Number 104
Image source: University of Northern Colorado
Finalists for Inaugural Tony Gwynn Community Service Trophy Announced
Featured Focus:
Athlete-Driven Impact,
Community Programs, Youth Development
Scope of Impact: Local
The National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA) has unveiled the finalists for the inaugural Tony Gwynn Community Service Trophy, celebrating college baseball players who exemplify leadership and profound civic engagement. Here’s what you should know:
Honoring a Legend's Legacy: The trophy pays homage to Hall of Famer Tony Gwynn, whose impact extended beyond the diamond through his dedication to community betterment.
Finalists Drive Local Change: The three finalists — Michael Brooks (Kansas), Tony Castonguay (Northern Colorado), and Chris Stanfield (LSU) — each spearheaded impactful initiatives, from supporting educators and promoting inclusivity for individuals with disabilities to fostering youth engagement through baseball.
Setting a New Standard: This inaugural recognition establishes a critical benchmark for collegiate athletes, highlighting that excellence transcends statistics and includes a significant commitment to social responsibility.
In the sports world, when a team finds a competitive advantage, you often hear the phrase “it’s a copycat league” if others start doing the same thing. We may have reached this stage with community awards in collegiate sports, but we love it!
If you remember DL #53, which celebrated the first ever Jackie Robinson Award for Community Impact in the BIG 10 Conference, the Tony Gwynn Community Service Trophy is a very similar initiative, specifically designed to highlight deserving baseball student-athletes on and off the field. We love that this is slowly but surely becoming more mainstream at the collegiate level.
This trophy doesn't just celebrate acts of kindness; it institutionalizes a legacy of responsibility, pushing future generations of athletes to envision themselves as agents of positive change. It’s impactful, it’s necessary, and it’s a blueprint for deeper engagement.
We applaud the NCBWA for starting this initiative, and we hope that the NCAA will step up to support it. Michael Brooks (Kansas), Tony Castonguay (Northern Colorado), and Chris Stanfield are each involved with local nonprofit organizations, or run one of their own. Wouldn’t it be a home run for the NCAA to donate to the nominees’ nonprofit of choice?
We think so. Why the NCAA, you may ask? Well, they likely have a lot more means to support than the NCBWA. A tangible monetary prize, in addition to the trophy, would be a WIN | WIN for the players and the work that they support, raise awareness for the NCBWA and its members, and be a genuine PR win for the NCAA.
Let’s be a copycat community and be proud about it! Can your organization create a similar initiative to celebrate college athletes in your area? Can you find a naming sponsor that can also contribute support to the athletes and local nonprofit organizations? Of course you can! And if you need help, WIN | WIN is here to support with strategic services through W|W Draft. Just give us a shout at [email protected] to get in touch.
