R EC Life
“We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.” -- Winston Churchill It’s through the generosity of friends that many present-day Aggies enjoy some of the finest recreational programs and clubs available on any university campus in the country. If you would like to support Rec Sports there are a number of ways you can help. Visit us online at recsports.tamu.edu and select the Development and Sponsors menu. There, you can learn about our various endowments and other giving opportunities. Thank you for your support!
From working to working out and everything in between, stay connected and YOU can make THE difference at Rec Sports. We love to keep in touch with our friends and supporters, and we can also help you reconnect with friends you made through Rec Sports. Keep your contact information up-to-date by visiting our
Reachingyou
GivingBACK
REC Contributions
The new look of Rec Sports...
website (recsports.tamu.edu) and clicking on Reconnect with Rec Sports (under the Development & Sponsors menu). You can also contact us directly by email at jwelford@rec.tamu.edu.
Department of Recreational Sports Texas A&M University 4250 TAMU College Station, TX 77843-4250
A healthy, balanced lifestyle...
FEATURING REC Promise: Lt. General Weber REC Honor: Dennis Corrington REC Spotlight: Weight Room Updates & Medic Staff REC Pride: Rec Success Stories REC Action: Sport Club Updates REC Contributions: How to Help
recsports.tamu.edu Volume 2, Issue 2 Fall 2008
REC Promise
REC Action
Greetings
from the Rec!
Howdy! I hope this newsletter enlightens you about some aspect of the department and reminds you of the opportunities available for you to give back. Remember, no amount is too small. The Rec Sports Development Program seeks funding from former student staff, former sport club members, and friends of the department to help support the needs of current student staff and club members. Donated funds are used to provide scholarships, as well as assist sport clubs with funds to support their needs. All funds used for development efforts come from donors like you. If you have been considering a donation, now is an excellent time to give; your gift will make a difference now and for years to come. For more information on how to give, contact me at 979.862.1856, on my cell at 979.255.4519 or by email at jwelford@rec.tamu.edu. Thanks and Gig’Em! James Welford, Associate Director of Development
WORLD CHAMPS
TEAM
Projec t Ma Josh C nager: ollins Writin g Andre Assistant: a N. R Comm oberts unicat ions C oor Michel le Brig dinator: gs Marke ting D i r ecto Conno r Heim r: Associ ate Di Develo rector of p James ment: Welfor d
g Beinest. b the “Being a champion is not all about winning. It’s about doing what you love and going out there and giving it your all. That makes a champion.” ~Candice Deroche All-Around National Champion in Gymnastics
Establ
2
RecLife
ishing nce Excelle
The Department of Recreational Sports welcomes Lieutenant General Joseph F. Weber ’72, USMC (Ret) to Texas A&M University and to the Division of Student Affairs. After serving 36 years as a United States Marine Corps commissioned officer, the General firmly grasps concepts associated with education, leadership and cultural awareness. General Weber’s posts included various senior staff positions both stateside and abroad. He earned his master’s degree from the Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs at the University of Texas at Austin and joined the staff at the United States Naval Academy teaching speech and leadership, among other responsibilities. The General’s final active duty post involved overseeing 74,000 personnel and an $80 million annual budget in addition to $30 million of holdings and assets. He recognizes values acquired during his tenure at Texas A&M as key factors in his successes, particularly leadership, discipline and knowledge. The General returns to his alma mater hoping to instill those same values and traits within the current Aggie student body, helping them make a lasting impact on the world beyond graduation. Lieutenant General Weber is married to Brenda Kay Staples ’76 of Paris, Texas. They have two children, Captain Clint Weber, USMC ’98 and Julie Anne Sawyer ’01.
Lt. General Weber ‘72 Vice President for Student Affairs
Get Connected. Stay Connected. Keep the Aggie Spirit alive.
Potchefstroom, South Africa, got a taste of Aggie spirit when three Texas A&M students muscled their way into the International Powerlifting Federation record books. The American junior team claimed second place at the 26th annual IPF Junior World Championship, held September 1-6, 2008. Boasting three Aggies, the American junior team was coached by Texas A&M’s powerlifting coach, Cort Spellman. “Powerlifting is a strategic sport in which the coach must outsmart the opponents,” said junior team member Alesha Summers. “Cort is very good at doing this, and without him we would not have done as well as we did at the World Championship.” Summers placed 4th in the 44 kg class and won a silver medal in the bench press. Sophomore Tiffany McKinney won a silver medal in the 82.5 kg class and a gold in the bench press, shattering her previous record. McKinney also won a silver in the deadlift, finishing out her first-ever world meet appearance with a perfect meet, making 9 of 9 lifts. Dustin Witte, a junior, placed 5th in the 82.5 kg class and won gold in the deadlift. “The best part of the IPF World’s was being able to represent our country,” said Witte. In addition to their achievements in South Africa, two of the Aggies on the American junior team are worldranked. McKinney is ranked 7th and Witte is ranked 11th in their respective weight classes across college divisions. While the accomplishments of these three students are predominantly viewed as individual achievements, these athletes recognize the powerful contributions of teamwork in their overall success. “You can’t win a championship on your own,” said Witte. “The screaming and yelling when you walk up to the platform is indescribable, knowing your team is rooting you on gives me the chills.” Team members help one another keep books, run numbers, roll wraps, fill out attempt cards and put on equipment. “Most importantly, they are the ones who make my adrenaline run so fast and make me push myself further than I have before,” said Summers. While these students excel at lifting weights, they also excel at lifting up one another with encouragement on a daily basis, exhibiting teamwork whether in the gym or at a World Championship.
The
Texas
A&M
Sport
Excellence
Powerlifting
R E C Li fe
Club
Association provides the ability to be competitive against clubs from
Excellence is a tradition for other collegiate institutions at the Texas A&M Sport Club athletes, but the tradition of excellence state, regional, or national level in 33 goes beyond medals, trophies and titles. different sports. Over the past year, Sport Club athletes have been awarded an impressive list of honors, but the most important traditions center on the fundamentals of leadership, dedication and teamwork for these athletes. Since January 2008, the Women’s Gymnastics Team, Men’s Polo Team, International Skeet Team and Archery Recurve Team all have claimed national championship titles. Regardless of whether the Sport Club is home to a team or individual sport, the athletes cultivate experiences in leadership, teamwork and dedication. “People might argue that Taekwondo is a solely individual sport, in Taekwondo it’s essential to have motivated teammates,” said Lauren Neuberger, a Taekwondo National Champion. “Every single person that trains with us is devoted, good-natured, and driven.” While Sport Clubs uphold the traditions of success and achievement, perhaps the most essential training Sport Club athletes receive is development of the skills that will help them make the transition into the professional world following college.
Becoming Champions
Eleven Sport Club individual athletes have been named champions in their respective sports: Powerlifting Alesha Summers Tiffany McKinney Gymnastics Candice Deroche
Trap & Skeet Taekwondo Judo
All-around Champion
Laura Kolb
Women’s High Overall Champion
Troy Kensinger Mimi Wolfong Marcus Ogle Charlie Lundquist Lauren Neuberger Abby Cox Samuel Johnston
Collegiate Novice 73kg
Modeling a Balanced, Healthy Lifestyle l Integrity l Service l Respect l Quality l Leadership
7
REC Pride
Recognizing Excellence
Excellence Unrivaled.
President’s Meritorious Service Awards
Dennis Corrington
in Rec Sports Full-time Employees
Welcome
Rec Sports has one of the lowest turnover rates around; many of our staff members have been here well over 20 years! But when folks do move on to new jobs, it gives us the chance to welcome new staff members to our family. Please welcome the following new employees:
Tomas Arellano Accounting
Ramesh Pantulu Baladandavu Information Technology
Brian Fettus Golf Course
Stanley Kolbasinski Penberthy
Ashley McInnis Intramurals
Jessica Richter Accounting
George Burton ‘90
Photographs from the November 1 Rec Sports Reunion
New Rec Sports Employees
These awards are presented to outstanding employees for their meritorious service to the university. The Department of Recreational Sports was informed that both of their nominated staff were selected by an anonymous committee appointed by Texas A&M President Elsa Murano. James Welford and DeAun Woosley received their awards and were recognized on December 1, 2008, at the President’s Holiday Coffee. Congratulations!
DeAun Woosley and James Welford.
Corrington and the plaque he received on the opening day of the Rec Center.
Former Student Staff
The Department of Recreational Sports strives to reach out to students in a number of ways. The man behind it all, current Director Dennis Corrington, has the passion and determination to fulfill the plan to help create an atmosphere where participants can develop “healthy, balanced lifestyles.” “I love coming to work every day. I walk in the building and people are happy,” said Corrington, who has been with Rec Sports for 40 years. “What a great place to work. I’d like to think I’ve had something to do with creating that environment.” Growing up, Corrington was always interested in sports, even playing freshman basketball, football, and a number of intramural sports while attending undergraduate school at Morningside College. But it was Texas A&M that gave him the opportunity to work each day doing something he loved. “A lot of us who get into recreational sports just kind of fall into it. I was fortunate enough to get such a great opportunity during my first year of graduate school,” said Corrington. “That opportunity is part of why I feel student development to be such an important aspect of what we do.” Rec Sports has always aimed to improve the quality of life for students at A&M, but it was not until 1992 (when the department officially became a part of the Division of Student Affairs) that the progress of student workers became a serious vision under the leadership of Corrington. “We have a lot of talent in our student population, and I have always thought it to be a smart use of money to employ so many dedicated people,” said Corrington. Rec Sports allows student employees to move up within their respective areas, and Corrington attributes much of the success of the system to this ladder. With the possibility of raises for excellent work, grants to attend workshops that will help increase skills in a particular field, and student staff scholarships, students are constantly encouraged to grow as they work. Development is something Corrington himself seems to know a lot about. Since his beginning with the department, a number of important changes of taken place that have shaped Rec Sports into what it is today. Perhaps the most notable change in Corrington’s more recent history as Director came with the addition of the Student Recreation Center to the campus of A&M in 1995. “[The Rec Center] accommodated needs for an entire group of students and faculty that had never been catered to in the past: women,” said Corrington. “In the ’94-’95 year we had 250,000 usages, but in the ’95-’96 year we had 1,250,000 usages. Most of that increase was due to the fact that the Rec Center finally provided women access to workout equipment that matched their needs.” Corrington hopes to continue Rec Sports’ expansion and says he has “a sense of pride for what the department will accomplish” in the future—and what has already been completed.
The building of a dream with the dream of a building.
RecLife
6
3
Current Director of the Department of Recreational Sports
Dennis Corrington.
Texas A&M graduate and former Rec Sports student employee George Burton has discovered that his “most rewarding role” comes as a stay at home father. After nine years in construction management, building and renovating things like the manatee exhibit at Sea World and the Hotel del Coranado in San Diego, Burton said he feels blessed to be able to spend so much time with his children. “Rec Sports taught me the basic skills I needed to succeed professionally,” said Burton. “It’s about enjoying life; it’s about living every single day and doing everything you do responsibly. Those are some of the best lessons that I used after graduating, and I still use them each day with my own children.” Burton said that his time with the department helped him live a balanced life, an aspect of education he thinks just might be “most important.” “The college experience is the best part of it all. I didn’t have to have perfect grades in my major, so I had a lot of time. I worked almost full-time for Rec Sports. Not only was I working, I was also playing several sports a week. It was the time of my life,” said Burton. While a student, Burton worked in several areas of Rec Sports, but most prominently in Intramurals. That passion for sport and competition has continued to be a part of his life. Burton said he does not have the opportunities to participate in recreation like he used to: while he was living in Japan, he played around 200 softball games a year. Instead, he now uses his time to work around the house and on his land. Burton makes it to College Station at least once a year for a football game, and is still very thankful for his time with Rec Sports. Burton is a member of the class of 1990 and graduated with a degree in building construction. His wife of 16 years, Lori Learned-Burton, is also an Aggie and is now an ophthalmologist. They, along with their four children, currently reside in La Grange, Texas.
Excellence
REC Honor
George and Lori with their four children: Beatrice (9), Georgia (9), Rose (6) and Noah (3)
Get Connected. Stay Connected. Keep the Aggie Spirit alive.
Corrington says the lobby is his favorite area of the Rec Center because it is “designed to be fun and exciting and to draw people in.”
Inscribed on a plaque given to Corrington on the opening day of the Rec Center in 1995, these words were the guiding force for the development of what has become one of the nation’s top student recreation facilities.
Modeling a Balanced, Healthy Lifestyle l Integrity l Service l Respect l Quality l Leadership
REC Spotlight
Strengthening the Rec Sports Team Big changes have been instituted in the weight and fitness room at Texas A&M’s Rec Center, and the Rec plans to implement those changes throughout the rest of the facility. Each year the weight and fitness room updates portions of its equipment and makes subtle changes. This year these changes were substantially more noticeable, including new flooring, a refreshed color scheme, and the replacement of over 100 pieces of pin-select strength training equipment. “Last year [2007-2008] was our biggest year in terms of modifications,” said Jerod Wilson, Director of Strength and Conditioning. Wilson cited the shift toward an “Aggie atmosphere” as the key reason for updating the old blue and white paint scheme to a stream-lined stainless-steel and black, accented by Aggie maroon and gray on the walls and machine upholstery. The color scheme change in the weight and fitness room is set to be implemented in the remainder of the facility on a graduated timeline. Wilson described the initial steps taken in the weight and fitness room as “a catalyst of change for the rest of the facility.” However, despite the color scheme changes and equipment upgrades, the weight and fitness room is not finished being a catalyst for change yet. The introduction of upgraded technology, including plasma screens and new audio/video equipment, is in the works. The weight and fitness room plans to update the current cardio equipment and offer personalized television screens on individual cardio machines in the future. It is safe to say that the changes made in the weight and fitness room over the past year are simply a preview of the exciting future changes coming to the Rec.
DevelopingLeaders Rec Sports Medics
4
RecLife
The Rec Center has flourished tremendously over the last decade, and as the Rec has grown the medic program has expanded its responsibilities, allowing students to develop leadership skills and work toward professional goals. “As the Rec grows, so do the number of participants in Rec Sports events and as the number of attendees at those events increases, so does the likelihood of someone being injured, which is where we come in,” said Matt Hagel who has been a Rec medic for just over a year. The medic program began in 1979 as a branch of Intramurals. In 1980 Rec Sports moved to the Read Building and the medic program began serving the Rec Sports facilities in addition to Intramurals. In 1995 the medic program added Sport Clubs as a new area of responsibility. Last September the medic program underwent its biggest change yet when it combined its services with Texas A&M Emergency Care Team & Emergency Medical Service under the UEMRC umbrella. Today the medic program serves the Rec Sports facilities, Sport Clubs, Intramurals and Reed Arena events and boasts 31 employees, including a graduate assistant, two assistant supervisors, and four on-call supervisors. The medic program takes pride in being a training ground for student leadership and decision-making skills. “Being a medic has taught me to keep a clear head and remain calm in stressful situations and everything works out much better,” said Branden Kret. “And that everyone likes Garfield band-aids,” he added. Between the Garfield band-aids and ice, Rec medics pursue a variety of long-term professional goals, making the Rec medic program their launching point for success. “I plan to be a trauma surgeon in the future so a job in emergency medicine right now really helps,” said Kret. “Being a medic will help me with future goals because it will help me gain medical experience to apply to medical schools.” As these students pursue their individual goals via the medic program their learning experiences extend beyond medical skills. “I learn more about myself and also stay up to date on all current medical issues that we have to deal with on a day to day basis,” said Josh Dill, Rec medic. The medic program offers an environment where individuals can not only focus on developing their medical response skills, but their character, leadership, and professionalism.
Get Connected. Stay Connected. Keep the Aggie Spirit alive.
One of many Rec Sports successes...
Excellence
Weight & Fitness Room Staff
REC Pride
Kelly VonDrehle ‘06 Leadership Development in Former Student Employees
Rec Sports prides itself as a place where A&M students can develop and grow into strong leaders, ready to enter professional work atmospheres upon graduation. Many former student employees have achieved success since their graduations. One such story comes from Kelly VonDrehle, two-time Rec Sports Marketing Student Employee of the Year. Kelly began working at the department in 2006 as the Marketing Student Assistant. Mainly called upon to distribute marketing materials and to staff resource tables at various events, Kelly began using some of her time at work to learn the many programs used for graphic design, including Adobe Photoshop, InDesign and Illustrator. “In my spare time, as I would wait for the laminator to heat up or for a banner to get printed, I would just play around,” said Kelly. “I started to realize that I really loved graphic design; it quickly became one of my biggest passions.” In the summer of 2007, Kelly received an offer to intern as Marketing Coordinator for the Valero Alamo Bowl. She put her education on hold for the Fall 2007 semester in order to pursue practical work experience as a specialist in graphic design and event promotion. When she returned for the Spring 2008 semester, Kelly applied for and received an offer to rejoin the Rec Sports team: this time as a graphic layout assistant. Upon her graduation from the Mays Business School in August 2008, Kelly went to work for the Integrated Ocean Drilling Program (IODP) as a Communications Specialist. There she is making good use of the skills and design techniques she first learned at Rec Sports. Kelly maintains that her time at the Rec helped her learn how to better interact with people and how to manage her tasks. “I am so thankful for my time at the Rec because it allowed me to discover my love for graphic design. I never would have guessed a couple of years ago that this is what I would be doing, but I love it, and it’s all thanks to the Rec,” she said. We at Rec Sports are proud of Kelly and wish her the best in her future!
Walk of Champions Let’s face it: Aggies have a distinctive bond to one another and to their university. For many, the opportunity to stay connected to the campus continues long after they graduate, get jobs, start families, and eventually, retire. Rec Sports offers a unique opportunity for Ags to be permanently connected to the campus: the Walk of Champions. Walk of Champions is our special brick program that allows Aggies to have their names permanently etched into the landscape of Texas A&M. The program was formed to create an endowment to ensure Texas A&M continues to have the best recreational sports facilities and programs in the country. “I received a Walk of Champions brick as a graduation gift from my parents. It’s very special for me to have my name etched in stone on campus to serve as a lasting memory of my time at Texas A&M,” said Dana Endres, ’08, MS ’09. “Having worked at the Rec Center for three years now, I can personally see the effect the endowment fund has on students and its importance to the longevity of this organization.” To learn more about getting your own brick in the Walk of Champions, contact James Welford at 979.862.1856 or email champions@rec.tamu.edu.
5
recsports.tamu.edu The New Face of Rec Sports!
RecSports kicked off the fall semester in a big way – with a big new website. The new site (http://recsports.tamu.edu) went live August 25 and features more interactive schedules, a fresh, modern look, and an easy-to-navigate structure. “Our members are more tech-savvy than ever, and they deserve a website that gives them instant access to the information they want and need in an attractive and easy-to-navigate format,” said Connor Carson Heim, Rec Sports marketing director. “Basically, anything you could want to know about Rec Sports you can find on our new website.” Among the new features on the site: • Quick Links from homepage lead users to the most popular sections of site • Direct links to the department’s Facebook page, iTunes page, and listserv signup. • Description boxes for individual activities • Activity-specific photo albums and event calendars • Information on all facilities managed by Rec Sports • Contact section organized by topic The new website is just one part of an overall effort to step up the quality of Rec Sports’ materials and communication vehicles within the university community and the Bryan-College Station area as a whole.
Here at Rec Sports, relationships make the difference! We love to keep in touch with former staff members and Sport Club members. If that’s you, visit our website (recsports.tamu.edu) and click on Reconnect with Rec Sports (under the Development & Sponsors menu). We will keep you up-to-date on reunions, games, tailgating and more!
Modeling a Balanced, Healthy Lifestyle l Integrity l Service l Respect l Quality l Leadership
REC Spotlight
Strengthening the Rec Sports Team Big changes have been instituted in the weight and fitness room at Texas A&M’s Rec Center, and the Rec plans to implement those changes throughout the rest of the facility. Each year the weight and fitness room updates portions of its equipment and makes subtle changes. This year these changes were substantially more noticeable, including new flooring, a refreshed color scheme, and the replacement of over 100 pieces of pin-select strength training equipment. “Last year [2007-2008] was our biggest year in terms of modifications,” said Jerod Wilson, Director of Strength and Conditioning. Wilson cited the shift toward an “Aggie atmosphere” as the key reason for updating the old blue and white paint scheme to a stream-lined stainless-steel and black, accented by Aggie maroon and gray on the walls and machine upholstery. The color scheme change in the weight and fitness room is set to be implemented in the remainder of the facility on a graduated timeline. Wilson described the initial steps taken in the weight and fitness room as “a catalyst of change for the rest of the facility.” However, despite the color scheme changes and equipment upgrades, the weight and fitness room is not finished being a catalyst for change yet. The introduction of upgraded technology, including plasma screens and new audio/video equipment, is in the works. The weight and fitness room plans to update the current cardio equipment and offer personalized television screens on individual cardio machines in the future. It is safe to say that the changes made in the weight and fitness room over the past year are simply a preview of the exciting future changes coming to the Rec.
DevelopingLeaders Rec Sports Medics
4
RecLife
The Rec Center has flourished tremendously over the last decade, and as the Rec has grown the medic program has expanded its responsibilities, allowing students to develop leadership skills and work toward professional goals. “As the Rec grows, so do the number of participants in Rec Sports events and as the number of attendees at those events increases, so does the likelihood of someone being injured, which is where we come in,” said Matt Hagel who has been a Rec medic for just over a year. The medic program began in 1979 as a branch of Intramurals. In 1980 Rec Sports moved to the Read Building and the medic program began serving the Rec Sports facilities in addition to Intramurals. In 1995 the medic program added Sport Clubs as a new area of responsibility. Last September the medic program underwent its biggest change yet when it combined its services with Texas A&M Emergency Care Team & Emergency Medical Service under the UEMRC umbrella. Today the medic program serves the Rec Sports facilities, Sport Clubs, Intramurals and Reed Arena events and boasts 31 employees, including a graduate assistant, two assistant supervisors, and four on-call supervisors. The medic program takes pride in being a training ground for student leadership and decision-making skills. “Being a medic has taught me to keep a clear head and remain calm in stressful situations and everything works out much better,” said Branden Kret. “And that everyone likes Garfield band-aids,” he added. Between the Garfield band-aids and ice, Rec medics pursue a variety of long-term professional goals, making the Rec medic program their launching point for success. “I plan to be a trauma surgeon in the future so a job in emergency medicine right now really helps,” said Kret. “Being a medic will help me with future goals because it will help me gain medical experience to apply to medical schools.” As these students pursue their individual goals via the medic program their learning experiences extend beyond medical skills. “I learn more about myself and also stay up to date on all current medical issues that we have to deal with on a day to day basis,” said Josh Dill, Rec medic. The medic program offers an environment where individuals can not only focus on developing their medical response skills, but their character, leadership, and professionalism.
Get Connected. Stay Connected. Keep the Aggie Spirit alive.
One of many Rec Sports successes...
Excellence
Weight & Fitness Room Staff
REC Pride
Kelly VonDrehle ‘06 Leadership Development in Former Student Employees
Rec Sports prides itself as a place where A&M students can develop and grow into strong leaders, ready to enter professional work atmospheres upon graduation. Many former student employees have achieved success since their graduations. One such story comes from Kelly VonDrehle, two-time Rec Sports Marketing Student Employee of the Year. Kelly began working at the department in 2006 as the Marketing Student Assistant. Mainly called upon to distribute marketing materials and to staff resource tables at various events, Kelly began using some of her time at work to learn the many programs used for graphic design, including Adobe Photoshop, InDesign and Illustrator. “In my spare time, as I would wait for the laminator to heat up or for a banner to get printed, I would just play around,” said Kelly. “I started to realize that I really loved graphic design; it quickly became one of my biggest passions.” In the summer of 2007, Kelly received an offer to intern as Marketing Coordinator for the Valero Alamo Bowl. She put her education on hold for the Fall 2007 semester in order to pursue practical work experience as a specialist in graphic design and event promotion. When she returned for the Spring 2008 semester, Kelly applied for and received an offer to rejoin the Rec Sports team: this time as a graphic layout assistant. Upon her graduation from the Mays Business School in August 2008, Kelly went to work for the Integrated Ocean Drilling Program (IODP) as a Communications Specialist. There she is making good use of the skills and design techniques she first learned at Rec Sports. Kelly maintains that her time at the Rec helped her learn how to better interact with people and how to manage her tasks. “I am so thankful for my time at the Rec because it allowed me to discover my love for graphic design. I never would have guessed a couple of years ago that this is what I would be doing, but I love it, and it’s all thanks to the Rec,” she said. We at Rec Sports are proud of Kelly and wish her the best in her future!
Walk of Champions Let’s face it: Aggies have a distinctive bond to one another and to their university. For many, the opportunity to stay connected to the campus continues long after they graduate, get jobs, start families, and eventually, retire. Rec Sports offers a unique opportunity for Ags to be permanently connected to the campus: the Walk of Champions. Walk of Champions is our special brick program that allows Aggies to have their names permanently etched into the landscape of Texas A&M. The program was formed to create an endowment to ensure Texas A&M continues to have the best recreational sports facilities and programs in the country. “I received a Walk of Champions brick as a graduation gift from my parents. It’s very special for me to have my name etched in stone on campus to serve as a lasting memory of my time at Texas A&M,” said Dana Endres, ’08, MS ’09. “Having worked at the Rec Center for three years now, I can personally see the effect the endowment fund has on students and its importance to the longevity of this organization.” To learn more about getting your own brick in the Walk of Champions, contact James Welford at 979.862.1856 or email champions@rec.tamu.edu.
5
recsports.tamu.edu The New Face of Rec Sports!
RecSports kicked off the fall semester in a big way – with a big new website. The new site (http://recsports.tamu.edu) went live August 25 and features more interactive schedules, a fresh, modern look, and an easy-to-navigate structure. “Our members are more tech-savvy than ever, and they deserve a website that gives them instant access to the information they want and need in an attractive and easy-to-navigate format,” said Connor Carson Heim, Rec Sports marketing director. “Basically, anything you could want to know about Rec Sports you can find on our new website.” Among the new features on the site: • Quick Links from homepage lead users to the most popular sections of site • Direct links to the department’s Facebook page, iTunes page, and listserv signup. • Description boxes for individual activities • Activity-specific photo albums and event calendars • Information on all facilities managed by Rec Sports • Contact section organized by topic The new website is just one part of an overall effort to step up the quality of Rec Sports’ materials and communication vehicles within the university community and the Bryan-College Station area as a whole.
Here at Rec Sports, relationships make the difference! We love to keep in touch with former staff members and Sport Club members. If that’s you, visit our website (recsports.tamu.edu) and click on Reconnect with Rec Sports (under the Development & Sponsors menu). We will keep you up-to-date on reunions, games, tailgating and more!
Modeling a Balanced, Healthy Lifestyle l Integrity l Service l Respect l Quality l Leadership
REC Pride
Recognizing Excellence
Excellence Unrivaled.
President’s Meritorious Service Awards
Dennis Corrington
in Rec Sports Full-time Employees
Welcome
Rec Sports has one of the lowest turnover rates around; many of our staff members have been here well over 20 years! But when folks do move on to new jobs, it gives us the chance to welcome new staff members to our family. Please welcome the following new employees:
Tomas Arellano Accounting
Ramesh Pantulu Baladandavu Information Technology
Brian Fettus Golf Course
Stanley Kolbasinski Penberthy
Ashley McInnis Intramurals
Jessica Richter Accounting
George Burton ‘90
Photographs from the November 1 Rec Sports Reunion
New Rec Sports Employees
These awards are presented to outstanding employees for their meritorious service to the university. The Department of Recreational Sports was informed that both of their nominated staff were selected by an anonymous committee appointed by Texas A&M President Elsa Murano. James Welford and DeAun Woosley received their awards and were recognized on December 1, 2008, at the President’s Holiday Coffee. Congratulations!
DeAun Woosley and James Welford.
Corrington and the plaque he received on the opening day of the Rec Center.
Former Student Staff
The Department of Recreational Sports strives to reach out to students in a number of ways. The man behind it all, current Director Dennis Corrington, has the passion and determination to fulfill the plan to help create an atmosphere where participants can develop “healthy, balanced lifestyles.” “I love coming to work every day. I walk in the building and people are happy,” said Corrington, who has been with Rec Sports for 40 years. “What a great place to work. I’d like to think I’ve had something to do with creating that environment.” Growing up, Corrington was always interested in sports, even playing freshman basketball, football, and a number of intramural sports while attending undergraduate school at Morningside College. But it was Texas A&M that gave him the opportunity to work each day doing something he loved. “A lot of us who get into recreational sports just kind of fall into it. I was fortunate enough to get such a great opportunity during my first year of graduate school,” said Corrington. “That opportunity is part of why I feel student development to be such an important aspect of what we do.” Rec Sports has always aimed to improve the quality of life for students at A&M, but it was not until 1992 (when the department officially became a part of the Division of Student Affairs) that the progress of student workers became a serious vision under the leadership of Corrington. “We have a lot of talent in our student population, and I have always thought it to be a smart use of money to employ so many dedicated people,” said Corrington. Rec Sports allows student employees to move up within their respective areas, and Corrington attributes much of the success of the system to this ladder. With the possibility of raises for excellent work, grants to attend workshops that will help increase skills in a particular field, and student staff scholarships, students are constantly encouraged to grow as they work. Development is something Corrington himself seems to know a lot about. Since his beginning with the department, a number of important changes of taken place that have shaped Rec Sports into what it is today. Perhaps the most notable change in Corrington’s more recent history as Director came with the addition of the Student Recreation Center to the campus of A&M in 1995. “[The Rec Center] accommodated needs for an entire group of students and faculty that had never been catered to in the past: women,” said Corrington. “In the ’94-’95 year we had 250,000 usages, but in the ’95-’96 year we had 1,250,000 usages. Most of that increase was due to the fact that the Rec Center finally provided women access to workout equipment that matched their needs.” Corrington hopes to continue Rec Sports’ expansion and says he has “a sense of pride for what the department will accomplish” in the future—and what has already been completed.
The building of a dream with the dream of a building.
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Current Director of the Department of Recreational Sports
Dennis Corrington.
Texas A&M graduate and former Rec Sports student employee George Burton has discovered that his “most rewarding role” comes as a stay at home father. After nine years in construction management, building and renovating things like the manatee exhibit at Sea World and the Hotel del Coranado in San Diego, Burton said he feels blessed to be able to spend so much time with his children. “Rec Sports taught me the basic skills I needed to succeed professionally,” said Burton. “It’s about enjoying life; it’s about living every single day and doing everything you do responsibly. Those are some of the best lessons that I used after graduating, and I still use them each day with my own children.” Burton said that his time with the department helped him live a balanced life, an aspect of education he thinks just might be “most important.” “The college experience is the best part of it all. I didn’t have to have perfect grades in my major, so I had a lot of time. I worked almost full-time for Rec Sports. Not only was I working, I was also playing several sports a week. It was the time of my life,” said Burton. While a student, Burton worked in several areas of Rec Sports, but most prominently in Intramurals. That passion for sport and competition has continued to be a part of his life. Burton said he does not have the opportunities to participate in recreation like he used to: while he was living in Japan, he played around 200 softball games a year. Instead, he now uses his time to work around the house and on his land. Burton makes it to College Station at least once a year for a football game, and is still very thankful for his time with Rec Sports. Burton is a member of the class of 1990 and graduated with a degree in building construction. His wife of 16 years, Lori Learned-Burton, is also an Aggie and is now an ophthalmologist. They, along with their four children, currently reside in La Grange, Texas.
Excellence
REC Honor
George and Lori with their four children: Beatrice (9), Georgia (9), Rose (6) and Noah (3)
Get Connected. Stay Connected. Keep the Aggie Spirit alive.
Corrington says the lobby is his favorite area of the Rec Center because it is “designed to be fun and exciting and to draw people in.”
Inscribed on a plaque given to Corrington on the opening day of the Rec Center in 1995, these words were the guiding force for the development of what has become one of the nation’s top student recreation facilities.
Modeling a Balanced, Healthy Lifestyle l Integrity l Service l Respect l Quality l Leadership
REC Promise
REC Action
Greetings
from the Rec!
Howdy! I hope this newsletter enlightens you about some aspect of the department and reminds you of the opportunities available for you to give back. Remember, no amount is too small. The Rec Sports Development Program seeks funding from former student staff, former sport club members, and friends of the department to help support the needs of current student staff and club members. Donated funds are used to provide scholarships, as well as assist sport clubs with funds to support their needs. All funds used for development efforts come from donors like you. If you have been considering a donation, now is an excellent time to give; your gift will make a difference now and for years to come. For more information on how to give, contact me at 979.862.1856, on my cell at 979.255.4519 or by email at jwelford@rec.tamu.edu. Thanks and Gig’Em! James Welford, Associate Director of Development
WORLD CHAMPS
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Projec t Ma Josh C nager: ollins Writin g Andre Assistant: a N. R Comm oberts unicat ions C oor Michel le Brig dinator: gs Marke ting D i r ecto Conno r Heim r: Associ ate Di Develo rector of p James ment: Welfor d
g Beinest. b the “Being a champion is not all about winning. It’s about doing what you love and going out there and giving it your all. That makes a champion.” ~Candice Deroche All-Around National Champion in Gymnastics
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The Department of Recreational Sports welcomes Lieutenant General Joseph F. Weber ’72, USMC (Ret) to Texas A&M University and to the Division of Student Affairs. After serving 36 years as a United States Marine Corps commissioned officer, the General firmly grasps concepts associated with education, leadership and cultural awareness. General Weber’s posts included various senior staff positions both stateside and abroad. He earned his master’s degree from the Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs at the University of Texas at Austin and joined the staff at the United States Naval Academy teaching speech and leadership, among other responsibilities. The General’s final active duty post involved overseeing 74,000 personnel and an $80 million annual budget in addition to $30 million of holdings and assets. He recognizes values acquired during his tenure at Texas A&M as key factors in his successes, particularly leadership, discipline and knowledge. The General returns to his alma mater hoping to instill those same values and traits within the current Aggie student body, helping them make a lasting impact on the world beyond graduation. Lieutenant General Weber is married to Brenda Kay Staples ’76 of Paris, Texas. They have two children, Captain Clint Weber, USMC ’98 and Julie Anne Sawyer ’01.
Lt. General Weber ‘72 Vice President for Student Affairs
Get Connected. Stay Connected. Keep the Aggie Spirit alive.
Potchefstroom, South Africa, got a taste of Aggie spirit when three Texas A&M students muscled their way into the International Powerlifting Federation record books. The American junior team claimed second place at the 26th annual IPF Junior World Championship, held September 1-6, 2008. Boasting three Aggies, the American junior team was coached by Texas A&M’s powerlifting coach, Cort Spellman. “Powerlifting is a strategic sport in which the coach must outsmart the opponents,” said junior team member Alesha Summers. “Cort is very good at doing this, and without him we would not have done as well as we did at the World Championship.” Summers placed 4th in the 44 kg class and won a silver medal in the bench press. Sophomore Tiffany McKinney won a silver medal in the 82.5 kg class and a gold in the bench press, shattering her previous record. McKinney also won a silver in the deadlift, finishing out her first-ever world meet appearance with a perfect meet, making 9 of 9 lifts. Dustin Witte, a junior, placed 5th in the 82.5 kg class and won gold in the deadlift. “The best part of the IPF World’s was being able to represent our country,” said Witte. In addition to their achievements in South Africa, two of the Aggies on the American junior team are worldranked. McKinney is ranked 7th and Witte is ranked 11th in their respective weight classes across college divisions. While the accomplishments of these three students are predominantly viewed as individual achievements, these athletes recognize the powerful contributions of teamwork in their overall success. “You can’t win a championship on your own,” said Witte. “The screaming and yelling when you walk up to the platform is indescribable, knowing your team is rooting you on gives me the chills.” Team members help one another keep books, run numbers, roll wraps, fill out attempt cards and put on equipment. “Most importantly, they are the ones who make my adrenaline run so fast and make me push myself further than I have before,” said Summers. While these students excel at lifting weights, they also excel at lifting up one another with encouragement on a daily basis, exhibiting teamwork whether in the gym or at a World Championship.
The
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Excellence
Powerlifting
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Club
Association provides the ability to be competitive against clubs from
Excellence is a tradition for other collegiate institutions at the Texas A&M Sport Club athletes, but the tradition of excellence state, regional, or national level in 33 goes beyond medals, trophies and titles. different sports. Over the past year, Sport Club athletes have been awarded an impressive list of honors, but the most important traditions center on the fundamentals of leadership, dedication and teamwork for these athletes. Since January 2008, the Women’s Gymnastics Team, Men’s Polo Team, International Skeet Team and Archery Recurve Team all have claimed national championship titles. Regardless of whether the Sport Club is home to a team or individual sport, the athletes cultivate experiences in leadership, teamwork and dedication. “People might argue that Taekwondo is a solely individual sport, in Taekwondo it’s essential to have motivated teammates,” said Lauren Neuberger, a Taekwondo National Champion. “Every single person that trains with us is devoted, good-natured, and driven.” While Sport Clubs uphold the traditions of success and achievement, perhaps the most essential training Sport Club athletes receive is development of the skills that will help them make the transition into the professional world following college.
Becoming Champions
Eleven Sport Club individual athletes have been named champions in their respective sports: Powerlifting Alesha Summers Tiffany McKinney Gymnastics Candice Deroche
Trap & Skeet Taekwondo Judo
All-around Champion
Laura Kolb
Women’s High Overall Champion
Troy Kensinger Mimi Wolfong Marcus Ogle Charlie Lundquist Lauren Neuberger Abby Cox Samuel Johnston
Collegiate Novice 73kg
Modeling a Balanced, Healthy Lifestyle l Integrity l Service l Respect l Quality l Leadership
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“We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.” -- Winston Churchill It’s through the generosity of friends that many present-day Aggies enjoy some of the finest recreational programs and clubs available on any university campus in the country. If you would like to support Rec Sports there are a number of ways you can help. Visit us online at recsports.tamu.edu and select the Development and Sponsors menu. There, you can learn about our various endowments and other giving opportunities. Thank you for your support!
From working to working out and everything in between, stay connected and YOU can make THE difference at Rec Sports. We love to keep in touch with our friends and supporters, and we can also help you reconnect with friends you made through Rec Sports. Keep your contact information up-to-date by visiting our website (recsports.tamu.edu) and clicking on Reconnect with Rec Sports (under the Development
Reachingyou
GivingBACK
REC Contributions
The new look of Rec Sports...
& Sponsors menu). You can also contact us directly by email at jwelford@rec.tamu.edu.
Department of Recreational Sports Texas A&M University 4250 TAMU College Station, TX 77843-4250
A healthy, balanced lifestyle...
FEATURING REC Promise: Lt. General Weber REC Honor: Dennis Corrington REC Spotlight: Weight Room Updates & Medic Staff REC Pride: Rec Success Stories REC Action: Sport Club Updates REC Contributions: How to Help
recsports.tamu.edu Volume 2, Issue 2 Fall 2008