Wednesday, April 6, 2011

ORLANDO, Fla.--Drake head football coach Chris Creighton was among four winners of the 2011 Giant Steps Award announced today as part of the 24th celebration of National STUDENT-Athlete Day. National STUDENT-Athlete Day, established by the National Consortium for Academics and Sports (NCAS), honors the hard work and dedication of high school and college student-athletes, nationwide, who have not only excelled in the classroom and on the playing field, but also have made significant contributions to their schools and communities.

In celebration of National STUDENT-Athlete Day, Giant Steps Awards are given to individuals who use sport to positively affect social change, actualizing the mission of the NCAS. The awards honor student-athletes, athletic administrators, civic leaders, coaches, parents, organizations, and other individuals who demonstrate an outstanding ability to manage life on and off the field, and who demonstrate a commitment to the betterment of society.

This year's Giant Steps Award winners will be honored on Tuesday, October 11 at the NCAS banquet in Orlando, FL. The winners are:

Chris Creighton, Head Football Coach, Drake University, Coach

Most college football teams would define success by the number of wins they earn, or an invitation to a bowl game. For the Drake Bulldogs, under the leadership of Head Coach Chris Creighton, it means an opportunity to bring American football to Arusha, Tanzania. On May 21, 2011 the Drake football team will take on an all-star team from CONADEIP, Mexico's premiere college athletics league, in the Global Kilimanjaro Bowl; the first sanctioned American-style football game on the African continent. 

While they're there, Coach Creighton will lead the Bulldogs in a variety of service projects, including a construction project that will add a new girls' wing to an orphanage in Moshi. The team will also conduct football clinics for approximately 1,600 Tanzanian youth and engage in teambuilding exercises, like a climb to the highest point in Africa, with fellow athletes from Mexico.

Coach Creighton has always sought to develop his players as men, as ethical leaders, and as influential members of their communities. His goal has never been simply to win games, but to make his players' experience as a Drake Bulldog one that will challenge them, change them, and impress upon them how sport can be used to serve humanity.

“I am definitely humbled to receive this award,” Creighton said. “I'm appreciative of the support of (Drake Athletic Director) Sandy Hatfield Clubb, taking the time to make this possible for me and being supportive of this entire trip. She's put so much work into this project, as have so have many others. My hope would be that everybody involved would share in the excitement that I feel in being recognized, because they too have played a significant role.”

Angelica "Jelly" Mealing did not grow up in a traditional household. Her father left the family when she was five years old, and her mother battled drug addiction for most of her life. In spite of these challenges, Jelly was a talented basketball player and was able to secure a full athletic scholarship to the University of Central Florida.

Jelly's athletic career at UCF was an overall success that included being named Scholar Baller, maintaining a notable GPA, and leading her team to a Conference USA championship in 2009. However, her years at UCF were not without challenge. In spite of her lifelong passion for the game, her personal crises were difficult to manage as a college freshman; her grades began to suffer, as did her game. She had never, in her life, felt so apathetic toward the sport that had brought her so far.

It wasn't until her sophomore year that Jelly decided that giving up was not an option. She sought counseling, improved her grades, excelled on the court, and began investing in the lives of those around her.

During her senior year, Jelly tore her ACL; an injury that required surgery and, ultimately, ended her college basketball career. In spite of the pain and frustration it caused her, Jelly attended every practice and weight training session so that she could motivate her teammates. She traveled to away games and remained an integral member of the UCF women's basketball team. Jelly discovered that she could lead, even though she was unable to play.

Following graduation, Jelly will begin earning a graduate degree from the DeVos Sport Business Management program at the University of Central Florida. She has committed her future to empowering others through sport.

Nate Winters, Courageous Male Student-Athlete

Nate Winters has been a baseball player since he was four years old. He has competed on travel teams and even earned a spot on the Winter Park High School varsity baseball team his freshman year. The following summer, though, his future in the sport was challenged by tragedy.

Nate lost his left leg in a gruesome boating accident, when a sudden turn threw him overboard into Lake Maitland. The boat ran over him, catching his bottom appendages in the propeller. His right Achilles tendon was torn, and two toes were lost. On his left side his leg was shredded, and his femoral artery had burst. Nate lost 80 percent of his blood that day, one his father remembers, not as the day Nate lost his leg, but the day his life was saved.

After nine surgeries, numerous fittings for prosthetics, several falls, and months of determination, Nate Winters played baseball again. His courage and persistence have inspired his fellow teammates, peers, family, and community. He has responded with simple humility:

"Some people say I'm an inspiration to them, and that's nice, but I'm not sure I deserve that...If I want to do something, I'll still find a way to do it. And right now, I just want to play baseball."

LeRoy Walker, Barrier Breaker

LeRoy T. Walker has been a powerful influence in sport for decades. In 1945, he became the head coach for the North Carolina Central University track team, while he chaired the physical education and recreation department. His athletes participated in the Olympic Games every year between 1956 and 1980. While at NCCU, he also coached a number of Olympic track teams from other countries including Israel, Ethiopia, Trinidad and Tobago, Jamaica, and Kenya.

Dr. Walker's capacity for effective leadership was revealed as he chaired the track and field committee for the Amateur Athletic Union, served as the president of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics, was the president of the Athletics Congress, and assisted the National Education Association in their efforts to integrate. In 1977, Walker was named the first African American president of the American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation, and Dance (AAHPERD) where he promoted minority involvement on national, district, and state levels.

As a member of the Knight Commission on Intercollegiate Athletics, he recommended key reform strategies to the NCAA, such as the "one plus three" initiative that promoted greater presidential control, plus financial integrity, academic standards, and the independent certification of programs. At the age of 74, Dr. Walker became the first African American elected by the United States Olympic Committee to serve as its president and CEO. In 1996, he was named President Emeritus of the Committee.

LeRoy Walker is regarded with high esteem by those who have served under his leadership, experienced his passion, and witnessed his commitment to breaking barriers in sport and in society.

Civic Leader, Jeremy Bloom

As a child, Jeremy Bloom aspired to be an Olympic skier and an NFL player. By the time he reached his mid-twenties, he had accomplished both. Jeremy was an All-American football player for two years at the

University of Colorado before he played professionally for the Philadelphia Eagles and the Pittsburgh Steelers. He is also a three-time World Champion and two-time Olympic skier.

Jeremy's athletic accomplishments are notable, but many would argue that his greatest gift is his compassion for senior citizens. At the age of 28, when his childhood dreams had already been achieved, Jeremy developed the Wish of a Lifetime Foundation that assists seniors in fulfilling their bucket lists.

In 2010, the Foundation met the wishes of 254 older Americans. Because of Jeremy's compassion, those seniors were able to skydive, horseback ride, and fly to visit the graves of loved ones they had lost.

Jeremy's diverse and proficient athletic talents are impressive. However, to those seniors who have benefitted from his organization, his commitment to helping others achieve their dreams makes him the greatest champion of all.