The Institute for International Sport and The Positive Coaching Alliance at Stanford University have selected 12 individuals as the 2009 Sports Ethics Fellows. These Sports Ethics Fellows have demonstrated admirable leadership in the areas of fair play and sportsmanship. Sports Ethics Fellows include nationally known individuals, as well as others who have engaged in developing sportsmanship and honorable competition on a local scale.

The Institute for International Sport, which is based at the University of Rhode Island and administers the annual Sports Ethics Fellows selections, is pleased to have worked with The Positive Coaching Alliance at Stanford University on the 2009 selections.

The 2009 Sports Ethics Fellows:

Casey Cooper, Ph.D.
Casey Cooper is a Southern California-based sports psychologist, specializing in work with families facing youth sports challenges. She also hosts "The Dr. Casey Show" on KLAA-AM in Los Angeles, featuring commentary and guests discussing how to make youth sports as healthy and beneficial as possible for youth athletes. Dr. Casey offers unique perspectives that reflect her clinical findings from training at USC and her Private Practice that put her directly on the pulse of sports parenting, athletic performance, and coaching concerns. Through The Dr. Casey Show, she is recognizing local athletes and coaches through a weekly Sportsmanship Award for demonstration of a Commitment to Excellence, Community & the Game.

Central Washington University Softball Coach Gary Frederick and Players Mallory Holtman and Liz Wallace
When Western Oregon softball player Sara Tucholsky was injured rounding the bases after a fence-clearing hit, Holtman and Wallace carried Tucholsky around the bases to complete her home run at the possible expense of Central Washington's playoff hopes. As coach, Frederick helped cultivate such sportsmanship and clearly embraced his players' decision, even if it cost him a playoff berth. The story was a national sensation in 2008, even earning an ESPY Award.

DeKalb (IL) High School Basketball Coach Dave Rohlman and Player Darius McNeal
In an early 2009 game, DeKalb was awarded free throws for a technical foul when an opposing player tried to check into the game despite his name not appearing in the official scorer's book. Rohlman and McNeal knew the clerical confusion resulted from their opponent's uncertainty whether to play on the day his mother passed away from cancer, so the DeKalb team decided that McNeal would intentionally and demonstratively miss his free throws out of respect for their opponent.

Kris Hogan, Director of Athletics and Head Football Coach, Faith Christian School, Grapevine, TX
Hogan, preparing for a game against Gainesville State School, a Texas correctional facility for incarcerated youth, e-mailed his school's fan base seeking volunteers to attend the game and cheer for Gainesville. Gainesville's players, due to the nature of their school, often play before no fans, but at this game, the volunteers Hogan recruited formed a tunnel, provided a banner for Gainesville players to burst through and then cheered wildly for "their" team.

Nick Sortal, Staff Writer, South Florida Sun-Sentinel
Nick Sortal helps sports parents behave better through the articles he writes for the South Florida Sun-Sentinel and The Chicago Tribune Co. His book, Basketball Tip-Ins: 100 Drills and Tips for Young Players, is among the best-selling basketball instructionals in McGraw-Hill history. He also has been lauded by the Florida Press Club and the Florida Recreation and Park Association. Sortal also has been an assistant high school basketball coach at Broward County, Fla., schools for the past 19 years, a volunteer youth sports coach and a cable TV talk-show host.

Hal Tearse, Coach-in-Chief, Minnesota Hockey (formerly Minnesota Amateur Hockey Assn.) & Minnesota District Director to USA Hockey
Hal Tearse has been a hockey coach for the past 36 years. He currently serves as Coach in Chief for Minnesota Hockey where he produces skills videos , writes articles for Hockey publications and produces "Thoughts From The Bench" an on line newsletter for youth hockey coaches. His "Thoughts from the Bench" e-newsletter, reaching thousands of youth hockey coaches, frequently contains encouragement and tips on how to incorporate sportsmanship into the youth hockey culture.

Tim Downes: Director of Athletics and Recreation at Emory University.
Tim Downes has been associated with programs his entire life that have truly valued the notion of sportsmanship the scholar-athlete concept. Tim has committed himself to promoting the compatibility of academic success and athletic achievement. In his current position as the Director of Athletics and Recreation at Emory University, Downes oversees a program that has won more NCAA Postgraduates Scholarships since the year 2000 than any other school in the country and can boast of nine NCAA national championships during that period.

Dr. Ralph Pim: Director of Competitive Sports in the Department of Physical Education at the United States Military Academy.
Ralph Pim oversees a values-based sports program for over 3,300 cadets built on General Douglas MacArthur's philosophy of "every cadet an athlete". Under Dr. Pim's leadership, West Point partnered with the Champions of Character program and implemented the Mike Krzyzewski Teaching Character through Sport Award, the General Hal Moore Warrior of Excellence Award, and the Character in Sports Grading Index. Prior to his appointment at West Point, Pim was a college basketball coach and teacher for over 25 years.

Dr. Loreto Jackson. Director of Student-Athlete Performance at Clemson University.
Tasked with developing the student-athlete standard of conduct policy, Dr. Jackson wove the Clemson values of family and civility into the Department's fledgling Solid Orange sportsmanship initiative to articulate a behavior expectation for Clemson student-athletes. The resultant definition: Our actions honor our University, traditions, teams, performance, people and each other provides behavioral guidance for student-athletes.

Joe Casamento: Head Coach at Christian Brothers Academy in Syracuse; Executive Director of LEAD USA
In his tenure at CBA 100% of his players have graduated and have gone to a four year college. Joe is the executive director of LEAD USA, a not for profit company that works to develop skills and improve character in schools across New York State. Joe is also a motivational speaker and an instructor at Nike and other clinics throughout the country. He speaks about proper and healthy perspective of athletics and the invaluable lessons coaches should be teaching about life and about team building to help achieve goals in sport and life.

Jennifer Pacelli: Athletic Director of Albertus Magnus
Jennifer has been working at her alma mater Albertus Magnus in a variety of capacities, first as country coach, then in sports administration. Jennifer's leadership and dedication to promoting sportsmanship in the programs at Albertus Magnus has not gone unnoticed and she has moved quickly through the administrative ranks. In 2006 Jennifer was named the Athletic Director which provides her with the opportunity to fulfill her life's passion working with ardent student-athletes at the NCAA Division III level.

Noreen Pecsok: Women's Basketball & Asst. Field Hockey Middlebury College
Noreen Pecsok is now in her 11th season as the head coach of the women's basketball program at Middlebury. In 10 of her first 11 seasons, she continued the post-season tradition, leading the Panthers to the NESCAC or ECAC Tournament in each season. Noreen's coaching philosophy and message to her players is rooted in the principles of sportsmanship. Due to Noreen's inspired leadership, the Middlebury Women's Basketball team has been named the New England Basketball Hall of Fame "Scholar-Athlete" Program winner.