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 We are proud to introduce year six of the Big Bus Alliance, a unique collaborative effort focusing on transporting at risk students to our three annual Coaches 4 Character programs.
Young Transportation of Asheville has committed twelve 56 passenger buses for our four 2014-15 Coaches 4 Character programs. Meals for students on the buses are provided for non profits, churches, and Title 1 schools. Over the last five years, Coaches 4 Character has sent these buses to over 90 Upstate organizations that also focus on helping at risk youth. The impact of the Big Bus Alliance is that over 10,000 students, practically all of whom otherwise would not have the opportunity, have attended Coaches 4 Character programs. A special “thank you” is due JM Smith Corporation and Young Transportation for understanding the value of collaboration and community service, enabling Coaches 4 Character to emphasize to youth that character and education do make a difference!  Clemson's Clelin Ferrell explains how wealth of talent, camaraderie on the Tigers' defensive line helped prepare him for the NFL, March 2, 2019. Dave Birkett, Detroit Free Press
Clelin Ferrell says he always felt like that little weed that seemingly emerged from the most unlikely of locales. “I know you’ve seen concrete, but then you see weeds growing out of the concrete, right?,” Ferrell asked more than 400 attendees at Tuesday night’s Coaches 4 Character program at Relentless Church in Greenville. “That has always been so amazing to me because out of all the adversity I’ve faced in my life I feel like I represent that weed or that piece of grass growing through that concrete. I made my way out. I just grew where I was planted. ”It’s fair to say that Ferrell has blossomed. The former Clemson football All-American is expected to be a first-round selection in next month’s NFL Draft, and the future millionaire had plenty of advice to impart to elementary and junior high students from across the Upstate. “Life isn’t going to be perfect,” said Ferrell, the Atlantic Coast Conference Defensive Player of the Year in 2018. “You’re going to go through some hard times – just ask your parents and the people around you – but it’s all about that belief that you have in yourself.” Ferrell was joined for the program’s annual “Two Competitors…One Cause” presentation by former South Carolina football standout Deebo Samuel, who last season was voted first-team All-Southeastern Conference as an all-purpose player and second-team as a wide receiver. Samuel, who starred in both football and basketball at Chapman High School, graduated in December and will enter the draft along with Ferrell. “Always listen to your parents, they won’t lead you in the wrong direction,” Samuel said. “My stepmom has been a great influence in my life. “Taking education seriously is a major key, and you don’t need friends who want to hang with the wrong crowd – peer pressure. That’s not right.” Ferrell underscored a similar message. “Picking your friends is so big, especially at y’all’s age,” he said. “The older you get, the more distractions and more temptations come into your life so having the right people around you is important. “And you can do whatever you want to in life and it starts with having a good attitude. Respect can take you a long way. Being respectful, looking people in the eyes and just having good manners can take you a long way. "Not everybody’s going to grow up with their father in their life, or their mom in their life or grow up with the best health or things like that, but it’s all about your attitude and how you go about things in life. With a good attitude you can do anything you want to do.”  December 3, 2018
Coach Rick Barnes and his University of Tennessee basketball team face a big challenge this weekend when the Volunteers play No. 1 Gonzaga. But that’s a challenge that pales in comparison to the ones faced daily by many young people – a fact underscored by Barnes Monday night when he took a brief time-out from the Volunteers' season to address an attentive audience of a few hundred Greenville County students at a Coaches 4 Character program at Greenville’s Relentless Church. He told the story of a young boy who was largely disinterested as a youth. A boy who was raised by a single mom. A boy who lost a sister in an automobile accident at a young age. A boy who failed first grade. A boy with a bad attitude. A boy who tried to get attention for all the wrong reasons. That boy was Rick Barnes. “I needed help,” Barnes said. “I needed to get educated.” Once that occurred, things began to fall in place for an aspiring young basketball player from Hickory, N.C. “Once you learn to read, once you learn to write, you can go anywhere in the world,” Barnes said. “One regret I have is that I didn’t understand that earlier.” Barnes’ newfound “world” started close to home. He played basketball at Lenoir-Rhyne College and later wound up as an assistant coach under Eddie Biedenbach at Davidson. Assistant coaching gigs at George Mason, Alabama and Ohio State followed before he landed his first head coaching job at George Mason in 1987. The Patriots went 20-10 in his debut and he was quickly snatched up by Providence, where he spent the next six seasons, averaging 18 wins a year and guiding the Friars to three NCAA Tournament appearances while competing in the rugged Big East. Barnes then coached at Clemson for four seasons, including a 23-10 campaign and Sweet 16 appearance in the 1996-97 season. But Barnes left for Texas and the Big 12 a year later, spending the next 17 seasons leading the Longhorns to the most successful stretch in program history – 16 NCAA Tournament appearances, including two Sweet 16s, two Elite Eights and one Final Four. He took the head coaching job at Tennessee four years ago and has masterminded a complete reversal of fortune. The Vols won 26 games last season, winning a share of the Southeastern Conference regular-season title and making the NCAA Tournament. “From Day 1 we wanted to win,” Barnes said. “We didn’t have a timetable. Last year we were able to break through. We wanted it be something we could sustain for a while and not be a one-hit wonder.” Barnes’ team is showing no signs of being a flash-in-the-pan. The Vols are 6-1 and ranked No. 7 this season, with their lone defeat an overtime loss against No. 2 Kansas. Barnes acknowledged that the team’s toughest test to date may come Saturday against top-ranked Gonzaga in the Jerry Colangelo Classic in Phoenix, Arizona. Win or lose, rest assured the 64-year-old Barnes will be philosophical. “At one time, believe it or not, I was the youngest head coach in Division I basketball,” Barnes said. “Now I’m one of the oldest.” And more than willing to impart some wisdoms on the youth of America, including the Upstate. “Whenever you go home tonight, tell that person you love them,” Barnes said. “Let your teachers know that you respect them and what they do, because that’s a hard job. “In school, be a leader. Say ‘Hey, let’s do this the right way.’ But don’t ever stop working and don’t ever stop dreaming.” By: Scott Keepfer -- Greenville Online 
October 4, 2018 When LeBron James signed a four-year, $154 million deal with the Los Angeles Lakers last July, A’ja Wilson was left shaking her head. And tweeting. Wilson, a former University of South Carolina women’s basketball standout who plays for the WNBA’s Las Vegas Aces, is a fan of James, to be sure, but took to Twitter to underscore the disparity between NBA salaries and those of players in the WNBA. WNBA salaries are capped at $110,000, according to CNBC, while NBA players were paid a minimum of $815,000 last season. “It is a large gap, and a tough pill to swallow,” said Wilson, a Hopkins native who will speak at the quarterly Coaches 4 Character program Thursday night at Greenville’s Relentless Church. “I realize things aren’t going to happen overnight, but it’s more of a respect thing – people on social media downgrading me because I’m a woman. “That’s where we have to start. The biggest thing I learned about being a pro athlete is people are going to say a lot of things.” So, too, is Wilson, who isn’t about to apologize for engaging people on social media and bringing the topic of gender inequity to the forefront. “The pay gap is there – not necessarily just in sports, but across all workplaces,” Wilson said. “The NBA players back us up. They know that it’s real. “I’m glad to have tweeted something that sparked conversation and brought awareness. I’m a female athlete and should be respected as much as anyone else.” When it comes to Wilson, there’s plenty to respect. She was a three-time All-American at South Carolina and guided the Gamecocks to the NCAA title in 2017, then was made the No. 1 overall selection in the WNBA Draft last April. The 6-foot-4 Wilson promptly averaged 20.7 points, 8.0 rebounds and 1.7 blocks per game en route to WNBA Rookie of the Year honors. She just returned Tuesday from the FIBA World Cup in Spain, where she helped lead the United States to its third consecutive world title and secure a berth in the 2020 Olympic Games. She did so while playing for her college coach, Dawn Staley, who became the first person to win the World Cup as a player, assistant coach and head coach. “I think she probably thought she got rid of me,” Wilson said, laughing. “I was glad to be on this journey with her.” Now she hopes to help others on their journey by inspiring young people, much like she’ll attempt Thursday night. “My biggest message is to just have character, which is something Coach Staley embedded in my head,” Wilson said. “At the end of the day, if you have character and are a good person, it can take you a long way.” The program for Upstate students is set to begin at 7 p.m. Admission is free for students and $5 for adults. By: Scott Keepfer -- Greenville Online  May 9th, 2018
South Carolina football coach Will Muschamp delivered a simple but powerful message Tuesday night at the 6th Annual Coaches 4 Character ACE Awards program. "Don't let your circumstances define you, regardless of your situation," Muschamp told an attentive audience at Greenville Relentless Church. Muschamp's advice didn't fall on deaf ears -- each of the night's 70 honorees were in attendance based primarily on challenges they've already overcome. "Continue to have a vision, because what you guys have accomplished is unbelievable," Muschamp said. "Absolutely amazing the stories (about you) that I read -- brought a tear to my eye. It's awesome. Continue with your vision." ACE, an acronym for Advocates for Character and Education, is an annual end-of-school-year celebration that recognizes Greenville County Schools' "unsung heroes." Tuesday night's honorees included 35 male and 35 female students representing 21 middle schools and 14 high schools. The selection process, established by Greenville County counselors, focused on identifying and selecting at-risk students and award winners/ These students have overcome tremendous odds to achieve in their schools, churches, homes, and/or communities, but have not been recognized for doing so. Until Tuesday night. "It's all about how you respond to certain situations and circumstances i your life, which you 70 (honorees) have done an amazing job of," Muschamp said. "Ten percent is what has happened to you; 90 percent is what you do with it." Some of the students have overcome serious illness or injury or physical disability. Others have excelled despite the loss or absence of parents or other critical family members. Some have overcome language and cultural barriers or financial challenges. Still others simply have downplayed their own challenges by giving wholeheartedly of themselves in order to help others. "Stay positive," Muschamp said. "A positive attitude does not guarantee anythings, but a negative one does. Be thankful for the opportunities you have." Six county high school students received $2,500 ACE Awards Academic Scholarships: Jon Tora Hester of Woodmont, who plans to major in psychology at the College of Charleston. Eastside's Bailey Hinton, who plans to study biology and veterinary medicine at Greenville Technical College, Wade Hampton's Brittany Thomas Culbreth, who is undecided on a college choice but plans to study business and chemistry; Richard Meralus of Greenvile, who will study engineering at Greenville Technical College; Cameron Pate Addie of Woodmont, who plans to major in history at Lander University; and Hillcrest's Derek Ruiz, who plans to enroll in Tri-County Technical College's "bridge" program in mechanical engineering. By: Scott Keepfer -- Greenville Online  March 14, 2018
Tony Elliott’s early life didn’t exactly read like a storybook. At least not an enchanted one. He was hit by a truck at age 4. Survived. His parents separated at age 5. Survived. Tony’s mother was killed in auto accident when he was 9. Tony survived. At age 11, he joined a gang. Survived. Lived on the streets in Anaheim, California. Survived. Notice a common thread here? “There’s no shine without the grind,” Elliott says, often enough that it has become his mantra. After grinding more than anyone should have to, Elliott is shining brightly, thank you, as co-offensive coordinator for a Clemson University football team that has become a perennial contender for national titles. Not bad for a guy who strolled onto Clemson’s campus 19 years ago equipped only with a trash bag of clothes and an alarm clock. “I had $4,000 I’d saved from working a construction job, but didn’t know how I was going to finance my education,” Elliott said. “But I was going to figure it out.” Good grades, financial aid and ultimately a scholarship followed. Tony Elliott not only survived, he flourished, and he made that the crux of his message Tuesday night at the quarterly Coaches 4 Character program at Greenville’s Redemption Church. “When I look out, I see me at your age,” he told several hundred young students from Greenville County schools. “I want you to know that each one of you matters.” Elliott encouraged an attentive audience to “find something to hold onto right now and just keep working.” “There’s hope for the future, regardless of circumstances,” he said. For Elliott, that hope came in the form of an aunt from Charleston. A school principal, she took young Tony into her home and challenged him and taught him the value of an education. “This was where my life changed,” Elliott said. “She knew that I loved to play ball. It was the only place where I felt like I had a family. “But she had a rule – she said, ‘Hey buddy, if you don’t have a B-plus in all your classes, you’re not playing.' ” Elliott took the message to heart and wound up being a three-sport standout at James Island High School. He later walked onto the team at Clemson, where in his senior season he was a co-captain and played under the guidance of a first-year wide receivers coach by the name of Dabo Swinney. Eight years later, Swinney hired Elliott as running backs coach. Since Elliott was promoted to co-offensive coordinator three years ago, the Tigers are 40-4. It all seems so simple now, looking back, Elliott says, but it took years for him to get the message. He hopes his audience Tuesday night has a shorter learning curve. “Embrace the adversity, surround yourself with good people and eventually you’ll change the way that you think,” Elliott said. “You’ll start to value different things, which will lead to success.” By any measure, that’s a storybook with an enchanted ending. By: Scott Keepfer -- Greenville Online  December 15, 2017
As a freshman in high school, Brooklyn native Mike Dunleavy Sr. started at shortstop and batted third on a team that win a city championship. "i was the last man on the basketball team and never played," he said. But when hisbaseball coach told Dunleavy he could earn a scholarship if he were to focus on one sport, he chose basketball. "I took a lot of abuse for that," Dunleavy told a gathering of students at Wednesday night's Coaches 4 Character program at Redemption Church in Greenville. "Nobody really believed in me. But I believed in me," Dunleavy said he followed his "passion" and advised the students to do likewise. After an outstanding basketball career at the University of South Carolina. Dunleavy spent 11 years as a player and 20 years as a coach in the NBA. He's in his second season as the coach at Tulane University, and all along, Dunleavy said he's never felt any pressure "At the end of the day," he said, "I can look in the mirror and say, 'Whatever I put out there today was the best I could do' If I won or if I didn't win, I gave it my best effort. That's all anybody can ever ask of you. "And you know what? You don't lose, The only time you can say you lose is when you quit. If there's something out there you want to do, it's never over till you say it's over." Before Dunleavy addressed the students, Coaches 4 Character executive Greg Blatt introduced a new initiative: Trio Tribute, a collaboration between Coaches 4 Character, The Greenville News and a local high school. Berea High School was the first recipient of a check for $500 to be donated to an organization chosen by the school's student council. Representing Berea was student body President Jainada Williams, who said her school selected Homes of Hope because of the impact it had on "people in our school and our neighborhoods." "The first thing was I wanted to keep it local," Williams said, "I wanted to make sure that the money is benefiting our community. "And then at Berea specifically, you can see the people around you that it's benefiting. A lot of students in our school have homes because of this organization." By: Bob Castello -- Greenville Online  December 7, 2017
Coach encourages having structure Duke University women's basketball coach Joanne P. McCallie may have picked up a few hundred new fans Monday night in her first visit to Greenville. Not the young students she addressed during the Coaches 4 Character program at Redemption. But their parents. They may appreciate the assist McCallie dished as she encourages students to make their beds and brush their teeth. McCallie reinforced those simple chores to illustrate the importance of simple choices. "When you do things that have structure and you have a standard about what your room looks like, you just might have a standard about what your room looks like, you just might have a standard about how you study or how you do in school," McCallie said. "Life doesn't just happen to you, You choose." McCalie urged students to remain intentional in their pursuit of success, to live their lives by choice and not by chance. According to Dr. Tiffany Estes, principal at Greenville Early College, her students Kiersten Orr and Ethan Mata already have embodied McCallie's message. That is why even as sixth graders they were selected to represent Greenville Early College as recipients of The Greenville News Character Award. "They are real role models," Estes said of both Orr and Mata. "They have both flourished and have exemplified character for other students. They show up every day and put forth their extreme best efforts. They want an education and want so much more." McCallie advocated for that drive. She advised students to protecting their power by exploring and developing their thoughts. She frankly discusses the loneliness of leadership. She candidly asserted that the correct choice will not always be the most popular one. But it always will be the mos beneficial. "You all chan choose to become a champion in life," McCallie said. "I don't care where we come from. I don't care what we look like. None of that matters, because nobody can get inside your head. Nobody but you. "You've got power inside you. Keep it. Don't give it away for things that don't matter," By: Mandrallius Robinson -- Greenville Online |
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