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NCAA News Archive - 2007
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Former athlete pens text on overcoming anxiety
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By Leilana McKindra
The NCAA News
The NCAA News
Two years ago, Kevin Penwell experienced a life-altering event while sitting in a business meeting held in a tall office building. The former Boston College all-American baseball student-athlete was overcome by anxiety for the first time in his life.
Now fully recovered from an anxiety disorder and a bout with depression, Penwell has written “My Quarter-Life Crisis: How an Anxiety Disorder Knocked Me Down and How I Got Back Up,” a self-help memoir in which Penwell discusses his battle with anxiety and how he overcame fear, panic and depression.
Penwell, who wrote the book under the pen name Lee Wellman, said he was motivated to help people.
“It was concerning to me that anxiety disorders are a growing phenomenon, yet the education and awareness around them are not growing at all,” said Penwell, who believes if he had read a book similar to his 10 years ago, he might have been better prepared to deal with his symptoms. “I would have been knowledgeable and able to recognize the warning signs, how my personality was driving me too hard to always achieve and succeed and how to enjoy the moment more, rather than simply checking off one accomplishment after another. That’s an important piece, especially for NCAA student-athletes.”
For more information or to purchase the book, go to http://www.leewellman.com. The book also is available on Amazon.com.
The Borchs established the scholarship in 2005. Since then, the track and field and cross country endowment, which supports scholarships and provides money for team travel, has swelled to more than $1.2 million.
“What my wife and I wanted to do was get other members of the athletics community behind our vision,” said Borch. “Our goal is to raise $5 million in five years.”
For every million the Blue Shoes fund raises, the university has agreed to provide an additional half scholarship for track and cross country. The university also will fund another full scholarship should the endowment reach its $5 million fund-raising goal.
Borch walked on to the Furman cross country team in 1974. Family issues during his freshman season nearly forced him to leave school, but his rapid improvement as a runner led to a scholarship. Currently, Borch is president of Micro-Mechanics, a global manufacturer of semiconductors.
In addition, ASICS, the shoe company originally known as Onitsuka, sponsored the Furman Invitational Elite Mile last month. The weekend track extravaganza featured a health seminar, fun run, age-group races and high school and college track meets.
For more information about the Blue Shoes Track Scholarship program and the Furman Elite Mile, go to www.furmanpaladins.com or www.furmanblueshoes.com.
Hospitality for the Homeless receives contributions from hotels, resorts, dentists, orthodontists, retailers and manufacturers.
The Old Dominion teams were test programs for Division I schools. Other educational partners of the outreach include middle schools, high schools and Sunday Schools that provide volunteers to repackage amenities into the kits for distribution. In exchange, volunteers can receive community service credit.
“It’s a good way to help others and we’re proud to be part of it,” said head men’s coach Alan Dawson,
For more information, call 757/624-2084 or e-mail info@hospitalityforthehomeless.org.
Now fully recovered from an anxiety disorder and a bout with depression, Penwell has written “My Quarter-Life Crisis: How an Anxiety Disorder Knocked Me Down and How I Got Back Up,” a self-help memoir in which Penwell discusses his battle with anxiety and how he overcame fear, panic and depression.
Penwell, who wrote the book under the pen name Lee Wellman, said he was motivated to help people.
“It was concerning to me that anxiety disorders are a growing phenomenon, yet the education and awareness around them are not growing at all,” said Penwell, who believes if he had read a book similar to his 10 years ago, he might have been better prepared to deal with his symptoms. “I would have been knowledgeable and able to recognize the warning signs, how my personality was driving me too hard to always achieve and succeed and how to enjoy the moment more, rather than simply checking off one accomplishment after another. That’s an important piece, especially for NCAA student-athletes.”
For more information or to purchase the book, go to http://www.leewellman.com. The book also is available on Amazon.com.
Furman alumnus puts fund-raiser in the blue
The blue Onitsuka Tiger running shoes Chris Borch received about 30 years ago as a member of the Furman University track team weren’t suede, but they were just as memorable as those immortalized in song. So memorable, in fact, that Borch and his wife went on to establish the Blue Shoes Track Scholarship as a way of giving back to the university.The Borchs established the scholarship in 2005. Since then, the track and field and cross country endowment, which supports scholarships and provides money for team travel, has swelled to more than $1.2 million.
“What my wife and I wanted to do was get other members of the athletics community behind our vision,” said Borch. “Our goal is to raise $5 million in five years.”
For every million the Blue Shoes fund raises, the university has agreed to provide an additional half scholarship for track and cross country. The university also will fund another full scholarship should the endowment reach its $5 million fund-raising goal.
Borch walked on to the Furman cross country team in 1974. Family issues during his freshman season nearly forced him to leave school, but his rapid improvement as a runner led to a scholarship. Currently, Borch is president of Micro-Mechanics, a global manufacturer of semiconductors.
In addition, ASICS, the shoe company originally known as Onitsuka, sponsored the Furman Invitational Elite Mile last month. The weekend track extravaganza featured a health seminar, fun run, age-group races and high school and college track meets.
For more information about the Blue Shoes Track Scholarship program and the Furman Elite Mile, go to www.furmanpaladins.com or www.furmanblueshoes.com.
ODU soccer teams chip in for charity
The Old Dominion University men’s and women’s soccer teams recently participated in a pilot program to help the homeless. The Monarchs soccer teams assembled 2,000 care kits in March as part of Hospitality for the Homeless, a cause-based foundation that serves as a national collection and redistribution agency for travel-size toiletries such as shampoo, soap, lotion, toothbrushes, toothpaste and disposable razors for those in need.Hospitality for the Homeless receives contributions from hotels, resorts, dentists, orthodontists, retailers and manufacturers.
The Old Dominion teams were test programs for Division I schools. Other educational partners of the outreach include middle schools, high schools and Sunday Schools that provide volunteers to repackage amenities into the kits for distribution. In exchange, volunteers can receive community service credit.
“It’s a good way to help others and we’re proud to be part of it,” said head men’s coach Alan Dawson,
For more information, call 757/624-2084 or e-mail info@hospitalityforthehomeless.org.
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