LA GRANDE, Ore. – In recognition of his dedication to his team, his school and his community, senior men’s soccer player Brady Espinoza (Pasco, Wash./Pasco HS) has been named Cascade Conference Champions of Character award winner as announced by the conference on Monday morning.

Espinoza spent the summer of 2013 working with the Gateways for Incarcerated Youth Program, mentoring youth in a Juvenile Detention facility with the hope of supporting the youth so they can successfully move into the classroom upon release.

He also worked on a group project to design and build a crossfit space in the Costantino Recreation Center on campus.  The 2012 CCC Men’s Soccer Defender of the Year has been engaged on campus, in the community and as a student-athlete during his two years at Evergreen.

In addition to Espinoza being honored, Northwest Christian senior volleyball player Janel Fetters and Concordia senior men’s basketball player Anthony Holton were honored by the conference for their commitment to the NAIA’s Champions of Character initiative.

The Champions of Character program helps participants find the balance by keeping five core values  – integrity, respect, responsibility, sportsmanship, and servant leadership – at the heart of the athletics experience.

Students learn to understand how the values play out in both practice and competition. Coaches are taught how to intentionally define, model, shape and reinforce the values through their coaching and mentoring. Parents learn how their behavior is key to supporting their athletes.

For more than a decade, Champions of Character has been making a difference in developing athletes, coaches and parents of character.