The NCAA News - News and Features

The NCAA News -- February 1, 1999

End Zone -- SAACs set example of community service in San Antonio

BY KAY HAWES
STAFF WRITER

Young people from the San Antonio Boys & Girls Club are still smiling and talking about their new friends -- student-athletes from all over the nation.

In conjunction with their January meetings at the 1999 NCAA Convention in San Antonio, 25 student-athletes representing all three NCAA Student-Athlete Advisory Committees participated in a community-service outreach program with 125 members of the Boys & Girls Club.

Organized by Candace Phifer, a senior at Pfeiffer University who plays basketball and runs cross country, the event was an afternoon of education and fun for the children.

The program began with a welcome by Kerry McMoy, chair of the Division I SAAC and a graduate of Pennsylvania State University. McCoy, a representative of the Big Ten Conference and a 1998 Goodwill Games silver medalist in wrestling, stressed the importance of staying in school and remaining drug free.

Then the children were organized by age to participate in the Autograph Game. In this ice-breaker, the children were to find an individual at the event who had a particular talent, experience or attribute. After the ice-breaker, the children participated in the Human Knot, the Hula Hoop Game and the Bee Hive, games that taught teamwork, cooperation, goal-setting, persistence and focus.

At the end of the afternoon, it was difficult to tell who was more rewarded by the experience.

"I think the athletes enjoyed the activities almost as much as the kids did," said Kevin Ibach, a baseball player from La Salle University. "The community-outreach project was a great idea -- actually long overdue. I truly hope that we can do something like that at future meetings."

Cris Pellegrino, a swimmer from Tufts University, agreed. "The day was a great opportunity to teach teamwork and working together with each other toward a common goal. I'm not sure who got more out of it, the kids or us," he said.

And the kids felt the same way. "It was an awesome day," said 12-year-old Chris Dupree. "We learned to say no to drugs and we also learned about cooperation and teamwork."

Fifth-grader Pricilla Lucio agreed. "We had fun learning about cooperation and working hard in school," she said. "We made new friends and had fun with them."

The student-athletes presented the club with a signed NCAA championships banner, and the club presented the student-athletes with a huge basketball piñata.

Members of the SAACs thought it was a way for the national groups to lead by example.

"Since we are very vocal about campus SAACs being involved in community service in their communities, we felt that the national SAACs should do their part and lead the way," said Erik Weinnick, a swimmer from Cornell.

It also gave the student-athletes the opportunity to show the children good role models in sports.

"It is remarkable to me how much influence we as student-athletes can have on the youth of today," said John Galgano, a baseball player from Manhattanville College, "We can do so much good in this world just by showing people that we care. And it's too bad all the major networks weren't there to capture all the smiling faces of the kids at the Boys & Girls Club."

The event also gave the student-athletes a chance to interact with young people who often don't have as many opportunities as they do.

"For me, the event allowed student-athletes to show their compassion and care for those kids less fortunate and those who grow up in difficult circumstances," said Chris White, a soccer player at Campbell University.

"It was so heartwarming to see all of the kids' faces light up when they were told we were going to play games with them and have some fun," said Stephanie Richards, a volleyball and basketball player from Moravian College. "All they wanted was some special attention -- someone to listen to their athletics and personal dreams."

Erik Weinnick, Division I Student-Athlete Advisory Committee member from Cornell University, contributed to this article.