Northwest's Keigan Raney has been named the 2015-16 Les Schwab Male Champions of Character award winner.

This marks the second year in a row that Raney, a junior on NU’s soccer team, has won the Champions of Character award. A native of Snohomish, Wash., Raney spends his semester, spring and summer breaks as a part of Adventure Soccer, a faith-based organization founded by his father Matt, and involves the entire Raney family. Their travels take them to Swaziland in Africa and the curriculum of their soccer camps emphasizes sportsmanship, team play and integrity in every participant as well as developing the technical side of soccer in each player.
 
He will also work with several high schools in Swaziland and an orphanage to help direct the youth in a positive direction in their lives.
 
His group also partners directly with Leadership for Africa in the operation of The Sandra Lee Centre Orphanage, a home for rescued and abandoned children.  In addition, Adventure Soccer builds Carepoint Feeding Stations to help provide food for orphan and needy children.  Soccer camps are used to identify children in need and organize soccer teams in order to teach, disciple and mentor the children.
 
This summer Raney will travel to Yakima, Wash., with Adventure soccer to do outreach in the urban areas to raise awareness of gang violence. He will be working with people who have experienced life with gangs and the affect they have on the community. He will follow the outreach work with working a running camp in Snohomish teaching children the qualities of teamwork and other positive character attributes.