Richard Lapchick, director of the University of Central Florida’s DeVos Sports Business Management Program, has been recognized by the Institute for International Sport for his contributions to sportsmanship and ethical conduct.
Lapchick was one of 20 living Americans honored on March 1, the 20th anniversary of the institute’s National Sportsmanship Day.
Other honorees included record-breaking baseball player Cal Ripken, Jr.; baseball Hall of Famer Stan Musial; Olympic gold medalist Dara Torres; former Orlando Magic player Grant Hill; and Tony Dungy, the first African-American coach to win a Super Bowl.
The Institute for Diversity and Ethics in Sport (TIDES), which Lapchick directs, was also one of the 20 organizations and initiatives honored for promoting fair play. The Boys & Girls Club of America, ESPN Behind the Lens and the NCAA Foundation were among the other organizations recognized.
The Institute for International Sport uses sport to leverage peace, friendship and goodwill among people, nations and cultures. Each year, the institute designates National Sportsmanship Day as an opportunity for student-athletes, coaches, administrators and parents to engage in thoughtful discussion about the role of sportsmanship.
Lapchick is known for his ability to use sport to combat racial, gender and social inequities in the United States and internationally. The director of the National Consortium for Academics and Sports, he was inducted into the Multi-Ethnic Sports Hall of Fame earlier this year.
Under Lapchick’s leadership, UCF’s DeVos Sport Business Management Program focuses on the business skills necessary for graduates to succeed in the sports industry, as well as diversity and community service.
TIDES monitors some of the critical issues in college and professional sport. The institute researches and publishes annual studies on student-athlete graduation rates, racial attitudes in sports, and racial and gender hiring practices in athletics.