The bridge builders
Decades of legacy Longhorn athletes built the bridge that increased the value of the Longhorn brand, enriching current NIL athletes.
TLSN has TWO MISSIONS - ONE CREATES A PATH, AND the other builds a BRIDGE
Ralph Waldo Emerson said, "Do not go where the path may lead; go instead where there is no path and leave a trail." TLSN has left the established path and is building new trails to honor the past, celebrate the present, and empower the future.
Coach Royal built his life around the poem " The Bridge Builder" by Will Allen Dromgoole. The verse states that bridges are needed to make the path easier for others to cross. TLSN is building those bridges.
Go To the 5:45 mark of the video below to listen to Coach Royal as he recites the Bridge Builder by Will Allen Dromgoole.
A Path TO LONGHORN sports history
TLSN harnesses synergy to weave together U.T. history, traditions, legacies, and culture with individual records, photographs, and the insightful perspectives and personal narratives of former athletes, trainers, managers, coaches, and their families, creating a tapestry that all Longhorns can take pride in.
The website features compelling and insightful commentary on Longhorns from distinguished authors, alongside visuals from videos, professional media brochures, newspaper articles, shelter magazines, and most notably, from the Longhorn athletes who have shaped the history of Longhorn sports.
The website is free, educational, and historical.
The second mission is the reason why the TLSN Board applied for a 501 (c)
“The Board of Directors of TLSN hopes for good health, good luck, good families, good jobs, and goodwill to all Longhorns. However, TLSN remains as a sentinel prepared to assist qualifying Longhorns when help is needed. ”
TLSN is an independent organization not associated with the University of Texas or any institution closely aligned with U.T. However, TLSN expresses gratitude to the NCAA and the U.T. Athletic compliance departments for their forward-thinking in 2017-2018 when each institution approved TLSN's mission statement.
On April 29, 2017, TLSN became the first private charitable and tax-exempt organization in intercollegiate athletic sports history to provide financial aid to eligible former Longhorn student-athletes, coaches, student managers, trainers, and their immediate families. This initiative offers temporary financial support to those who have contributed to building the Longhorn brand and now need assistance. Over the years and as of 6/25/2024, Horns have supported 16 former Longhorn Brand builders, beginning with LSG (a Darrell Royal organization) established by DKR players, including myself, and culminating with TLSN, a 501(c)(3) organization founded by Benny Pace, Jim Kay, and Billy Dale, to help all former Longhorn student-athletes. Through the years, these two organizations have distributed $206,138 to those eligible for aid. The TLSN mission statement is at link https://texas-lsn.squarespace.com/mission-statement
The groundwork for the current NIL financial opportunities available to Longhorn scholarship athletes was laid decades ago through the hard work, dedication, and sweat equity of former Longhorn student-athletes. The challenges faced by the student-athletes and their families included injury surgery protocols and, years after playing impact sports, living with the horrors of CTE. It was lessons learned from the past that led to changes in blocking and tackling techniques, as well as the development of safer, better impact-absorbing helmets. These advancements now benefit the current NIL student-athletes, providing them with financial rewards, state-of-the-art facilities, superior equipment, proper nutritional diets, and safety protocols, all of which are a result of the suffering and lessons learned in the past.
When tragedy strikes
Former Longhorn student-athletes, managers, trainers, and their immediate families deserve more than to be just forgotten when tragedy strikes and help is needed. Texas Legacy Support Network (TLSN) mission supports former Longhorn brand builders. T-ring recipients who, through no fault of their own, have slipped through societal safety nets. Such cases are rare, as most former Longhorn student-athletes secure employment, build wealth, obtain insurance, and live independently. But when tragedy strikes TLSN wants to offer a helping hand to those who qualify for assistance.
While TLSN has issued many grants since 2017 , it was in 2024, that TLSN for the first time successfully fulfilled its mission as envisioned. A community of former student-athletes acted together to support a T-ring recipient. Although most of the donations were given directly by Michael's teammates a TLSN grant was still necessary to fully cover the expenses.
The Texas Legacy Support Network (TLSN) collected donations from former athletes and supporters of tennis, track, golf, swimming, basketball, baseball, football, and softball, as well as Longhorn fans. Contributions ranged from $10 to $200, all aimed at assisting Michael Brown's family with funeral expenses and celebrating his life. Horns up!
TLSN (Texas Legacy Suppor Network) takes its role as a safety net for former Longhorn student-athletes who qualify for temporary financial assistance as a moral obligation.
TLSN's mission echoes the Longhorn motto, "What starts here changes the world." On April 29th, 2017, TLSN made intercollegiate athletic sports history. TLSN is the first private charitable and tax-exempt organization with the specific mission of offering temporary financial assistance to qualifying former Longhorn student-athletes, coaches, student managers, trainers, and their immediate families. It's a safety net for Longhorn athletes who have fallen through societal safety nets.
TLSN has extended a helping hand to individuals in various formats, ranging in grants from $2,000 to $45,000. Visit their website at either the link https://texas-lsn.squarespace.com/history-of-tlsn-as-of-12042023 or https://texas-lsn.squarespace.com/mission-statement to witness the collective effort of the TLSN Board of Directors. Each Board member, driven by a shared purpose, works tirelessly without compensation, united in their mission to assist those who qualify for temporary financial assistance.
Billy Dale - TLSN Board member
TLSN, INC. MISSION PURPOSE STATEMENT
TLSN, INC., a Section 5.01 (c) (3) Texas nonprofit corporation (“TLSN”), whose primary purpose is to provide financial support and other charitable assistance and support to people who have suffered health-related and other severe financial hardship and who are: (i) former student-athletes who participated in intercollegiate sports governed by the AIAW and NCAA at the University of Texas at Austin, (ii) former coaches, trainers, equipment managers, and managers of (i) above, and (iii) family members of the individuals described in (i) and (ii) above.
TLSN also works to promote and encourage public knowledge, understanding, appreciation of, and preserve the historical legacy of the individuals described in (i), (ii), and (iii) of the above preceding paragraph, which has been accomplished in the website link https://texaslsn.org .
TLSN is TRYING TO LEAVE SOMETHING BEHIND
I understand Sean Rowe’s yearning to "Leave Something Behind."
“
I can get through the wall if you give me a door
So I can leave something behind
Oh wisdom is lost in the trees somewhere
You’re not going to find it in some mental gray hair
It’s locked up from those who hurry ahead
And it’s time to leave something behind
When my son is a man he will know what I meant
I was just trying to leave something behind
”
Texas is more than a football school. No member of the now-defunct SWC or Big 12 has won more conference and national championships in NCAA-sanctioned sports than the Texas Longhorns. All Longhorn fans should honor the history of all Longhorn sports franchises with the same passion as the Texas football program.
see this link in red below for national championship teams. https://texas-lsn.squarespace.com/national-championships
Guide Star Silver Level
the TLSN website is building bridges to Leave something behind
On April 29th, 2017, TLSN made intercollegiate athletic sports history. TLSN is the first private charitable and tax-exempt with the specific mission of offering temporary financial assistance to qualifying former Longhorn student-athletes, coaches, student managers, trainers, and their immediate families. Longhorn athletes who, through no fault of their own, have fallen through societal safety nets.
The inspiration for the TLSN (Texas Legacy Support Network) mission started informally in 2004 and ended in a formal structure in 2017.
TLSN is not associated with the U.T. Athletics Department or any organization closely aligned with U.T.
TLSN grants require an interview and a due diligence process to confirm eligibility for assistance. TLSN's goal is to convert a donor's heartfelt investment into a compassionate dividend for those who, through no fault of their own, have fallen thru society’s safety net.
Visit this link for more information on qualifiers for help https://texas-lsn.squarespace.com/qualifiers-for-consideration-to-financial
