It was a packed house at the Pilot House on the University of Portland's campus for our 4th Annual Jeans and Jerseys Youth Sports Awards and Benefit night. With over 150 in attendance we celebrated our 6 High School TIC scholarship winners, Excellence in Leadership recipient Jack Dunn and the Maurice Lucas Foundation received our new Community Impact Award.

The Pilot House on the University of Portland’s campus was packed for PCA – Portland’s 4th Annual Jeans and Jerseys Youth Sports Awards and Benefit. More than 150 attendees celebrated six high school Triple Impact Competitor scholarship recipients, the “Excellence in Leadership” and “Community Impact Award” recipients.  Executive Director Ben Dudley welcomed everyone and spoke to the mission and value of PCA in our youth sports community and the impact we can make to change the culture of youth sports. 

Emcee for the evening, PCA Associate Board member and former BYU women’s basketball standout Jazmine Davis took to the stage describing the impact sports has had on her life – both while attending Heritage High School in Vancouver, Washington and now as Accounts Director at the Etzel agency.   Jazmine pursues her passion for sports and basketball by not only working in the sports industry, but by commentating for the University of Portland Women’s basketball - where she once coached - and also by coaching a youth girls team in her community.  

Jazmine spoke about Oregon baseball coach Jack Dunn, this year’s Excellence in Leadership recipient.  Jack had a legendary 26-year coaching career in Portland and shaping character through sports. Jack Dunn is a sports legend in Oregon! He coached for 39 years; 20 years at Portland State, 19 years in Portland’s high schools at Cleveland and Wilson where he was the first and only coach to ever win two high school championships in Portland schools.  In 1995, Coach Dunn received the Oregon Sportswriters Distinguished Service Award for Sports. He was inducted into the Portland State University Athletic Hall of Fame. 

Jack sat down with Executive Director Ben Dudley on IHeart Radio to talk about his philosophy of coaching youth and the development of character through sports.  

Jack’s leadership in baseball paved the way for several youth baseball players across the Portland area and the state of Oregon. Jack’s leadership was not just about baseball, it was about teaching his players values, strong character and becoming contributing citizens in their communities as they grew up.  Several former players, including Dale Murphy thanked Jack for his leadership in sports and his impact on their lives then and now.  

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Our new award, the Community Impact Award, was presented to David Lucas, Pam Lucas and Jana Cole from the Maurice Lucas Foundation for their service to the Portland community and using sports as a vehicle for youth development.  David Lucas spoke about the legacy of his father Maurice Lucas, a 5-time NBA All-Star for the Portland Trailblazers, and if it was not for sports and what his father did outside of the Blazers, there would be no Maurice Lucas Foundation.  The foundation continues to carry on Maurice’s passion for creating opportunity for youth through mentoring and development of character through sport and providing a sense of community and family.

Jazmine closed the awards portion of the event with our 6 High School Triple-Impact Competitor Scholarship winners. In attendance to celebrate their accomplishments were their family and friends, high school and club coaches, youth mentors and High School Athletic Directors.

Closing the evening, keynote speaker Greg Patton, former USA National tennis coach and PCA trainer, had the crowd on its feet with an energized and motivational speech about celebrating youth. Coach Patton is the only NCAA coach to receive the NCAA Division I Coach of the Year Award at two different schools (UC Irvine and Boise State University in 1987 and 1997).  Greg spoke to the power of celebrating with athletes, motivate by connecting with each athlete personally and make sure to have fun.   

“The thing that I look forward to the most about this event every year is hearing the stories of impact from our award recipients. Positive Coaching Alliance has a unique opportunity to switch the narrative in our culture by recognizing the positive and the good in the world. This event is a shining example of what is good, and the impact youth sports can make on an athlete, a team and ultimately society at large.” - Benjamin Dudley

We are grateful for our partnership with the University of Portland and for being able to host such an event in a great venue as the Pilot House.  We want to extend a thank you to our Sponsors the Hillsboro Hops, TS5 Properties, Miller and Nash Law Offices, Providence Sports Medicine, Sport Oregon, Old Timers Baseball and Portland Professional Teams, NBA Portland Trailblazers, MLS Timbers, and the WMLS Portland Thorns. Our events would not be successful without our sponsors and board members.  

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