive citizens through intercollegiate athletics. The association offers equitable access and opportunities for participation in its 23 national championship events held annually throughout the country.

Today, the NAIA strengthens its commitment to student-athletes and strives to enrich their college experience by supporting academic achievement and character development. NAIA Champions of Character is the association’s innovative flagship program designed to instill character values in student-athletes, coaches and youth in the communities it serves. To learn more visit www.naia.org or www.championsofcharacter.org