Horizon League SAAC Members Give Back to Indianapolis Youth

Aug. 10, 2005

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Indianapolis, Ind. - Horizon League Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) members broadened their horizons as they volunteered their time at the Kaleidoscope Youth Center's Summer Day Camp in Indianapolis on July 26. The community service project was part of the SAAC summer meeting, held annually in Indianapolis.

Kaleidoscope Church and Community Partnership Youth Center is a community-based organization that has delivered services to more than 1,500 youth, ages 7-16, who are affected by poverty, lack of supervision, limited parental involvement and violence.

"Volunteering our time with these kids is the best part of our SAAC meeting," said SAAC member Zak Rivera, who plays baseball for the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. "We are someone for them to look up to."

The program enrollment has tripled during the last decade and 90 percent of participants attend the camp on a daily basis. Student-athletes worked with participants from three different age groups in various indoor and outdoor activities.

"These student-athletes have the opportunity to make a difference," said Stephanie Jarvis, Horizon League Assistant Commissioner for Compliance and Legal Affairs, who serves as the League liaison for SAAC members. "Community service is one of the four platforms that the Horizon League stands for and this outreach by SAAC representatives is a perfect example of what intercollegiate athletics should be about."

Robert Nunley, Kaleidoscope's Executive Director, feels confident that the interaction with student-athletes positively affects the program participants.

"These kids aspire to be competitors," said Nunley. "This is the perfect opportunity for our kids to find that connection between school and sports. It opens their eyes to new opportunities."

"This is a reality check for our student-athletes," said Denny Wills, UIC's Associate Athletics Director, who serves as an advisor to the SAAC committee. "This gives our athletes the chance to take their playing skills and show these kids that they can do it too."

This summer, the children of Kaleidoscope have been putting their efforts into raising money to attend a local recreation center. They are meeting their goal by selling snow cones outside of the youth center in order to fund their trip. Horizon League student-athletes joined in by making signs and encouraging locals in the neighborhood to purchase snow cones.

Since that time, the Kaleidoscope children have met their goal and attended a local recreation center in Indianapolis.

The Horizon League SAAC is comprised of two student-athletes from each of the League's nine member institutions. SAAC provides an opportunity for student-athletes to be more involved in League issues and to enhance communication and a sense of community among the League's student-athletes. The group is charged with enhancing the total student-athlete experience by promoting opportunity, protecting student-athlete welfare and fostering a positive student-athlete image.

The 2005-06 SAAC members are Tim Torretta (men's soccer) and Teri Kellar (women's track and field) of Butler; Nicole Reddout (women's swimming) and Jay Tee (men's tennis) of Cleveland State; Caitie Goddard (women's basketball) and Muhammad Abdur-Rahim (men's basketball) of Detroit; Corey Steven (women's tennis) and Blake Booher (men's swimming) of UIC; Blake Schlib (men's basketball) and Inshira Grimes (women's track and field) of Loyola; Ashley Flease (women's cross country) and Allison Kreb (women's swimming) of UW-Green Bay; Zak Rivera (baseball) and Steve Bode (men's soccer) of UW-Milwaukee; Kendra Agee (women's basketball) and Ashley Fitzpatrick (women's track and field) of Wright State; and Abby Ettenhofer (volleyball) and Michelle Fuleky (women's tennis) of Youngstown State.

Jarvis serves as the League liaison to the group. Wills and Wright State's faculty athletics representative Elizabeth Sorenson serve as advisors to the committee.