The NeXT Basketball Foundation
Jamie Charlton Leadership Award
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Jamie Charlton
October 6, 1969 – August 24, 1990
The influence we as individuals can have on one another is powerful. The significant role one individual can play in the life of another human being can be positive, leading to change, improvement and progress. The impact we have on people can also be negative; leading to destruction, despair and defeat. There are moments the impact can be felt immediately, and other times the impression isn’t fully realized until years later.
Niccolo Machiavelli said these words: “A return to first principles in a republic is sometimes caused by the simple virtues of one man. His good example has such an influence that the good men strive to imitate him, and the wicked are ashamed to lead a life so contrary to his example.” John Maxwell put it another way; Leadership is influence.
Great leadership is about being a great example, about humility. Leadership is about influence.
Influence is defined as the capacity to have an effect on the character, development, or behavior of someone or something, or the effect itself.
The Latin root word for influence is “flu”, which means, “flow.” The English word “fluid” also finds its origin in the same Latin root word, defined as a state of matter, which, if not contained, “flows.” Influence represents the wonderful opportunity every human being has to “flow into, in, on, and upon” another human being directly, indirectly.
The NeXT Basketball Foundation Jamie Charlton Leadership Award is about how far reaching an individual’s influence can have on another human being.
James William Charlton tragically lost his life due to a motorcycle accident on August 24th, 1990. He would’ve been 21 years old in forty-two short days. Though I never met Jamie I’ve experienced his influence and impact through his parents, grandparents and his sister, Jody. Over the past ten years I’ve learned about his courage, humor and wonderful capacity for meaningful relationships. During this time I’ve also come to understand what a wonderful individual he was based on his family and friends. Many times it’s been said about Jamie that he was a leader, not a follower. Though Jamie’s life was cut short, the example he provided to his family and friends alike remains impactful today.
Jamie was a true friend and a leader.
The young people listed below have all displayed leadership qualities of humility, a team first attitude and have exemplified a spirit of thoughtfulness and gratitude that influenced me, and hopefully their peers as well. In short, each of these recipients have inspired and encouraged me with their selflessness, and all have challenged my thinking for the better.
I will never forget the influence they’ve had on their NeXT teammates or me.
Sincerely,
Shawn Bailey
Executive Director, The NeXT Basketball Foundation
2017 Jamie Charlton Leadership Award
2017 Jamie Charlton Leadership Award Winners
Front Row (L-R): Mac Smith (5th grd), Eli McMahon (5th grd), Mason Onate (6th grd) & Vitaly DiBlasi (6th grd)
Back Row (L-R): Jimmy Onate, Jody (Charlton) Repasky, Bill Charlton & Shawn Bailey
The NeXT Basketball Foundation
The NeXT Heisman Award
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Steffan Somers: 2017 NeXT Heisman Trophy Winner
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I will be sending out more on this. Just know that the young man above gave up his entire Christmas to aid others. He told his mother he wanted nothing, and to use that money instead to help others. WOW!!! Steffan’s story of kindness was/is amazing. More to come. And yes, that is the Heisman Trophy. Below is the letter I received from his mother on January 5, 2017.
Shawn,
Happy New Year! I hope you had a wonderful Christmas and you were able to spend quality time with your family and friends.
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I wanted to take a moment and share a story that resulted from the leadership discussion by Roy Hall this summer. I was moved by his talk and his challenge to the boys to give up Christmas for others in need. My son immediately told me he wanted to do this but I of course wondered what he would think when December rolled around.
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He stuck to his plan and decided that he would like to instead make a donation to a homeless shelter in town and The Red Cross for disaster recovery efforts. When others asked him what he got for Christmas he told them his decision with a sense of humbleness and at the same time a sense of pride. Each time someone asked him or me what we were doing and the story was told I saw a huge spark in others and I know it either inspired them or made them think.
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I hesitated sharing the story with you at first but I think it is important know the ripple effect of the good from your program and for Mr. Hall to know his words were heard and left an impression.
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I appreciate what you do for the boys to learn and grow as players and even more importantly, to develop their character.
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Angela Neumann (Steffan Somer’s mom)