University of North Carolina Athletics
UNC Lacrosse Player Werry Named Finalist For Wooden Citizenship Cup
December 9, 2005 | Men's Lacrosse
Dec. 9, 2005
ATLANTA, GA. - Dave Werry, a senior midfielder on the University of North Carolina men's lacrosse team, has been named one of six finalists for The Coach Wooden Citizenship Cup presented annually by Athletes for a Better World. Werry is a native of Oshawa, Onatario and has been one of UNC's most active student-athletes in history in his involvement in projects for community development and betterment.
After arriving on campus in 2002, Werry was instrumental in making his presence felt almost immediately. A Morehead Scholar, Werry was the founder of the Carolina Dreams program. Carolina Dreams brings children treated at North Carolina Children's Hospital to campus to spend an afternoon with student-athletes while attending an athletic event.
Other finalists for the collegiate award are Jacqueline Dubois (Oklahoma), Erica Grimaldi (Vanderbilt), Grey Ballard (Wake Forest), Jamie Pelusi (Pittsburgh) and Jacob Gutierrez (Oklahoma).
Finalists for the professional award are John Smoltz of the Atlanta Braves, Donovan McNabb of the Philadelphia Eagles and Tamika Catchings of the Indiana Fever.
The mission of Athletes for a Better World (ABW) is to use sports to develop character, teamwork, and citizenship through commitment to an athletic Code for Living that applies to all of life, and to create a movement that will play a significant role in the transformation of individuals, sports, and society.
John Wooden, one of the greatest coaches and positive role models in the history of the NCAA, has given ABW permission to present an award in his name. The Coach Wooden Citizenship Cup is presented to two distinguished athletes from any sport - one intercollegiate and one professional - that best display character, teamwork, and citizenship, the attributes Athletes for a Better World deems central to transforming individuals, sport, and society. The award establishes the recipients as athletes of excellence both on and off the field, role models both as performers and persons, the most important and distinctive honor athletes can achieve.
All aspects of The Coach Wooden Citizenship Cup are managed by the Coach Wooden Citizenship Cup Committee, chaired by former University of Georgia Athletic Director Vincent Dooley and composed of selected members of the National Board, the Athletic Advisory Board, and other special members. The Committee acts on policies governing the nominating, selection, and awarding of the Cup.
In order to be nominated for the Coach Wooden Citizenship Cup, the athlete must exemplify the values of the Code:
* Train with a disciplined, consistent work ethic
* Demonstrate fair play and sportsmanship
* Develop positive supportive relationships with teammates and coaches
* Win or lose with grace and dignity
* Contribute significantly to society through the gifts of time or money
The award will be presented at the East Lake Golf Club in Atlanta on January 24, 2006.
