LONG BEACH— A well-deserved honor was bestowed on Geffen Academy at UCLA Athletic Director David Collicutt this past Tuesday, Sept. 29, as the longtime Bruin mentor received the CIF Southern Section Dr. Jim Staunton Champion for Character Award during a ceremony at The Grand Hotel in Long Beach.

The annual awards, presented by the Section, recognize student-athletes, coaches, administrators and officials who combine athletic competition with strong personal ethics. Named for former CIF Southern Section Commissioner Dr. Jim Staunton, the program is centered on the Six Pillars of Character: trustworthiness, respect, responsibility, fairness, caring and citizenship.

For Coach Collicutt, the recognition reflects over three decades spent developing student-athletes and building programs around leadership, integrity, opportunity and sportsmanship.

“My appreciation for sportsmanship started with my father,” Collicutt said. “He was an exceptional athlete, excelling in rugby, cricket, and tennis, and he taught me that you celebrate and honor your teammates, you always play fair, you’re humble in victory, and you’re gracious in defeat. I’ve always believed that it’s our responsibility to use sports to help our young folks become better human beings.”

An original faculty member at Geffen Academy, Collicutt helped build the school’s athletic program from the ground up, establishing a culture that pairs competitive success with character and student development. Under his leadership, the Bruins have grown into a strong presence within CIF Southern Section competition and now field 45 teams across 18 different sports programs.

“David Collicutt joined us as founding Athletic Director when we were only an idea,” founding Head of School Dr. Sibyll Catalan reflected. “He has taken the athletics program from an important vision to an outstanding program. David has remained focused on the importance of character development, healthy competition, and teamwork. I couldn’t be prouder of the Athletics Program that David has built with his colleagues.” 

Collicutt has also remained closely connected to coaching. He has mentored soccer teams at Geffen Academy and led the Bruins to a CIF Southern Section title in 2022. He also currently serves as the Bruins’ Program Director for Golf, having expanded the school’s sports offerings by creating both a high school and middle school program. 

And his impact extends beyond competition. Coach Collicutt also formed Geffen Academy’s Student Athletic Council, providing student-athletes opportunities to develop leadership skills, promote inclusivity and help shape the culture of the athletic department. This past year, for example, under his direction, the student athletic council designed a new varsity letter and letterman jacket initiative to recognize deserving student athletes and bolster school spirit. 

Thanking his departmental coaches of past and present, Collicutt expressed gratitude for the support he has received from family and colleagues over the years and the many friendships he’s maintained with former athletics staff members.

“We were able to bring together three of Coach Collicutt’s former department assistants to celebrate him,” Assistant Athletic Director Owen Yancher shared. “Elizabeth Franco, Shaina Zaidi, and Ashley Liles all came out for the awards event, as well as Julie Napoleon, his own former athletic director from his time as a coach at Marlborough School.”

Beyond his work on campus, Coach Collicutt serves as President of the Coastal League (in which Geffen Academy teams compete), is a member of the CIF Southern Section Executive Committee, advocates for small-school athletics, mentors coaches, and volunteers at CIF championship events. He has also served as a color commentator for live sports broadcasts of CIF playoff events. 

“How we compete matters just as much as whether we win or lose,” Collicutt said in his acceptance speech. “Those values resonate deeply with me as an educator at Geffen Academy at UCLA. Athletics gives us a daily opportunity to live those values — to take responsibility for our actions, serve our teammates and communities, foster belonging, and work with humility.”

Added Collicutt: “What makes this recognition especially meaningful is that two people I’ve had the privilege of working with  — a former student, Monica Sheldon, and a former coach, Shari Sakamoto — have previously received this award.” He also thanked Dr. Staunton, for whom the Champion for Character Award is named: “I had the privilege of working with Jim when he was Commissioner of the Southern Section, and later through Concordia University. His commitment to character, sportsmanship, and the educational purpose of athletics had a real influence on me. Receiving an award that carries his name is particularly meaningful.”

“And I think that’s the power of educational athletics. We have the opportunity to pass these values from one generation to the next.”