Charlie Ward hosts Father’s Day Leadership Basketball Clinic

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WCTV) - Charlie Ward has always been about more than sports. He showcased that yet again on Father’s Day here in Tallahassee.

The Charlie and Tonja Ward Family Foundation along with the Florida Lottery put on the first Father’s Day Leadership Basketball Clinic on the campus of Florida High Sunday afternoon.

“This is just a good opportunity for fathers and their kids to come together and have some time together,” Ward told WCTV, “I’m sure they do this at home, but this is just another environment to have father and kid time on Father’s Day and that makes it even more special.”

Fathers, sons, daughters, and mentors all took part in various basketball drills, crafting their skills, and having a whole bunch of fun while doing it on the hardwood at Bob Albertson Gym.

Refining skills on the basketball court wasn’t all that was going on. An assortment of life coaches were at each individual station talking to those who took part about building different life lessons and skills such as financial health and wealth as well as building healthy relationships.

“Our mission and my mission when it comes to coaching is that we have to teach the whole child, and that’s all of us included. If we’re just talking about basketball, then we’re going to miss a lot of the aspects that after basketball offer,” Ward explained, “It’s important to us to teach life lessons not just to the kids but also to the fathers. We all need some seeds, wisdom, and nuggets here and there to help us continue to move forward and be the best dads that we can be--and for the kids to be the best kids they can be. That’s why we do what we do. We want to give life lessons to everyone involved because we know it’s important.”

Director of Development for Seminole Boosters Hugh Tomlinson was one of the life coaches in attendance on Sunday. He told WCTV that when Charlie Ward picks up the phone to ask you to be a part of something like this, you say “when and where?” because you know it will be for the good of the community.

“It really is amazing,” Tomlinson said, “The fact that he not only wants to impact these kids around the sport that he loves and they love and improve their skills there, but also wants to mix in real life skills. Not just for the kids, but for the dads so they can be a full, healthier, and well-rounded family unit--it’s just incredible to me and it’s really special to be a part of it.”

Ward says he hopes this is something dads and their kids can look forward to every year here in Tallahassee.

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