Blood Drive at Loras a Success

Loras’s Student Athlete Advisory Committee successfully coordinated its annual American Red Cross Blood Drive on November 10. The event took months to plan, with time being invested in setting up the event with American Red Cross, finding volunteers, and registering donators. The day ran smoothly with 55 people registered to donate and 45 pints of blood being collected. These results exceeded our goal of 41 pints. Loras athletes volunteered to work the event, with duties including setting up/taking down the event, registration, and giving beverages and snacks to the donators. With every donation saving three lives, the Loras community helped out those in need in a big way.

Loras Celebrates "Take a Kid to the Game Day"

The Loras SAAC provided this post today:

"On October 22^nd, Loras’s SAAC hosted the 'Take a Kid to Game Day' football event. The afternoon included 50 children from the Dubuque Youth Football League attending the event along with various student-athletes who volunteered. Everyone was able to enjoy the Loras football team compete in a competitive game against Coe College. All children at the event were given a free admission ticket along with the opportunity of being honored during halftime. All the children were taken onto the football field with Loras student athletes as their team and coaches were announced over the loud speaker for all the spectators. After the game, everyone headed to the gym where Loras football players signed autographs for the children. Coach Mierkiewicz ended the day talking to the young players and their families about football, family and the importance of school. It was a great afternoon enjoyed by everyone who attended and volunteered!"

Coe's Sports Camp Day with Polk Elementary School Also a Hit!

A post from Kelsey Jipp, women's basketball player and SAAC rep at Coe:

"This year Coe’s Student Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) hosted its 4th annual Polk Elementary Sports Camp. Over 30 Coe athletes volunteered to help organize and run the camp and 20 Polk Elementary 3rd-5th grade students participated. Activities included dodgeball, racquetball, dancing, basketball, rock wall climbing and pumpkin painting. The kids are given the opportunity to meet college athletes and discover new interests they may not have had before. At the end of camp, they are provided lunch and awarded certificates and prizes. This is a great way for Coe athletes to get involved in the community and have an impact on younger students.

"The kids from Polk Elementary migrate to this event. Numerous kids are campers for the second and third time, and are so proud when they are recognized as previous campers! I enjoy helping with these sports camps because it is giving kids knowledge about being a student-athlete in college and I enjoy being a positive role model." - Amanda Hanson, Softball '12

BV's "Take a Kid to the Game Day" a Hit!

This from Heather Noll, Buena Vista Student-Athlete Advisory Committee adviser and head volleyball coach.

"Members of Buena Vista's SAAC organization assisted with BVU's annual "Take a Kid to the Game Day" football event, which was held at Buena Vista University on Saturday, October 22, 2011. One hundred thirty-two kids through 8th grade were admitted FREE with a paid adult. Each child received a FREE bag of popcorn upon entry to game, a blue "We're #1" foam finger, and  BVU pompoms. In addition, business owner Nick Schumacher (Blacksmith Enterprises) donated 100 BVU Football Game Day t-shirts for the first 100 kids in the gate! Kids also had their headshots taken so we could display them on the video board during halftime and at the end of game. Names were submitted for door prize drawings. Twenty-four names were drawn (prizes were a football magnet, a complimentary pass to football or basketball game and 1 FREE candy bar from BV concessions). All door prize winners were announced during the first half because the concessions stand closed after halftime. Buford, Buena Vista's mascot, was also down by the table to greet kids and was available for pictures."

Musical Chairs!

Who doesn't love this classic?

Coe Reports on Early-Year SAAC Activities

This from Kelsey Jipp, Coe women's basketball student-athlete and SAAC rep:

-Our 'Blackout' events have become 'Whiteout' events this year.  We sold Whiteout/Bleed Crimson Win Gold t-shirts the beginning of the year and have so far had Whiteouts at volleyball, cross country, women's tennis and tomorrow is men's and women's soccer.  We have done contests at each event...I have a video that I will hopefully send you soon of our musical chairs contest at the volleyball whiteout.
-Our Dig Pink event was for breast cancer awareness at a volleyball game.  The volleyball team put a lot into this event and we simply helped out.  We sold Dig Pink t-shirts, gave out cotton candy and did breast cancer trivia with fans in between games so they could win prizes.
-We had athletes attend a local elementary event called the Arthur Elementary Walk-a-thon where athletes encouraged students and signed t-shirts
-We held a Faculty/Staff appreciation day last Saturday at our home football game. Faculty/staff were recognized at halftime, given free food and we raffled off a Spirit Bucket full of Coe gear.  We had about 20 faculty recognized that day, many of whom had never been to a Coe football game before.

I have attached a pic of our football Whiteout from last Saturday.  The halftime contest was Punk, Pass & Kick.

Luther SAAC Gets Year Off to Great Start

This from Luther's Student-Athlete Advisory Committee:

Over 450 Luther College student-athletes attended this SAAC sponsored event on Sunday, September 4, 2011. The goal of the Fall Kick-off Picnic was to create community within Luther College Athletics. The student-athletes enjoyed food prepared by Luther College Norse coaches, and received a Norse spirited carabiner compliments of SAAC. Water balloon volleyball was an activity enjoyed by teams, as well as many chances to win door prizes donated by the Luther College Athletic teams. The Norse student-athletes had time to bond with their teammates and coaches, fellow Norse student-athletes, and coaches of other sports.