STATESBORO, Ga. - Chad Lunsford understands the importance of successful coaches.
Being the head football coach at Georgia Southern, he knows that investing in the University's coaches will help recruit the best leadership and mentors for their student-athletes. Lunsford also knows an influential coaching staff will create strong relationships with student-athletes and will continue to maintain these relationships once their athletes graduate – becoming the link that keeps former players engaged with the program.
In addition, a strong coaching staff will build relationships within the community and energize the fanbase while creating emotional connections through experiences.
These lasting relationships are critical for a program to thrive. "When coaches are a constant at Georgia Southern, all of the people who are involved – whether they are alumni, former players or fans – become attached through deep-rooted relationships," said Lunsford.
It is for these reasons that Lunsford was inspired to give to the Matching Gift Challenge when the Georgia Southern University Athletic Foundation announced the campaign last month.
"It's important to me to hire (and keep) coaches that know football, understand that relationships are key to college athletics and believe that Georgia Southern is a special place," said Lunsford. "It gets me fired up to be able to keep our coaching staff in place and for Georgia Southern Football to be successful."
Lunsford and his wife, Tippy, accepted the challenge with a pledge to donate $200,000 to the Coaches Continuity Fund over the next four years in honor of his coaching staff. The Coaches Continuity Fund helps retain quality coaches. It can supplement a coach's salary as well as reward them for what their team does on the field and in the classroom.
"Georgia Southern has always been good to my family and me," said Lunsford, "therefore, Tippy and I wanted to show our appreciation to Eagle Nation and give back to those who have given so much to us."
This sizable donation made by a coach at Georgia Southern University in support of their program is unprecedented.
In turn, Lunsford has also challenged Eagle Nation, "I am invested in our players, our coaches and Georgia Southern University. I now challenge you to show up, show out and give."
Donations can be made online at GSEagles.com/Match. Contributions can even be made in honor or memory of someone and donations can be made as a one-time gift or broken into monthly payments. Gifts can also be mailed to the Athletic Foundation, ATTN: Matching Gift Challenge, PO BOX 8115, Statesboro, GA 30460, with a note designating the gift to either the Coaches Continuity Fund or student-athlete scholarship endowments.
The Matching Gift Challenge, made possible by a family who wishes to remain anonymous, challenged Eagle Nation to contribute to the sustainability of Georgia Southern Athletics and will match up to $750,000 in gifts made to the Coaches Continuity Fund or student-athlete scholarship endowments.
The Athletic Foundation is a 501(c)3 tax-exempt organization. All gifts made to the Athletic Foundation's Matching Gift Challenge are tax-deductible within the guidelines of U.S. law.
The Georgia Southern University Athletic Foundation's primary goal is to provide our student-athletes with the opportunity to compete for a championship ring and earn a college education while developing them as future leaders in their respective communities.
The mission of the Georgia Southern University Athletic Foundation, Inc. is to provide private financial support for athletic scholarships, facilities and staff enhancement for the Athletic Department of Georgia Southern University. All of the activities of the Athletic Foundation are conducted with the highest regard for academic and athletic excellence and within the guidelines established by the University System of Georgia Board of Regents, conference affiliations and the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA).
