Golf teams receive national Champions of Character award
The Red Wolves carded two significant honors in one swing.
The Indiana University East golf teams won the 2010-11 Buffalo Funds Five Star Champions of Character Award for NAIA men's and women's golf, the NAIA announced this week.
The award represents the NAIA golf Champions of Character "national championship."
"The tournament committees on both sides felt that IU East was more than worthy for this award," the NAIA's Cale Clark wrote during the NAIA Men's Golf National Championships.
The NAIA presents Five Star Champions of Character Team Awards for each of the NAIA's 23 championship sports.
Teams that receive this prestigious award demonstrate in everyday
decisions respect, responsibility, integrity, servant leadership and
sportsmanship.
These institutions and athletic programs strive for excellence in and
out of competition and are part of communities throughout the country
dedicated to character-driven intercollegiate athletics.
IU East's golfers participated in various community service events during the 2010-11 school year.
The Red Wolves handed out water during the 2010 Run with the Wolves 5K Run/Walk at IU East.
IU East's players conducted children's carnival games during the Richmond Parks and Recreation Department's Spring Fling in March.
IU East golfers Wes Drees and Courtney Barlage took part in multiple community service activities in their hometown of Versailles, Ohio.
Drees and Barlage took part in a community cleanup day on March 14. Drees helped an elderly neighbor move to a new home earlier in the month.
"Character is extremely important from a team aspect because it allows us to bond with one another and build team unity. For us, that is extremely important," senior Nick Ary wrote in IU East's nomination materials. "We don't always play the best, but we strive to help out each other through those difficult times on and off of the course.
"Also, we enjoy working at Champions of Character events because it helps us to form relationships with people in the community. Hopefully we can set a positive example for those people, especially the kids."
Red Wolves coach Von Ebeling says character is a cornerstone of the IU East golf program.
"If we incorporate character as the leading element, our team chemistry will be strengthened because we will minimize actions that may cost our golf program credibility," Ebeling said.
IU East's golf teams were selected to receive this honor out of almost 200 institutions that compete in NAIA golf.
The IU East men's basketball program won the Buffalo Funds Five Star Champions of Character Award for NAIA Division II men's basketball earlier this year.
IU East has been a Champions of Character institution every year since joining the NAIA in 2007.