  | Former Rams defensive back Charles "Chuck" Watson guides children both in and outside of the classroom. | |||||
A Winning StyleBy Maria V. Caliri '86, M.B.A. '92 With the same winning style that helped lead the Rams to two Yankee Conference football championships in the 1980s, former defensive back Charles "Chuck" Watson guides children both inside and outside of the classroom. As coach of the Rhode Island Storm, an AAU basketball team, and as a substitute teacher in the Providence public school system, Watson helps students and student-athletes work to their fullest potential. Whether on the court or in front of the chalkboard, Watson passes on advice that his late mother, also an educator, gave to him. "She said, 'success lies not in being the best, but in doing your best,'" remembers Watson. "I tell kids all the time to give it all they've got." Last year those words of wisdom led 8th grade students at Nathanael Greene Middle School through one of their most challenging "assignments," the 1st Annual Student-Faculty Basketball Game. Asked by an administrator to put together a co-ed team, Watson agreed even though summer vacation was only a little over two weeks away. He immediatly organized after-school practice drills for the team's 27 players, many of whom had never played basketball before. Stressing the concepts of teamwork and perseverance while demonstrating basketball fundamentals, Watson energized and inspired the group. As an added bonus, he recruited his friend, former basketball standout Ibn-hashim Bakari '97, to help coach the team. The ability to motivate youths is a skill Watson has transferred to URI's Kingston Campus, where he mentors students in the Talent Development Program. "Talent Development is a mainstay at URI," says the former T.D. graduate. "The program was there for me--there was always someone to talk to. I'm happy that now I'm that someone for today's T.D. students." Watson's role as an active alumnus is not limited to the Talent Development Program. In 1999 he joined the Alumni Association's Executive Board. Watson describes his involvement as an eye-opening experience. "As an undergraduate majoring in human development, counseling and family studies, I never truly understood what goes into running the University," says Watson, who wants to use his board position to help recruit minorities for the University. Given that this year's freshman class is the most diverse in URI's history, it seems as if Watson has already brought his winning style back to campus.v Maria V. Caliri '86, M.B.A. '92, is the editor of Gilbane Bulletin, a biannual magazine published for the company's customers and friends in the construction industry. |
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