Coca-Cola to recognize student-athlete community service

The Coca-Cola Company, an NCAA Corporate Champion, is teaming up with the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA) to launch an annual program to recognize student-athletes' community-service efforts.

Through the Coca-Cola Community All-Americans program, NCAA and NAIA institutions, as well as junior and community colleges, will be invited to designate a campus Coca-Cola Community All-American through a nomination and selection process of the institution's own determination.

From the pool of campus winners, a panel of NACDA representatives will choose six national Coca-Cola Community All-Americans, one each from NCAA Divisions I-A, I-AA/I-AAA, II and III, NAIA and junior/community colleges. Selection criteria for national honorees include the impact of each student-athlete's volunteer efforts, the student-athlete's level of involvement and the number of community-service hours and/or activities in which the student-athletes participated.

The national Coca-Cola Community All-Americans will be recognized in June during NACDA's national convention in Dallas. Each national winner will receive an award and Coca-Cola will donate $5,000 to a community or philanthropic cause of each honoree's choice.

According to Bob Vecchione, senior associate executive director at NACDA, the program will benefit institutions and their surrounding communities. "The Coca-Cola Community All-Americans program allows colleges and universities to enhance their existing community relationships and receive recognition in a national setting," Vecchione said. "It will provide well-deserved recognition for the many student-athletes and institutions who have a history of supporting community service. We are thrilled to partner with Coca-Cola on this truly unique student-athlete recognition program."

John Egan, Coca-Cola's group director of colleges and universities, also is excited about the new program and the partnership with NACDA.

"This provides the opportunity to promote a redeeming quality of collegiate athletics: that student-athletes are also leaders in community service," said Egan.

For more information, go to www.nacda.com/cccaa.

Football coaches select Good Works Teams

The American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) has announced the 2003 Good Works Teams. Two 11-man teams, one composed of NCAA Division I-A student-athletes and one representing Divisions I-AA, II, III and the NAIA combined, are being honored for their commitment to working with charitable organizations, service groups and other community-service activities.

Student-athletes were nominated by their sports information departments and were required to be actively involved in community service. They also had to demonstrate sincere concern and reliability as well as make a favorable impression on the organization with which they are involved. Athletics ability was not among the criteria.

Following are this year's recipients:

Division I-A team -- Kevin Burnett, senior, University of Tennessee, Knoxville; Sandro DeAngelis, junior, University of Nebraska, Lincoln; Skyler Fulton, senior, Arizona State University; David Greene, junior, University of Georgia; Yazid Jackson, senior, Temple University; Anthony Kiner, senior, Western Michigan University; Mewelde Moore, senior, Tulane University; Jamil Northcutt, senior, University of Mississippi; Reggie Torbor, senior, Auburn University; Courtney Watson, senior, University of Notre Dame; Quintin Williams, senior, Wake Forest University.

Divisions I-AA, II, III and NAIA team -- Timothy Frazier, senior, Hampton University; Les Garnett, junior, Averett University; Craig Janney, senior, Chowan College; John Kaiser, senior, University of St. Thomas (Minnesota); Joey King, junior, Carson-Newman College; Paris McLean, senior, La Salle University; Zach Michael, senior, Lawrence University; Kevin Palmer, senior, Texas A&M University-Kingsville; Craig Pritchett, senior, Tusculum College; Matthew Stoffel, senior, Wartburg College; Paul Whiting, senior, Amherst College.

From 1992 to 1996, the College Football Association selected the Good Works Team. When that organization disbanded, the AFCA began selecting the teams in 1997.

-- Compiled by Leilana McKindr

Number crunching

Looking back

30 years ago

Here's what was happening within the NCAA in October 1973:

On October 3, the U.S. Senate returns Senate Bill 2365 (as amended by Amendment 459) back to the Senate Commerce Committee. The bill would give a federal board broad powers to control amateur sports and the board's decisions would override the athletics rules and policies of schools and colleges and their organizations. The NCAA is against this bill. Association President Alan J. Chapman says the Senate's decision to return the bill to committee is an indication of its reluctance to have the federal government assume control of amateur sports.

"College Football 1973," the Sunday highlights show of NCAA football coverage, has its largest coverage in history, according to a report issued by the ABC television network. Nearly 185 stations across the country air the broadcast. That's more than 85 percent of ABC's markets.

The NCAA's Committee on Competitive Safeguards and Medical Aspects of Sports adopts an official policy statement regarding the use of athletic trainers and physicians by member institutions. The committee urges all institutions "to strive for quality medical supervision of their athletics programs and to support the decision-making prerogatives delegated to those personnel."

On October 13, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, all-American barefoot place-kicker Ricky Townsend misses an extra point against Georgia Institute of Technology, ending the school's national record for consecutive extra points at 105. The streak, which spanned 39 games, began with Vols kicker George Hunt against the U.S. Military Academy in the third game of the 1970 season. Hunt converted 60 consecutive points before Townsend picked up the streak as a sophomore in 1972. The streak eclipsed the old NCAA mark of 77 set by kickers from the University of Toledo from 1967 to 1969.