Middlebury College January Term and My Next Novel, An African Rebound

One of my favorite activities over the last 13 years has been an annual trek to Middlebury College to lecture at the January term “Sport and Society” course. The compelling course is taught by Middlebury head men's hockey coach, Bill Beaney, and my coach for life, Donald "Dee" Rowe (Middlebury ’51).

This year, along with delivering the annual lecture, and with the help of former Middlebury professor and dean, Karl Lindholm, I will be working with a group of students in the class on a project that should be great fun for all.

My next book, the novel, An African Rebound, will be published in late-fall 2012/early-spring 2013. During the Middlebury January term, the Beaney/Rowe class will involve a group of students reading up to a certain key point in the novel, and then writing an essay on what they think will happen.

Karl, an old and dear friend, will work with me on the project. Karl is now in the process of reading and critiquing the book. He, too, will take part in the critical thinking exercise of guessing what will happen. The end result will be a pizza party in early-February, at which the participating students will read their essays and Karl will offer his comments. At the end of the evening, all participants will receive a copy of the rest of the book.

Alumni Anecdote

It is always great to hear from a World Scholar-Athlete Games graduate.

We just received this wonderful note from Steve Hauser, who attended the World Scholar -Athlete Games in 2006 and then went on to graduate from Wesleyan University:

"For a student-athlete, there are few opportunities that are as fulfilling as the World-Scholar Athlete Games. When I attended the Games back in 2006, the unique mix of athletics and culture was unlike anything I had previously experienced. I still remember the experience of sitting next to an athlete from Sierra Leone and hearing the stories of his childhood. I also vividly remember hearing former President Bill Clinton and political pundit Bill O’Reilly speak to us on the value of our generation. Perhaps I didn’t realize it then, but these experiences at the World Scholar Athlete Games were some of the most formative of my teenage years. I cannot recommend this event more highly and I hope to see it grow in the future."

Jerry West's Journey

I just finished reading NBA legend Jerry West’s acclaimed new book: West By West: My Charmed, Tormented Life. As a boy, I came to regard West as the quintessential competitor. I saw him play several times at the old Boston Garden, and his brilliance on the court was fueled by his unrelenting effort. Several members of the Boston Celtics, including Bill Russell and John Havlicek, regarded West as the most admirable of all Celtics opponents. One well chronicled example occurred minutes after the Celtics won the 1969 World Championship Series over the Lakers, when Russell and Havlicek visited the Lakers locker room to seek out West and convey their unqualified respect for him.

The book is compelling. It is sad, profound, honest, and surprising… but absolutely engaging throughout. West dug deep into his psyche to disabuse the reader of any notion that this is a superstar who has glided through life. On the contrary, he has faced haunting experiences that have affected him in the most profound ways. As a result of the dark place in which he has often resided, he readily admits that he was not emotionally present in the way “a husband and father should ideally be.”

West is unsparing in his criticism of his parents and several others, including Coach Phil Jackson. But I did not get the sense that this is done with any spirit of meanness, rather as a cathartic journey. As Magic Johnson points out in the book, “Jerry needs therapy, and I have to believe doing this [book] is good therapy, that it could really help him.”

Among the strengths of the book is that it causes the reader to consider the difference between the healthy pursuit of excellence and the debilitating obsession to win. In Jerry West’s case, I don’t believe he had any choice in his intense obsession - such were the demons invading him at an early age and controlling him throughout his adult life.

Readers will surely come away with an altered view of West, but I doubt, a negative one. In fact, if you admired him before you read the book, you will probably still admire him, perhaps even more so… but in a different way. You will also know him intimately, perhaps as intimately as anyone you have ever read about but did not know personally.

Bill Russell seemed to understand West’s melancholia when he appeared as a surprise guest at “Jerry West Night” in 1971 and said, “If I could have one wish granted, it would be that you would always be happy.”

I feel the same way, as do, I imagine, countless others who marveled at his skill, effort and uncommon dignity on the court.

Unguarded: The Story of Chris Herren

It was quite a moving experience for me to watch ESPN’s “Unguarded: The Story of Chris Herren”. Chris worked for us in 2007 when he was close to or at his lowest point. Despite the challenges he was facing at that time, I grew very fond of Chris and his wife, Heather.

Unguarded, which will air a number of times in the future, is powerful and full of hope. It also does a wonderful job of acknowledging the many people who care greatly about Chris, including author Bill Reynolds. Bill’s brilliant book, “Basketball Junkie”, which he co-wrote with Chris, was published in 2011 and led to the ESPN production.

Everyone here at the Institute for International Sport is rooting hard for Chris.

“THE COOZ”: A SUPERSTAR ON AND OFF THE COURT

My boyhood hero was Bob Cousy and for reasons that went well beyond his genius on the basketball court.

I grew up in Worcester, Massachusetts during the time that “the Cooz” was at the height of his NBA career. When Bob graduated from Holy Cross in 1950, he decided to make Worcester his permanent residence and commute into Boston to play for the Celtics. One of the main reasons for making this decision was Bob’s desire to make his adopted hometown the base for his considerable goodwill. I doubt that any superstar has ever done more for a community than Bob Cousy has done for Worcester. And I am certain that no athlete has ever done so much with such grace and dignity.

When I was 12, I saw firsthand Bob’s commitment to his community. Bob worked with our St. Peter’s parish priest, Father Donald Gonyor, to form the Chi Rho Basketball League. In the league’s first year, the Worcester Telegram reported that it was the largest youth basketball league in the country. The St. Peter’s court enjoyed regular visits from Bob, and he arranged several major exhibition games to raise additional funds. The games featured the likes of future Hall of Famers Bill Russell, Tom Heinsohn and Dolph Schayes. I well remember as a 13 year-old playing in a three-on-three game with none other than Schayes, a 12-time All-Star. The league attracted players from throughout Central Massachusetts. The diverse make up of the players caused me, for the first time, to contemplate the power of sport as a vehicle to bring people together from different backgrounds.

I got to know Bob on a personal basis when I was 17. Bob ran a highly successful basketball camp in New Hampshire. His college coach, Buster Sheary, was the chief lecturer at the camp. I knew Buster well, having had the privilege of working under him for several years at the Worcester Academy day camp as a junior counselor. In the spring prior to my senior year of high school, Buster recommended that I go to Bob’s camp, indicating that the competition would be excellent.

At the end of the week, I was selected to play on the camp’s All-Star team, to be coached by Buster. To my surprise, Buster chose me to be in the starting lineup on a team that had several players who, four years later, would be drafted into the NBA. The opposition would be the camp counselors, made up of a number of Bob’s outstanding players from Boston College, where he was then coaching. The opposing team also featured “the Cooz” himself!

Over the course of the game, Bob played sporadically. Due in large measure to Buster’s inspired coaching, with four minutes remaining in the game, our team was actually ahead. At that point, I well remember the buzzer ringing, signaling a substitution. Bob jogged onto the court, and then performed basketball magic the likes of which I had never seen. We lost by 12 points!

During that week, I was struck by Bob’s genuine interest in all of the campers and the thoughtful way he treated everyone – staff members and kids alike. I also learned that Bob was a bellwether for racial equality.

In 1950, Bob wrote his senior thesis at Holy Cross on the persecution of minorities. The following year, the Celtics drafted Chuck Cooper of Duquesne. He was the first African American drafted into the NBA. In his rookie year, Chuck roomed with Bob on road trips.

During the 1951 pre-season, the Celtics traveled to North Carolina for an exhibition game. Upon arrival, Chuck was informed that he could not stay at the hotel with the team. When Chuck decided to take a sleeper out of town after the game, Bob accompanied him on the overnight train ride.

Years later, Chuck Cooper had this to say about Bob Cousy: “Bob is the highest kind of individual. He is as free of racism as any white person I have ever known. He is just a beautiful person.”

In the years that followed my week at Bob’s camp, he became a mentor to me, helping me in ways I could never repay. One of his most thoughtful gestures occurred in 1989. I sent Bob a draft of my first novel, Are You Watching, Adolph Rupp?, hoping that he might be willing to provide a brief testimonial for the book. Bob called me to say that he would do much more than provide a testimonial. “I would be honored to write the foreword,” he stated.

What impresses me most about Bob is his commitment to use his celebrity to do good deeds for others. Now 83 years young, he continues along this noble path. I cannot begin to say how many times I have observed him to go out of his way to sign an autograph, shake a hand, make a hospital visit, or do something else that literally made a person’s day, if not year. A call from Bob last week was typical of his goodwill. He phoned about a television program he saw on autism which he thought might be of help to my wife, Kathy, and I and our autistic son, Danny.

Recently, I came across a video of Bob’s “poetry” on the court that I am pleased to share. To this day, I have never seen an athlete do anything as beautiful as Bob Cousy leading a fast break…as this video will attest.

During his 13-year Hall of Fame career in the NBA, Bob played an astonishing 924 games. He amassed 16,960 points, 4,786 rebounds and 6,955 assists (that translates into averages of 18.4 points, 5.2 rebounds and 7.5 assists per game).

These numbers pale in comparison to Bob’s off-court assists.

Fan Behavior - Food for Thought

I was pleased to be quoted in Karen Crouse's splendid article in the New York Times about fan behavior. Here is a link to the article, "When Manners Go Missing".

A New School Year Begins

As the new school year begins, I am pleased to share an article I wrote last September for ESPN.com entitled, Best Coaches Teach More Than Sports.

Fantastic Feedback

I was privileged to meet so many wonderful scholar-athletes, scholar-artists, volunteers, coaches and educators at the World Scholar-Athlete Games and Peace Summit. And I am grateful for the many emails and letters we have received following the event.

Periodically, I will share comments we receive from the participants. What follows is a sampling of the feedback we have been getting since closing ceremonies.

“I admire what you are doing, even more now that I have had a taste of it. Many, many thanks for this marvelous work!” - Bill Drayton, Chair, Ashoka

“This was one of the most moving events that I have ever been to.” - Dr. Richard Lapchick

"This past week has been the best experience of my life; it has changed me as a person, inside and out. It helped me realize that even as one teenager, I can make a difference and contribute to peace, something I had never recognized was possible before as a single person. The speeches were inspirational and incredible, and I have been given opportunities because of these Games that I would not have had if I had not been honored to attend.” - Hannah Fasano

“I believe that all of us in education ought to be directing our attention to this effort you have inspired!!” - Bessie Speers, Head of School, The Ethel Walker School

“It was awesome to see so many youth alive and engaged with issues bigger than themselves. It was also great to see sport being used in such a powerful way – as a vehicle for peace. And thank you for making it a priority to have the Voices of Women panel.” - Joslyn Dalton, ESPN

“It was amazing to meet so many like-minded student-athletes and attend seminars with such inspiring instructors and speakers. Thank you for creating the Games and Peace Summit and providing me and other students from around the world with this wonderful experience.”- Spencer Couch

"I want you to know how grateful I am that you gave me the opportunity to be a part of the Games and the World Youth Peace Summit. Both were truly life changing experiences that I will always keep close to my heart. The people, stories, and unique events all make up for a memory a teenage girl, such as myself, is beyond blessed to call her own. The things I learned during my time spent at WSAG are things that I remind myself of every day. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for opening this door for me because it has opened dozens more.” - Mary Katherine Johnson

A Great Read: Frank Deford’s Bliss, Remembered

Frank Deford, one of America’s great writers, gave a terrific presentation at the World Youth Peace Summit. Following the Summit, I had the pleasure of reading Frank’s novel Bliss, Remembered. It is a wonderful story based around the 1936 Berlin Olympics. I highly recommend it.

For those who decide to read the book, I also recommend a fine op-ed that appeared in the New York Times by David Clay Large entitled The Games the Nazis Played.

The Momentum Builds

Archbishop Tutu's visit to Hartford on May 20 and 21 was an inspiration to all of us associated with the World Youth Peace Summit. Among the gifts the Archbishop brought to Hartford was his sense of inner peace, a quality he has cultivated despite the many traumatic experiences he has faced throughout his exemplary life.

The weekend turned out to be the perfect prelude to the World Scholar-Athlete Games and World Youth Peace Summit and, of course, to the opening of the Center for Social Entrepreneurship.

There are so many aspects of the World Scholar-Athlete Games and Summit that excite me. Let me share two examples:

World Scholar-Athlete Games – The First Night

Our first gathering on the evening of June 26 will be a special one. The World Scholar-Athlete Games Team and I will set the course for the future of peace making initiatives that will spring forth from the World Scholar-Athlete Games and World Youth Peace Summit.

Here is a sampling of what participants can expect on that first night:

• Alumni of the World Scholar-Athlete Games, dating back to the inaugural World Scholar-Athlete Games in 1993, will be present to share their views on what the World Scholar-Athlete Games has meant to them. These graduates will also express their hope that the 2011 participants will make a strong commitment to world peace.
• I will talk about the various ways you can create projects, large or small, that will foster world peace. I will also share details on the creation of the Center for Social Entrepreneurship that will open in August. It will be this Center that will help participants forge ahead with your peace projects. Others around the world will also be welcome to work with the Center to develop peace projects.
• Several 2011 World Scholar-Athlete Games scholar-athletes and scholar-artists will be invited to the podium to share their thoughts on what they hope to do for world peace. At the conclusion of the program, small group discussions will take place throughout the University of Hartford. You will have the opportunity to meet fellow participants and share ideas.
  

We look upon First Night as historic in many ways. It will be our first opportunity to begin to work with you as we move forward with what we are confident will be the development a great many peace initiatives on a global scale.

We cannot wait to see you on June 26!

World Youth Peace Summit - The Voices of Women

One of the most impressive outcomes of Title IX is that the legislation opened the doors to women to enter the field of sport as professionals in a variety of areas, including as coaches and administrators. As a result, the industry is much better off. There is better policy, better writing, and infinitely more enlightened thinking on ways that we can use sport as a means to educate.

Which leads me to world peace.

When I was at the Fletcher School of Law & Diplomacy in the early 80’s, I recall one of my professors making the following statement, “Of the people in our world making decisions on peace and war, less than 2% are women.”

Regrettably, that statistic has not changed very much. One of the most important objectives of the World Youth Peace Summit and subsequent opening of the Center for Social Entrepreneurship is to give women a greater voice in the peace process. The first step in meeting this objective will occur on Saturday, July 2 in a panel entitled, “Voices of Women.” Following this panel, we are already in the planning stages of a symposium for spring 2012 to specifically focus on this important issue.

Please keep an eye on our website, www.youthpeacesummit.org and please consider attending the World Youth Peace Summit.

Archbishop Tutu and Branford Marsalis To Kick Off World Youth Peace Summit Festivites

Nobel Laureate Archbishop Desmond Tutu will travel to Hartford to deliver the World Youth Peace Summit kickoff address on Friday evening, May 20, at the XL Center. The Archbishop will be joined by famed saxophonist Branford Marsalis, who will perform a concert following Archbishop Tutu's speech. The following morning, Archbishop Tutu will serve as Grand Marshal of the Connecticut Peace Walk, a walk that will step off in West Hartford and move into Hartford. We are expecting thousands at both events.

View the press release.

View how you can register for the Peace Walk.

View General Powell’s PSA which is now airing on Connecticut NBC30, which is now airing.

View World Youth Peace Summit website.

Purchase tickets to Archbishop Tutu’s speech through Ticket Master.

In my next blog, I will provide information on various speakers who will appear at the World Youth Peace Summit.

Wonderful Visit by Mr. Claes Nobel

Recently, The Institute for International Sport was privileged to host Claes Nobel, acclaimed environmentalist and senior member of the Nobel Peace Prize family. The objective of Mr. Nobel’s visit was to lend his support to the World Youth Peace Summit and World Scholar-Athlete Games. 81 years young, Mr. Nobel presided over a press conference at the State House in Rhode Island, convened by Governor Lincoln Chafee. He then delivered two magnificent speeches in Bristol, Connecticut and Hartford, Connecticut. Both speeches produced standing ovations. Mr. Nobel’s message of support was a great boost to the World Youth Peace Summit.

View article in Providence Journal.

National Sportmanship Day Honorees

On March 1, the Institute for International Sport will celebrate the 20th anniversary of National Sportsmanship Day. Over the last six months, a team of Institute staffers and other consultants have done a fine job in selecting 20th anniversary honorees in the following categories:

• 20 Living Americans who have contributed to the practice of fair play.
• 20 Deceased Americans who contributed to the practice of fair play.
• 20 Organizations/initiatives that have contributed to the practice of fair play.

I hope you enjoy reading the list of distinguished honorees. View here.

United Nations Welcomes World Youth Peace Summit

On February 9, we will host a press conference and reception at the United Nations. A highlight of the day will be the announcement of Amir Dossal as our Special Envoy to the World Youth Peace Summit. The schedule is as follows:

• 11:00am press conference in the Dag Hammarskjöld Library at the United Nations. At the press conference, we will announce Amir's appointment, and other details of the World Youth Peace Summit, to the U.N. Press Corps.
• 6:00pm to 8:00pm – Reception in the Delegates Dining Room at the United Nations. Attending the reception will be a number of representatives of the United Nations Member States, as well as other supporters of the Institute for International Sport.

We are honored to welcome Amir to our team.

Press Release

UNITED NATIONS WELCOMES WORLD YOUTH PEACE SUMMIT

AT A RECEPTION AT THE UNITED NATIONS ON FEB 9TH 2011

AMIR DOSSAL NAMED SPECIAL ENVOY TO
WORLD YOUTH PEACE SUMMIT

Hartford, CT (February 4, 2011)--The World Youth Peace Summit will hold a special reception on Wednesday February 9th, 2011 at the United Nations in New York, NY. This event will introduce the World Youth Peace Summit to the United Nations community. The reception will be held at the United Nations Delegates Room from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. Mr. Amir Dossal, the acclaimed former Executive Director of the United Nations Office for Partnerships and Founder and Chairman of the Global Partnerships Forum, will be introduced as the Special Envoy to the World Youth Peace Summit.

“We are so honored to have the support of the United Nations community and are particularly thankful to Mr. Amir Dossal for accepting our invitation to serve as Special Envoy to the Summit,” said Dan Doyle, the Founder and Executive Director of the World Youth Peace Summit. “The World Youth Peace Summit brings scholar-athletes and scholar-artists from all over the world to Connecticut, so it truly is a natural partnership and we are thrilled to have the opportunity to incorporate the mission of the United Nations with the Summit’s goals of promoting peace through athletics and the arts.”

Nobel Laureate and former United States Vice President Al Gore, General Colin Powell and acclaimed author of Three Cups of Tea, Greg Mortenson, will speak at the World Youth Peace Summit, which comes to Connecticut in June and July, 2011. The schedule is as follows:
• June 26-July 1: Phase I of the World Youth Peace Summit will take place in the form of the World Scholar-Athlete Games. Approximately 2500 scholar-athletes and scholar-artists representing virtually every country in the world will convene at the University of Hartford and Greater Hartford for this acclaimed program, which began in 1993. Past speakers at the World Scholar-Athlete Games have included United States President Bill Clinton, Senator George Mitchell, and a host of other dignitaries representing many countries.
• July 1-July 4: The World Youth Peace Summit convenes: The 2500 scholar-athletes and scholar-artists will be joined by thousands of graduates of the World Scholar-Athlete Games, as well as others representing distinguished organizations such as the United Nations at the inaugural World Youth Peace Summit.

Peace Walks on a Global Scale

On May 21 and 22, the World Youth Peace Summit will administer Peace Walks in countries throughout the world. The Peace Walks will be organized by participants in the 2011 World Scholar-Athlete Games and World Youth Peace Summit. On May 21, Nobel Laureate Archbishop Desmond Tutu will serve as Grand Marshal of the Connecticut Peace Walk, which will take place in Hartford, Connecticut and is expected to draw thousands of walkers. Archbishop Tutu will also deliver a major address on May 20 in Hartford.

“The United Nations believes that getting the youth of the world together under the peace umbrella is truly a necessity in moving forward in today’s climate. We are thrilled to be a part of Dan Doyle’s Summit and optimistic that it will ignite athletes and artists from all over the world to go back to their home countries with a new vision of peace for their country. The program will also be an experience of a lifetime for the participants,” says Mr. Dossal.

About Amir Dossal

Amir Dossal is the Founder and Chairman of the Global Partnerships Forum, a new global initiative that aims to address economic and social challenges through innovative partnerships. In addition, Amir is Co-Initiator of the Pearl Initiative, to promote transparency and accountability in the Gulf Region, and Special Representative of the Secretary-General of the International Telecommunication Union (“ITU”) for Global Partnerships.

Until very recently, Amir was the United Nation’s Chief Liaison for Partnerships. In that capacity he developed strategic alliances with governments, corporations, foundations and philanthropists to achieve the Millennium Development Goals. One of Amir many responsibilities was his mandate as the UN's Representative for the partnership with media mogul Ted Turner's $1 billion donation, through the UN Foundation, supporting over 450 programs and projects for women and children’s health; population; climate change; and biodiversity. This partnership attracted social investments of over $560 million from other donors and partners, such as American Red Cross, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Coca-Cola, Rockefeller Foundation, Rotary International etc. In addition, Amir oversaw the management of the UN Democracy Fund, which he established in 2005, to strengthen institutions and enhance democratic governance in new or restored democracies.

Amir enjoys working globally across sectors, including Health, Education, Environment, Peace, Security and Human Rights. He has built strong links with governments, multilateral agencies, business group, foundations and networks, such as the Arab Foundations Forum, Business Council for International Understanding, Chambers of Commerce, China World Peace Foundation, Committee Encouraging Corporate Philanthropy, Commonwealth Business Council, European Foundation Centre, Foreign Policy Association, IDP Foundation, Institute of Chartered Accountants in England & Wales, LTB Foundation, NEPAD Business Group, Rockefeller Brothers Fund, The Synergos Institute, United Nations Associations, US Council for International Business, US Department of State, and numerous others.

Amir has spearheaded the UN's engagement with leaders in the finance, technology and pharmaceutical sectors, including 3Com, BT, Cisco, Ericsson, Google, GSK, Merck, Microsoft, Nestle, Novartis, Pfizer, Standard Chartered Bank, Telefonica, Vodafone, and Walmart. He also works with high-profile personalities to support humanitarian causes, such as the Countess Sondes, Cherie Blair, Geena Davis, the Duchess of York, Petra Němcová, Julia Ormond, Joan Rivers, Russell Simmons, Joss Stone, Christy Turlington Burns, and others.

Amir is a Chartered Accountant (FCA) trained with Deloitte, Haskins & Sells, London in 1975. Prior to joining the United Nations, he worked in business for over 15 years. He has lived and worked in Asia, the Caribbean, Europe, Middle East, and North America. Amir regularly undertakes speaking engagements, and serves on several non-profit boards. He is married to Tas, and they have one son, Zecki.

Alan Hassenfeld is Chair, Executive Committee, Hasbro, Inc. and Chair of the 2011 World Youth Peace Summit. Mr. Hassenfeld has been Chair of the Scholar-Athlete Games program since 1993 when he succeeded Senator Bill Bradley in this capacity. States Mr. Hassenfeld, “Amir Dossal is one of the most respected diplomats in the world and a dear personal friend. All of us associated with the World Youth Peace Summit are thrilled that he is joining our team.”

A Press Conference announcing Mr. Dossal’s appointment as Special Envoy to the World Youth Peace Summit will be held at 11:30am on Wednesday, February 9, 2011 at the Dag Hammarskjöld Library Auditorium.

A reception to introduce the World Youth Peace Summit to the United Nations and to announce Mr. Dossal’s appointment as Special Envoy will be held on February 9, 2011 from 6pm – 8pm in the Delegates Dining Room

Testimonials

“Extraordinary! I wish there had been a Scholar-Athlete Games program during my youth.” --President Bill Clinton, in his 2006 keynote address at the World Scholar-Athlete Games

"Dan Doyle and his team are on a historic mission to world peace.”--General Colin Powell, Keynote Address, 2008 United States Scholar-Athlete Games

“I know of no organization that does more to help young children on a worldwide basis than the Institute for International Sport.”--Senator George Mitchell during his 2008 United States Scholar-Athlete Games Launch Address

“This inspired idea will have a tremendous impact on world peace for generations to come.”--Nobel Laureate Elie Wiesel at an April 17, 2007 Press Conference to announce the creation of the World Youth Peace Summit

“The Institute for International Sport appears to me to be the finest sports education initiative in the world.”--Senator Bill Bradley, in his Keynote Address at the 1999 United States Scholar-Athlete Games.


For more information on the 2011 World Scholar-Athlete Games and World Youth Peace Summit please visit http://www.youthpeacesummit.orgor www.internationalsport.com/wsag.

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A Great Experience at Middlebury

From January 20-22, the Institute for International Sport collaborated with Middlebury College in the administration of a series of World Youth Peace Summit activities on the Middlebury campus. The program was aimed at fostering thoughtful discussion on the role of sport and the arts in the peace process. View the schedule of the highly successful events that took place.

Institute staffers Kim Kennedy and Heather Neuwirth are both '08 graduates of Middlebury – and two of the finest young professionals we have ever employed. In mid-October, Kim and Heather visited their alma mater to present the concept of the World Youth Peace Summit to the Middlebury Student Athlete Advisory Committee. Following that meeting, the Student Athlete Advisory Committee, with the great help of Middlebury Athletic Director, Erin Quinn, and head women's tennis coach, Mike Morgan, developed the three-day program. I was present at the various sessions, and felt it was one of the most successful initiatives we have ever been part of. One of the many exciting results is that this concept can now be replicated on other college campuses.

Following the program, I remained on the Middlebury campus to work with students in Professor Jon Isham’s January term class entitled: “21^st Century Challenges.” The objective of Jon’s class was to develop a strategic plan for our forthcoming Center for Social Entrepreneurship. I was struck by Jon’s masterful teaching skills, and the brilliance and commitment of the young people in the class. All of us at the Institute for International Sport, including Alan Hassenfeld, look forward to reviewing the strategic plan, which I am confident will be superb.

Then, for the 12^th straight year, I addressed the Middlebury January term Sport and Society class, co-taught by Donald “Dee” Rowe, my former coach and lifelong hero (and Middlebury graduate) and Bill Beaney, Head Men’s Hockey Coach at Middlebury, and one of the Institute’s 100 Most Influential Sports Educators in America. Working with the tremendous young people in that classroom was inspiring.

The trip ended with Dave Donahue, Special Assistant to Middlebury President Ron Liebowitz, and I meeting with Governor Peter Shumlin and his Chief of Staff, Bill Lofy. Governor Shumlin expressed strong interest in the future of the World Youth Peace Summit and Center for Social Entrepreneurship. He is eager for Middlebury College and The State of Vermont to play a key role.

Special thanks to Middlebury President Ron Liebowitz and his wife, Jessica, two terrific people. And, of course, to Dave Donahue, Jon Isham, Mike Morgan, Erin Quinn, Liz Robinson, Mike Schoenfeld, Georgia Wright-Simmons, the many students who helped make this happen – and so many other wonderful people I met over the period of my stay.

And finally, to Alex Wolff, senior staff writer at Sports Illustrated. Alex did a brilliant job moderating the opening panel on January 20.

Sports Education Books of the Year Award

In 2008, we launched the “Sports Education Books of the Year Award,” a program that has become one of my favorite activities at the Institute for International Sport. We created this award to recognize exceptional sport-themed books that contribute to the education of youth and adults, and to the American sports culture. In 2008, we selected Game On, by Tom Farrey. In 2009, we selected Losing Season, a series of sport poems by Jack Ridl.

Here are the 2010 winners:

• Willie Mays: The Life, the Legend by James Hirsch (Simon and Schuster) was selected for the author’s wonderful attention to detail and for his splendid job in capturing Willie’s underappreciated but significant contribution to race relations.
• The High School Sports Parent: Developing Triple-Impact Competitors by Jim Thompson (Balance Sports Publishing) was selected for its concise and significant delivery of a game plan that parents can use to help their children make the most of their high school sports experience.
• How Lucky You Can Be: The Story of Coach Don Meyer by Buster Olney (Ballantine/Random) was selected for the depiction of Don Meyer’s dedication to coaching in the face of life-threatening injuries and terminal illness, and for capturing the inner workings of a coach’s relationship with his family and his players.

We like to receive recommendations for this award. If you read a book published in 2011 that fulfills the aforementioned criteria, by all means let us know.