The Play Like a Champion Today Educational Series presented both
Bishop O’Connell High School in Arlington and student-athlete Maggie McDonough
with the Nan Tulchinsky Athletic Leadership Award.
For five decades, Tulchinsky has served the South Bend community
as a teacher, coach, athletic director and volunteer mentor. This award is
given annually to a person or organization that models her example of
character, passion, integrity, service, leadership and love for all children.
The 2018 award was presented during an evening banquet at the
2018 Play Like a Champion Today Sports Leadership Conference held in June at
the University of Notre Dame in South Bend, Ind.
McDonough was a speaker at the event, presenting as part of a
high school coach and administrator discussion session on leadership. O’Connell
has been a blue-ribbon partner of Play Like a Champion, annually training
coaches, parents and student-athletes in the Play Like a Champion philosophy.
A rising senior at O’Connell, McDonough is the founder of the
school’s CHAMPS club. Standing for Character, Honor and Morality in Play by
Student-Athletes, CHAMPS is comprised of a group of student-athletes who meet
regularly to participate in faith-sharing and faith-formation centered around
athletics. An accomplished student-athlete at the Arlington school, McDonough
has worked tirelessly to build the program in her school.
“Maggie is a young woman of character with a strong faith in
Christ,” said Kristin Sheehan, program director for the Play Like a Champion
Today Educational Series. “A true servant leader to her classmates, school and
community, she inspires us to build the Kingdom of God and make the world
around us a better place.”
O’Connell’s award was accepted by Carl Patton, the school’s assistant
head of school and director of instruction and curriculum.
“Bishop O’Connell’s deep commitment to mission integration
through all elements of the educational process reveals a dedication to
educating the whole student in mind, body and spirit. All schools can find
inspiration in their dedication to developing our youth,” Sheehan said.