About The Author
Woodrow C. Greene: A Champion for Sportsmanship
Woodrow C. Greene’s journey began with a simple observation: the need for greater sportsmanship in youth athletics. Driven by a passion for peace and community building, he transformed this observation into a lifelong mission.
With a decades-long career, Woodrow has dedicated himself to creating and implementing sportsmanship programs that make a tangible difference. His experience includes:
- Developing and leading sportsmanship conferences and training sessions for athletes, coaches, and parents.
- Instructing university courses on community service learning and sports management.
- Collaborating with renowned organizations to promote positive sports environments.
- Extensive on-site training and representing state-level basketball championships.
- University of Massachusetts – Amherst
- John Fisher University, Rochester NY
- The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame
- Local YMCAs
- School Districts
Our Mission
To Cultivate a Culture of Respect and Fairness in Sports
Our mission is to spread the message of sportsmanship to everyone, creating, supporting, and publicly acknowledging achievements that embody respect, fairness, and community spirit. We’re committed to:
Empowering Athletes
Providing the tools and guidance to develop strong character and leadership skills.
Educating Communities
Fostering environments where sportsmanship is valued and practiced.
Promoting Positive Change
Inspiring individuals to make a difference through acts of respect and fairness.
A World Where Sportsmanship Defines Success.
Our vision is to create a world where sportsmanship is an ideal and a lived reality. We envision:
- Athletes who lead with integrity and respect.
- Communities that champion fairness and positive competition.
- A future where the values of sportsmanship shape individuals into responsible and compassionate leaders.
Woodrow Cooley Greene
Woodrow Cooley Greene (Coach Woody) is a proud Flint, MI native and graduate of Michigan State University. He is a dedicated leader in civic engagement and philanthropy, known for building strong relationships with decision-makers across businesses, community organizations, governments, healthcare institutions, schools, universities, and youth sports programs. His ability to connect with diverse stakeholders has been instrumental in driving initiatives that promote equity, teamwork, and leadership. With a deep background in strategic partnerships and stakeholder collaboration, Coach Woody has spent his career fostering programs that create meaningful social impact through both corporate and community foundation philanthropy.
In 1995, after witnessing a news report about a fight between two high school girls’ basketball teams, Coach Woody felt compelled to take action. Combining his passion for youth development with his expertise in violence prevention, he launched a league-wide sportsmanship conference for 120 students within just three months. The initiative used creative, youth-driven activities to inspire sportsmanship and positive behavior. This experience ignited a lifelong mission to promote integrity, leadership, and sportsmanship through education, training, and community programs work he believes is God’s purpose for his life.
Over the years, Coach Woody has designed and facilitated numerous sportsmanship conferences, parent training sessions, and academic courses on community service in sports within Sport Management programs at the University of Massachusetts Amherst and St. John Fisher University in Rochester, NY.
As a co-author of Freedom to Play: The Life and Times of Basketball’s African-American Pioneers, Newspaper In Education Teachers Guide (in collaboration with the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame and Springfield Union-News, 2001), and as an organizer of various basketball-related events, Coach Woody has helped shape conversations on fair play and character-building in sports.
Beyond his professional endeavors, Coach Woody is a devoted son of Agnes Elaine Greene, a loving husband to Rhonda Dione for 30 years, and a proud father of two adult children, Phalen Ellese and Nygel Dallas, and sister Chawn. Committed to fostering positive change both on and off the court, he continues to advocate for teamwork, respect, and the unifying power of sports in communities.
