Central Michigan Athletics
C entral A thletes R eaching E veryone
Sponsored by
Table of Contents Reaching Out in Special Times.........................2-3 Working Toward a Better Future............................4-5 Creating Memorable Experiences.................................6-9 Taking Care of the Community.....................10-13 Student Athlete Advisory Committee..............................14-15 How to Reach Us........................... 16 Foundations Supported............. 17
DEAR COMMUNITY MEMBER, It is with a great deal of pride and gratitude that we present you with this summary of the strong relationship that exists between the mid-Michigan community and Central Michigan University Athletics. Together we have accomplished so much, and your connection to the Chippewas is important to our Championship Culture. Our student-athletes know the privilege they have of being Division I student-athletes in a close-knit community such as ours. In return for your support and interest in their programs, they are committed to sacrificing a portion of their time to make their “home away from home” a thriving and healthy place. Central Michigan student-athletes come together through the Central Athletes Reaching Everyone (C.A.R.E.) program and the Athletics Director’s Leadership Development Program to donate more than 4,000 hours and $10,000 annually to local and national causes. Whether we are reaching out in times of special need, working with you toward a better future, creating memorable experiences for our youth, or taking care of our community, our events and our student-athletes connect us to this area in a unique way. If you would like to request the appearance of Chippewa student-athletes in your classroom, at a special community event or civic organization, please contact the C.A.R.E. program at (989) 774-1782. Alumni, fans and community members alike help make Central Michigan the great university it is, and “Together We Are Maroon!” Fire Up Chips!
Dave Heeke
Reaching Out in Special Times
Hoops for Hunger - Women’s Basketball
Children from around the mid-Michigan area fill Central Michigan University’s McGuirk Arena annually to help fight hunger in Michigan during “Hoops for Hunger.” Participating schools help raise the equivalent of 42,000 pounds of food between monetary donations and canned goods. “Hoops for Hunger” began as a collaborative effort between CMU assistant basketball coach Kathy McGee and program coordinator for Food Bank of Eastern Michigan and CMU graduate Joe Mounger.
Chips for a Cure
CMU Athletics has taken a unified front in the fight against cancer by launching the “Chips for a Cure” program. The department-wide effort raises funds and awareness toward cancer research through special events at volleyball, soccer, field hockey, softball, women’s basketball and gymnastics contests.
Caravan for Care
Student-athletes from several programs take part in the annual “Caravan for Care” sponsored by 95.3 WCFX and the Isabella County Transportation Commission. Student-athletes assist in the Caravan’s goal of filling an entire vacant house with non-perishable food items to be donated to needy families in Mount Pleasant and surrounding communities.
Central Michigan University Athletics • 3
Working Toward a Better Future
CMU P.L.A.Y.s – Football, Women’s Basketball, Volleyball
Student-athletes from the football, women’s basketball and volleyball programs volunteer with area youth at CMU P.L.A.Y.s events. CMU P.L.A.Y.s encourages the youth of Mount Pleasant to commit to a healthier lifestyle by engaging in physical activity for at least 60 minutes per day. First-grade through sixth-grade children have the opportunity to interact one-on-one with CMU studentathletes while learning and enjoying the benefits of a healthy and active lifestyle.
Education – Story time, classroom volunteers, recess
There is no time more memorable for a young person in Mount Pleasant and its surrounding communities than a visit from one of CMU’s student-athletes. Whether it is “March is Reading Month,” “Recess with the Chippewas,” or an impromptu autograph session on the playground of a local school, a visit from a CMU student-athlete is a memory that lasts for a lifetime.
Teen Summit breakout session (Clare High School) – SAAC
Members of CMU’s Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) have taken the lead in serving their community as role models to younger students. The Clare Teen Summit is designed to enable high school students to respond positively to the challenges in their lives. CMU student-athletes relate their first-hand experiences of the sacrifices and dedication required to become a collegiate student-athlete to the issues faced by high schoolers.
Central Michigan University Athletics • 5
Creating Memorable Experiences
Rocket Football
Over the years, CMU Football and the C.A.R.E. program have established an excellent relationship with youth football programs from the mid-Michigan area and beyond. One of the highlights of that relationship is a VIP tour of the Chippewas’ football facilities during a game week. After visiting the locker room, weight room, academic center and indoor turf bay, all Rocket Football players receive a complimentary game ticket so they can feel the excitement of a Kelly/Shorts Stadium gameday experience. Pictured here, head coach Dan Enos gives a pep talk at the end of practice to the 2010 Chippewas and the touring Clare Rocket Football program.
Autograph sessions
Periodically throughout the year, CMU student-athletes provide young sports fanatics with an autograph session after their favorite team’s contest. All youth in attendance are invited to take part in this special opportunity to interact with their favorite Chippewas.
Central Michigan University Athletics • 7
Promotions/Giveaways
Promotions and giveaways at home events are the foundation of an electric atmosphere at CMU’s home athletic events. Pictured here is the interior of McGuirk Arena at the CMU Events Center prior to the Men’s Basketball Grand Opening game versus Temple on December 1, 2010. All fans received a McGuirk Arena rally towel and commemorative newspaper, while all students received a Gold McGuirk Arena t-shirt and CM-Life special edition newspaper. The game, which was the very first event held in the CMU Events Center, was a sell-out that brought more than 5,200 fans into the new facility.
Kids Club
The basis for some future Chippewas begins with the Chippewa Kids Club. The Chippewa Kids Club is a members-only group for children in grades eight and below. This exclusive opportunity allows members to be actively involved in CMU Athletics events, games, and much more!
8 • Central Michigan University Athletics
Little League Day
Little League baseball teams throughout the state of Michigan are welcomed at selected baseball games at Theunissen Stadium annually. By wearing a Little League jersey to the game, players are admitted free of charge. And following the game, Little Leaugers are encouraged to run the bases and interact with CMU’s baseball student-athletes.
Kids Clinic
In what has become a tradition at CMU, the football program hosts a free kids clinic for all youth 12 and under immediately before the annual spring football game. The clinic is run entirely by the CMU football team, giving kids an opportunity to meet and interact with their favorite Chippewas while learning basic football skills in a fun environment.
Central Michigan University Athletics • 9
Taking care of The community
Military Recognition
CMU Athletics, the United States Army and Michigan National Guard have strong ties and partner in a variety of capacities throughout the year. Military Night honors service men and women by offering free admission to active members and veterans. Other events have included special videoboard messages from overseas service members, and a United States Army swearing-in ceremony at halftime of a football game that featured a special patriotic presentation from the Marching Chippewas.
Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe
CMU Athletics supports a variety of activities that represent the strong relationship between the University and the Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe. The department and tribe collaborate each year in the Michigan Indian Family Olympics, a pow wow in McGuirk Arena, school visits and Hoops for Hunger. In addition, every CMU team is encouraged to annually participate in a Native American education program. In 2009, the Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe educated more than 5,000 area children with a halftime program at a women’s basketball game.
Special Olympics
Special Olympics Michigan and CMU Athletics have a very strong partnership within the state of Michigan. CMU student-athletes have traditionally assisted in the State Summer Games, which celebrated 40 years at Central Michigan University in the summer of 2011, by participating in opening and closing ceremonies, taking part in an autograph session, and operating various competition areas. Also during 2010-11, CMU Athletics took a pledge to “Spread the Word to End the Word,” inviting community and university members to join the department in abolishing the use of the “R” word.
Central Michigan University Athletics • 11
Senior Citizens
Our senior citizens are important to the greater Mount Pleasant area. CMU’s student-athletes have pledged to care for this important population in a variety of ways. Pictured here are CMU’s defensive linemen who spent time at the Maplewood Assisted Living Center during a spring community outreach tour.
Isabella County Soup Kitchen
CMU’s student-athletes routinely volunteer at the Isabella County Soup Kitchen. The soup kitchen, which serves hot meals daily to those in need in Isabella County, is a reminder to student-athletes that their generosity and assistance is needed in the Mount Pleasant area. Pictured here are members of the CMU football program who served at the soup kitchen’s spring fundraiser. The fundraiser annually helps provide the resources necessary for the soup kitchen to serve 300 continental breakfasts and 2,500 hot lunches monthly.
12 • Central Michigan University Athletics
Midland Youth Basketball
The CMU men’s basketball team partners with the Midland Community Center for an exciting program that teaches the game of basketball to area youth. Student-athletes visit Midland to conduct instructional clinics on fundamentals, technique and drills, and to host tournaments. Youth participants are then invited to a home men’s basketball game to cheer on their tutors.
Rotary
CMU student-athletes and coaches regularly can be found assisting civic organizations such as Rotary International, a nonprofit corporation that promotes world understanding through humanitarian service and educational and cultural exchanges. CMU’s volleyball student-athletes are pictured here as they take a break from setting up the Mount Pleasant Rotary BBQ.
Partnership with 125th Infantry and 126th Calvary of the Michigan Army National Guard
Over the years, CMU Athletics has forged a partnership with the 1st battalion of the 125th Infantry and the 1st squadron of the 126th Calvary units of the Michigan Army National Guard. Since forging a partnership in 2008, student-athletes have kept in contact with members of the infantry deployed in Iraq primarily through the exchange of videos, and in 2011, each member of the football program had a sticker on his helmet displaying the insignia of the 125th and 126th units, while also carrying the unit’s flags onto the field prior to each game.
Valentines for Veterans
Central Michigan’s student-athletes celebrated Valentine’s Day by honoring America’s military veterans. The C.A.R.E. program initiated and sponsored a partnership with Volunteer Central in which student-athletes created valentines to be sent to military veterans.
Central Michigan University Athletics • 13
Student Athlete Advisory Committee While the student-athlete body as a whole contributes more than 3,000 hours back to the community annually, the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) hosts four major projects yearly.
Clothing Drive
The SAAC has contributed to the Isabella County Christmas Outreach clothing drive since 2000 by collecting donated items in the studentathlete academic center throughout the fall semester. Christmas Outreach, which accepts gently used clothing items of all sizes for those in need in the Isabella County area, has been in existence for over 31 years.
Jock Rock
Central Michigan’s sport programs come together to raise monies for a national charity, selected as part of a Mid-American Conference initiative, through the annual Jock Rock competition. The lip syncing competition features original routines performed in front of judges and a crowd of several hundred friends, fans and family members in a fun, competitive environment.
Canned Food Drive
Student-athletes traverse the town each fall to collect donations of canned and non-perishable food items during their annual food drive. All donations go to the American Red Cross/ Isabella County Food Pantry. Approximately 5,000 items are collected from the community in one Saturday each fall.
CHIPYS
The inaugural CHIPYS was an award show coordinated by CMU studentathletes in the fall of 2010 to celebrate the previous year’s achievements in a red carpet format similar to the “ESPY’s.” The event was a huge success, raising more than $2,100 for the Jimmy V Foundation and attracting approximately 600 people to Plachta Auditorium. Pictured here, baseball’s Reid Rooney works the red carpet prior to the event.
Central Michigan University Athletics • 15
How to Reach Us C.A.R.E. Program Rose 100B Mount Pleasant, MI 48859 www.cmuchippewas.com Phone: (989) 774-1782
Click here to contact CMU about possible community service opportunities
Foundations supported
10/2011