Horizon League Student-Athlete Advisory Committee members spend time with Indianapolis youth group
Aug. 6, 2008
2008 SAAC Photo Gallery
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INDIANAPOLIS - Companionship and service were the guidelines of the day as Horizon League student-athletes once again demonstrated their commitment to community service as members from the League's Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) volunteered their time in late July to children from the Kaleidoscope Youth Center on the city's Northeast side.
Kaleidoscope Church and Community Partnership Youth Center is a community-based organization that services youth from ages 7-16.
"We have always enjoyed having the SAAC members come out to spend their time with our kids," said Kaleidoscope Camp Director Megan Stevens. "I think these student-athletes who spent their time with our kids really show what being a student-athlete is all about."
Providing the camp's students the chance to interact with the student-athletes has been the key to the center's staff.
"Our kids come from several different backgrounds, and I think it gives them a lot of hope when they see what they can achieve if they stay in school and continue to work hard," Stevens said.
Fourteen Horizon League Student-Athletes, an advisor and several League office staff members participated in this year's outing.
"The community service effort was a lot of fun," said Ellyn Hansen, a member of the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay women's golf team. "All the kids were great and it really made me feel good to give back to the community of Indianapolis. I think an event like this is something that a lot of teams back on our campus would really enjoy."
The afternoon began with the children and student-athletes taking part in a series of games in the Saint Joan of Arc gymnasium.
Following their time at the gym, the group spent the remainder of the afternoon participating in relay races outside the camp building.
"I love kids to begin with so it was a lot fun for me to spend time with kids and see them light up," said Courtney Eck, a senior on the University of Illinois at Chicago women's swimming team. "I know that spending time with student-athletes is huge for these kids, and hopefully this can help impact their lives further down the road."
The SAAC community volunteer project was anything but a new concept for SAAC members. For University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee senior cross country/track and field runner Nick Hawley, it marked the second straight year he volunteered his time to a Indianapolis youth group. Last summer at the annual SAAC meetings, Hawley spent time with kids at the Forest Manor Multi-Service Center.
"This is always a great experience and I really enjoy spending time with kids," Hawley said. "For me this is my last year and I am really going to miss it because it has given me a lot of satisfaction over the years."
Hawley also works with his teammates at Milwaukee to sponsor a 5-Kilometer run which raises money for UWM scholarships.
"SAAC has driven every bit of leadership that I have had on my campus," said Steven Wipprecht, a senior on the Cleveland State University men's tennis team. "It's just great to do something like this because I know when I was young I had this same type of experience and it really gave me something to shoot for when I was growing up."
Each Horizon League institution was represented by at least one student-athlete at the annual SAAC meeting. The student-athletes selected to represent their university were chosen by the institution's SAAC administrator.
"Our SAAC members have always told me that the community service is one of the highlights of their trip to Indianapolis," said Horizon League Associate Commissioner for Compliance and Legal Affairs Stephanie Jarvis. "In addition to the service project, the annual SAAC meeting is a great opportunity for our student-Athletes to meet each other and talk about issues that they are facing in collegiate athletics."
Horizon League Student-Athletes that attended the 2008 SAAC meeting included: Melody Austin (Butler/Volleyball), Matt Lawder (Butler/Cross Country), Audrey Piotrowski (Cleveland State/Cross Country), Steven Wipprecht (Cleveland State/Tennis), Woody Payne (Detroit/Basketball), Courtney Eck (UIC/Swimming), Malcolm DeBaun (Loyola/Soccer), Amy Solava (Loyola/Softball), Ellyn Hansen (Green Bay/Golf), Emily Budde (Milwaukee/Track), Nick Hawley (Milwaukee/Cross Country and Track), Adam Jajtner (Valparaiso/Swimming), Nick Camilleri (Wright State/Tennis), Kelly Culbertson (Youngstown State/Tennis).
Other Horizon League SAAC members unable to attend the meeting included: David Byrne (Detroit/Golf), Josh Mayo (UIC/Basketball), Gretchen Herrema (Green Bay/Swimming), Stephanie Kelly (Valparaiso/Softball), Ta-myra Davis (Wright State/Basketball), Kate Bonn (Youngstown State/Soccer).
