What Youth Leaders Are Saying About Even Field®
The leaders of the schools and leagues we work with, coaches who have heard us speak, and the media, in their own words.
Leaders of our partner leagues and schools
These come first because they are the people who put their own organizations behind Even Field.
“Chuck’s passion for educating young athletes, coaches, parents and other adults is contagious and his “storytelling” style of speaking sparks fantastic dialogue about participating in youth sports for the right reason.”
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“Even Field has impressed us with its innovative approach that illustrates for parents, athletes, schools and communities, why an emphasis on character, respect, and honorable competition in athletic competition produces greater excellence than focusing solely on the outcome of the game.
As a proponent of the value of educational based athletics in the development of our youth, Chuck Wilson’s message of “The Way You Win Matters” has already made a positive impact on Rhode Island. Chuck’s passion for educating young athletes, coaches, parents and other adults is contagious and his “storytelling” style of speaking sparks fantastic dialogue about participating in youth sports for the right reason.
In addition to our current partnership with “Even Field Honors”, we have utilized Even Field at student conferences, coaching workshops and parent meetings and the feedback has always been positive, regardless of the audience.”
Michael Lunney
Executive Director, Rhode Island Interscholastic League
“Focusing upon “winning the right way” and being a “good teammate” set the groundwork for students to make good choices in life and be good people.”
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“The Even Field program aligns with the educational athletic program design that we attempt to implement at Rocky Hill. Nurturing character development is a huge component of a sound educational athletic program.
Being able to have both Chuck Wilson and recent high school graduate (2026 Even Field® Honors recipient) Liam Helfrich present to our student athletes helped in bridging a connection between the reality of how things can be at times and what we strive to develop through their sharing personal stories. Focusing upon “winning the right way” and being a “good teammate” set the groundwork for students to make good choices in life and be good people. This is why educational athletics is important and this is why the Even Field program is important.”
Art Entwistle
Director of Athletics, Rocky Hill Country Day School (RI)
“Our organization fully supports the work of Even Field to cultivate character and integrity in youth sports.”
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“Our organization fully supports the work of Even Field to cultivate character and integrity in youth sports. We are committed to utilizing the resources of Even Field and excited to partner with Chuck Wilson and his organization.
We believe that Even Field has a promising program model that will relate to our student-athletes and their families, while reinforcing RIPCOA values.”
Michael Mancieri
Executive Director, Rhode Island Principals’ Committee on Athletics (2015, when RIPCOA oversaw RI middle school athletics; that role now rests with the RIIL)
“Chuck Wilson and Even Field represent the very best in the quest to improve the youth sports experience for young people….(We) greatly respect the tremendous work that he has begun.”
Phil Ricci
Administrator, Catholic Athletic League (RI)
“Chuck Wilson helped us run an unbelievable event that helped promote the important message of fair play and honorable competition.”
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“What a pleasure it was to work with such an important and relevant organization. Chuck Wilson helped us run an unbelievable event that helped promote the important message of fair play and honorable competition. What (Even Field is) trying to do is hard, but not impossible, and events such as the one that we had, is a step in the right direction. Can’t wait to work with them in the future, trying to change the culture that is out there in athletics.”
Ray Leveille
Director of Athletics, Mount St. Charles Academy, Woonsocket, RI
After an Even Field presentation
Coaches and administrators describe what happened in the room, which is the most direct evidence that the message lands.
“The parents have been raving about how great the message was and how important it was to have you guys there. Your message was inspiring and even life altering for some of the parents and kids. You really woke up something in many people that day. So, thank you all! It was a true blessing to have you!”
“These lessons that you’re teaching about teamwork, about dedication, about how you play on the field and how that translates to your home life, those are lessons that transform a community.”
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“These lessons that you’re teaching about teamwork, about dedication, about how you play on the field and how that translates to your home life, those are lessons that transform a community…To me, that’s the long-term impact you’re having...we can transform our entire society and what it truly means to win.”
Dominic Copeland
Coach/VP, Beverly (MA) Youth Football
“I found Chuck’s message to be profound and especially relevant in today’s youth sports culture...Having coached at different levels from youth sports through college, I would highly recommend bringing Even Field in to speak with your players, coaches, and parents.”
“Chuck Wilson and the Even Field program are putting the emphasis back where it should be, on building character in young athletes.”
Chris Capezzuto
Heads Up Football® Master Trainer, Head Football Coach, Roosevelt H.S., Yonkers, N.Y.
Why the mission matters
Voices from sports and youth development on why character comes before the scoreboard.
“What endures are the positive character lessons and how we can apply those throughout our lives.”
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“Even Field attacks the hard stuff! What endures from our participation in sports is not the skills we learn, the game scores or our win/loss records. What endures are the positive character lessons and how we can apply those throughout our lives. Even Field places exactly the right importance on winning…“It’s the Way You Win that Matters®” - promoting character, leadership and integrity to not only athletes and coaches, but to parents and program administrators as well.”
Marcus Jannitto
Brigadier General, Air National Guard (retired); coach, national leadership speaker, and occasional Even Field speaker
“Even Field’s message to all parents and families is important. It’s about putting the kids first, and developing the whole person, not just the athlete.”
“Even Field is a phenomenal avenue to educate parents, coaches and players on ways to help kids learn how to succeed the right way on the field and apply those skills to life.”
Jeff Lane
Former Athletic Director and football coach, Worcester Tech (MA) High School
“With the advent and implementation of Even Field, Chuck has designed science-based, child-centered programs that will not only give sports back to the children but will also help adults better understand and manage their very important leadership role.”
The late Bob Bigelow
Former first-round NBA Draft pick; international youth sports reformer and activist; co-author of “Just Let the Kids Play” and “Youth Sports: Still Failing Our Kids”
“You’re reaching parents. The kids aren’t the hardest parties to reach. It’s the parents.”
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“You’re reaching parents. The kids aren’t the hardest parties to reach. It’s the parents...It’s educating parents and youth coaches on ways they can help kids learn character skills - how to lead, how to communicate better, and hustle better...Parents have to start looking at sports for young people as being a great way to teach lessons that they can’t learn in a classroom...Character is a big part of that.”
Steve Grogan
Former New England Patriots quarterback, on what resonates about Even Field’s message
What the media said about the start of Even Field
Providence Journal columnists on why Chuck Wilson started Even Field.
“For two decades, Wilson spoke to a national audience over the airwaves. What he has to say now about sportsmanship needs to be heard.”
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“…The message Wilson is trying to spread now is more important, more meaningful than any of the countless informative and entertaining interviews he conducted with sports stars and celebrities during his more than three decades in radio.
A longtime advocate of sportsmanship and fair play, always a strong proponent of ethical behavior in athletics, Wilson has founded an organization called Even Field, whose mission is nothing less than to change the culture of sports — and society — that too often encourages and rewards winning at any cost.
It’s a project, a cause, in which Wilson believes intensely and sincerely. You can hear the passion in his voice when he talks about it.
For two decades, Wilson spoke to a national audience over the airwaves. What he has to say now about sportsmanship needs to be heard.”
Jim Donaldson
Providence Journal columnist, August 29, 2014
“Chuck Wilson always has been more than just another sports talk radio guy trying to be the loudest in the room.”
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“He always has been different...He always has been unique...Chuck Wilson always has been more than just another sports talk radio guy trying to be the loudest in the room...“I want to make a difference,” he said. “I’ve wanted to make a difference for a long time.” He is talking about ethics and sportsmanship, about values and priorities...This always has been Wilson’s passion...he was called the “conscience of ESPN.” To Wilson, sports always have been all about character.
“I think we have to redefine winning,” he says.
“It would be an interesting discussion...We all give lip service to ethics in sports...We want people to play by the rules, and be great role models to kids, and live by all those inspirational signs that hang on locker-room walls. Then the games start and we want them to win.”
“This is the current culture Wilson wants to change…The same Chuck Wilson who has been to the mountaintop of sports talk radio...now wants to try to get kids to recapture some of the attitudes he feels have gotten lost along the way.””
Bill Reynolds
Providence Journal, June 4, 2013
Looking for what colleagues say about Chuck Wilson himself? See What Others Have Said on his biography page.