Rec Insider Alumni Newsletter Feb-April 2011

Stephen F. Austin State University

Earth Day

Volume 2, Issue 2 February - April 2011

Growing Seeds of Sustainability Page 3

Fitness Through The Ages Part II Page 6

Intramural Domination Former Pi Kappa Alphas relive the glory days

Letter from the

Director

Welcome to the New Year and a new edition of the Rec Insider! Hopefully 2011 will bring you happiness as well as move you closer to your goals in life. At Campus Recreation, one of our goals is to promote sustainability.

The term sustainability has many definitions and meanings depending on the context in which it is used. For us it means improving the quality of human life while living within the carrying capacity of supporting ecosystems. To that end, we are utilizing new methods of communication by providing online versions of our program guides and newsletters, teaching “leave no impact” techniques for enjoying the outdoors, and monitoring what, and from whom, we buy goods and services.

Campus Recreation also coordinates and promotes Earth Day at SFA each Spring. You can learn more about this event inside this newsletter.

We would love to see you here at our event but also encourage those that live out of town to participate in the Earth Day celebrations where they live. We each have a part to play in promoting sustainability and you can learn more about how to do this by getting involved in Earth Day.

2011 Campus Recreation Staff Ken Morton Director Janice Casper Office Manager

We of course have plenty of other great activities, events, programs and people to share with you in this newsletter so please read on and as always we appreciate your comments, concerns, ideas, and feedback.

Kelley Consford Administrative Asst.

Kenneth Norris Facilities & Membership Services

Happy New Year,

Michael Maningas Outdoor Pursuits & Safety Debbie Norris Fitness, Wellness, & Aquatics

Ken Morton Director of Campus Recreation

Elizabeth Ross Promotions & Sponsorships Brian Mills Intramural Sports, Sport Clubs, & Camps

1817 Wilson Drive • Nacogdoches, Texas 75962 Phone: (936) 468-3507 • campusrec@sfasu.edu Page 1

IMPORTANT EVENTS

This semester, Campus Recreation has been a place to empower yourself in all areas of life: physical, emotional, intellectual, cultural, environmental, spiritual, and financial. You can see how each of our program areas enhances each of these dimensions in the 2011 Spring Program Guide on our website www.sfasu.edu/campusrec.

Fitness gears up for this year’s Race Across Texas Starting February 1st, keep your New Year’s resolutions up and running and join us for Race Across Texas! Run, bike, walk, dance, and step your way across the state of Texas by tracking your cardio workouts. Challenge a friend to race with you and watch the miles add up!

If you’re a member of Campus Recreation, register with a Fitness Assistant by February 7th at the Rec Center. Log your cardio time and your progress will be charted as you make your way through notable Texas cities on the map which will be located in the Rec Center Lobby.

If you’re not a member, you can still participate! Fill out a registration form at www.sfasu.edu/campusrec and fax to 936-468-7052 or bring your form to the Rec Center by February 7. Watch your progress on the Texas map located on our website!

The race officially starts February 1st and lasts for only six weeks, so get up and run/walk/dance/step/bike your way across Texas!

Axe’s Up Flag Football Tourney to benefit Campus Rec Scholarship Missing the Regional Flag Football Tournament already? Sad football season is over? Get your flag football-watching fix at this year’s 4 on 4 Axe’s Up Flag Football Tournament. Come out to the intramural fields to watch some great teams compete. All proceeds from the tournament will go toward Campus Recreation’s Dr. Raymond Lee Worsham Scholarship. Play will begin Friday, April 8 at 4 p.m. and continue on Saturday, April 9 at 10 a.m. at the Intramural Fields.

You can also donate to the Dr. Raymond Lee Worsham Scholarship at any time by conacting Brian Mills at 936-468-1775 or millsbrian@sfasu.edu.

Want to find other ways to empower yourself? Check out our blog! You can also find SFA Campus Recreation on YouTube, Facebook, and Twitter.

sfacampusrec.blogspot.com

sfacampusrec

student rec centercampus rec

twitter.com/campusrec Page 2

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EMPLOYEE SPOTLIGHT

Campus Recreation Internship and Practicum Program Chrystina Wyatt, Undergraduate Intern, Fitness and Wellness

Chrystina has worked for Campus Recreation for several years, most recently as a Group Exercise manager and instructor. About a year ago, she decided she wanted to continue working in the recreation field after hearing about internship opportunities at Campus Rec from a former Group X instructor.

As an intern, Chrystina will receive plenty of time to create and hone skills that will help her advance in future careers, but she also expects to have fun.

“I love the atmosphere. When you start working here you get to know so many people. Working here has definitely helped me become more outgoing and comfortable meeting new people.”

Projects Chrystina will be spearheading as intern include monthly educational displays for the Recreation Center and the Wellness Fair, a huge event for the program held each semester. Projects such as these will help Chrystina gain experience in the Wellness side of the program area, complimenting her already acquired knowledge in Fitness.

Heidi Parvez and Lauren Radtke, Graduate Interns, Outdoor Pursuits Heidi worked for Outdoor Pursuits throughout her undergraduate studies at SFA and was excited to hear about the internship program from Assistant Director Michael Maningas.

“The program has allowed me to help Outdoor Pursuits in a more purposeful way than I was able to as a undergraduate. Also as an intern I learn different aspects of OP that I did not get to work on before. My overall favorite part of the internship is being able to help a program that I believe so much in. ” Lauren also worked for Outdoor Pursuits prior to her internLauren Radtke ship. She chose an internship with Campus Rec because of the people she works with and the opportunity to further develop the Outdoor Pursuits program and get people outdoors. She works in the OP office and leads trips and hopes to gain key skills for her future career path.

“I believe this internship has prepared me socially. What I mean by that is that I have/am learning to work with all kinds of people, whether they are our OP staff, professional staff, or any/all of the participants on our trips. It’s been a neat challenge to develop personally and professionally.”

Heidi Parvez

Liza MacDonald, Undergraduate Intern, Promotions Liza was worked for Campus Recreation for three years and heard about the internship program through her job as office assistant. She is a Public Relations major with a minor in Spanish.

“The promotions team has always been a program that impressed me. I respect all of the behindthe-scenes work that they do. So, when I read in a text book that promotions and public relations are considered close relatives, I became determined to land an internship with Elizabeth Ross.”

As the specialty promotions intern, Liza will work one-on-one with several program areas, including Outdoor Pursuits. She will also gain knowledge and experience in performing publicity stunts, focus group tactics, in-house promotions, blogging, and programs such as Adobe Photoshop, iMovie, and Final Cut Express.

“The unique thing about Campus Rec is the familial atmosphere, I know that I can trust my superiors and coworkers to help me grow and provide me with valuable experiences as I work my way through college.”

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Fitness and Wellness

As we all know, physical activity can help improve the quality of life as the years go by. Whether you are an active individual or perhaps inexperienced with exercise programs, we are all affected by the aging process. Our choices about physical activity can greatly factor how our bodies will respond to the five major fitness components today, as well as 20 plus years from now.

Muscular Strength & Endurance:

Studies have shown that both men and women of all ages have the ability to improve their muscle strength and size specifically through progressive training methods. Beginning a strength training program within the years of 10 – 20 will produce greater gains than starting a program above this natural development range. “For each decade after 25, 3-5 percent of muscle mass is lost.” (ACE Personal Training Manual, 2003)

The five major components of fitness: • Cardiorespiratory Fitness • Muscular Strength & Endurance • Flexibility • Body Composition • Skill-Related Components

Flexibility:

Incorporating flexibility training into one’s exercise regimen can significantly improve adaptability and therefore increase the ability to function.

Body Composition:

Cardiorespiratory Fitness:

Body Composition changes as we age, however, the extent of these changes and how they can be affected by physical activity is still being researched.

Frequency and intensity of training, initial level of fitness, genetics and exercise history all factor into one’s ability to increase aerobic capacity. It is recommended that when testing for heart rate during activity on elderly individuals, it is suggested to use a rate of perceived exertion along with heart rate checks to gain a more accurate idea of how hard they are working.

• Start by standing up tall with your feet flat on the floor.

• Shift your weight to your heels and bent your knees. As you

bend, your back will naturally bend at your waist; however you will need to ensure that your back is staying flat and not arching throughout the exercise.

• Once you have reached this position, jump up as high as you can. When in the air, maintain control of your body.

• You will land back in the same position that you started, while focusing on landing soft with your knees bent. This exercise is

meant to be fast and explosive in movement.

While function may not be on our minds early in life, we’ve seen research that shows with active adults, functional training can add physical improvements.

Fitness Through the Ages

The Squat 20s

Skill Related Components:

30s

• When doing a squat, begin standing tall with the bar comfortably on your shoulders. Make sure

that it is not resting on your neck or any bone.

• Begin your squat by loading your weight onto your heels and beginning to push your hips back.

• Bend your knees and begin the squat. While you

are going down you should inhale.

• Go down as far as you are comfortable, however no further than 90 degrees. Be sure

that your knees are not going over your toes and that you are maintaining a flat back.

• Begin coming up in a slow and

controlled motion while exhaling.

40s

• To begin, hold the weight with both hands in the middle of your body. Relax

your arms.

• Begin loading your weight onto your heels and pushing your hips back.

• At this point begin squatting down, with no more than a 90 degree bend in your knees. You will also be inhaling on your way down.

At the same time, be sure that your knees are not over your toes and that your back remains flat throughout the exercise.

• Begin standing back up in a slow and controlled motion, while exhaling to ensure you are not holding your breath.

50s

•Start in a chair, or sitting on a plyometric box as shown. Make

sure that your feet are shoulder width apart and that your feet are flat on the ground.

•Then you will simply stand up, just like a squat while inhaling on your way up.

During the movement be sure that your weight is on your heels and that your knees are not out in front of your toes and your back is remaining flat throughout the exercise.

• Once you have stood up tall, begin to sit back down while exhaling on your way down. A squat is a very essential

movement in everyday life.

BLAST FROM THE PAST Where They Are Now An update on former Campus Rec employees

Dana Cusic started working for Campus Rec in 2004 as an intramural referee. When the new facility opened in 2007, She moved to the Administration Offices as the Office Services Supervisor. While at SFA, Dana was very active in intramural sports, participating in flag football, softball, basketball, and, later when coed was introduced, flickerball.

Dana says her favorite memories of Campus Rec are the relationships she built with her co-workers, late nights on the intramural fields, watching the new facility being built which really made Campus Recreation come alive, and it cannot go without being said,” Janice Casper. “She was a great mentor and taught me the value of a strong work ethic.”

Dana is currently a Recruiter at Frontline Source Group, a staffing firm headquartered in Dallas, TX. They handle recruiting in the fields of IT, Accounting, Finance, Human Resources, Legal, Sales and Medical Administration positions for companies across the United States. Other offices are located in Austin, Fort Worth, Plano, Houston, Sugar Land, The Woodlands, Nashville, and Phoenix. “I started at Frontline Source Group almost a year ago in an entry level recruiting position and have been able to grow into a Senior Recruiter role and continue to advance my responsibility within the company.

They have given me a great opportunity!”

“I believe that working for Campus Recreation really gave me a chance to shine while I was in school. It gave me the opportunity to gain and sharpen skills that I have been able to carry with me after graduation. No matter what position you have within Campus Recreation, they expect the very best. My advice would be to take advantage of the tools you learn while you can.”

Rusty Pendergrass worked as a sports official in 1982 and 1984 and worked the intramural equipment cage on weekends. He received a degree in Health and Physical Education and a masters in Education from SFA. Although he and his teams won many championships in their time at SFA, the “most fun was the washers champsionship.”

When asked his favorite Campus Rec memory, Rusty noted, “The friends I made and the fun of playing all the sports.” Rusty also gives some words of wisdom to current Rec employees: “Study hard and get your degree but mix in some fun and make some friends for life.

Rusty currently works as a scout for the Houston Astros.

Brice Hodge worked for Intramural Sports from August 2006 - December 2007. He graduated from SFA with a degree in Communications. In his time at SFA, his flag football team made the playoffs every year. Brice’s best memory from Campus Rec was the summer of 2007, when Campus Recreation moved from the HPE and Birdwell Building into the new facility.

His advice for future SFA alumni is to “get involved in as many campus activities and organizations as you can fit in your schedule; it’s a great way to get out and meet people, make friends and connections, and relieve stress from class.”

Brice is currently an academic advisor for Eastfield College in Mesquite, Texas.

If you are a former Campus Rec employee or participant and want to be featured in this newsletter, please contact us at ejross@ sfasu.edu or 936-468-5844. Please include your experiences working at SFA Campus Recreation and what you’ve been doing since your time at SFA. If possible, please also include a recent picture.

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Where Are YOU Now? An update on former IMS participants

The Pi Kappa Alphas, or Pikes, were at the top of the pack for many years when it came to intramural sports at SFA. Their longest streak at the Overall Intramural Championship was from ‘73 to ‘82. They also were the overall champions in ‘62, ‘63, ‘84, ‘85, ‘86, ‘96, ‘97, ‘98, ‘00, and ‘01.

SFA Alum Greg Samford attended SFA from ‘78-’82, earning a bachelor’s degree in Physical Education and a master’s in Education. He did not begin his intramural career with the Pikes, but soon caught their eye. “I had no intentions my first year pledging to a fraternity.” But when Samford beat the Pikes in the intramural volleyball championships spring ‘78 - “playing the best game of my life” - he was approached to pledge in fall ‘78. His favorite memory playing with the Pikes was when they played in the volleyball championship in ‘82 with only 5 players.

While Joe Rendon, SFA attendee from ‘75-’80, was competing with the Pikes, they went undefeated in many sports in various years, including flickerball (‘80, ‘86), flag 1986 1st Place Flickerball football (‘83), volleyball (‘83), and softball (‘85). The Pikes also won championships Glenn McLaren, Rick Wilson, Greg Bryan, Joe in water polo, wrestling, and track and field. Rendon served as the Pike Coach and Rendon, Mark Earwood, David Reeves, Mitch Lee, Intramural Director for 5 years. When asked his favorite memory, Rendon said he not pictured: Mel Coffland most enjoyed the 1986 flickerball championship: “We won the whole thing with only 6 players on the team; won the flickerball championship with only 5 players playing that particular night.” Rendon also notes that the Pikes were so dominant in Greek Week for a few consecutive years that they began referring to it as “Pike Week.”

Rendon lists a few Pikes who made great contributions to the Pikes’ intramural success ‘73-’86: Charlie “Choo Choo” Goldstein, Scott Randolph, Ted Burgett, Rick Marberry, Eli Rodriguez, Mart Graham, Greg Samford, Mark Bacon, Glenn McLaren, David Reeves, Tracy Ainsworth, and himself.

Since leaving SFA, Joe Rendon has taught Physical Education and high school English, as well as high school basketball, football, and softball at Alief, Santa Fe, Lamar Consolidated, and La Marque high schools. He is now teaching Physical Education and health classes in La Marque ISD. His advice to future SFA alumni: “Take your time in college and meet as many people as you can. Make as many friends as you can. Make as many good memories as you can. College life is a time when you must stop and smell the roses.”

After leaving SFA, Samford ended up taking a job at the University of Texas Medical Branch where he worked as a system analyst and more recently a computer operator. He still keeps in touch with several of the guys he played intramurals with at SFA, including Joe Rendon and former Pike intramural faculty advisor David Campbell, with whom he credits to saving his life after Campbell and his wife took him in during Hurricanes Rita and Ike.

Who Am I?

1984 1st Place - Women’s Basketball “Pretenders”

Do you know these past Campus Rec Intramural participants? Is it you? Help us remember those who have helped keep the strong IMS traditions of SFA by sending us what you know! If you know the names of these players, please email us at millsbrian@sfasu.edu or call 936-468-1434.

1984 2nd Place - Women’s Basketball “Who Cares?”

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Sport Clubs NOTABLE ACHIEVEMENTS Women’s Volleyball Has High Expectations For Spring Season

Successful Men’s Basketball Team Seeking to Develop Strong Women’s Team

Last spring, the women’s volleyball sport clubs team made it to the regional tournament and fell just a few spots short of a national berth. This season, they hope to extend their season and earn a spot in the national tournament.

The men’s basketball club team is continuing to make a name for themselves in the few years they’ve been a sport club at SFA. The men’s basketball club team started up in 2007 and added a women’s team in spring of 2010. Last spring, both the men’s and women’s basketball teams went to the regional tournament held at the University of Texas in San Antonio. The men’s team advanced to the national tournament in Tennessee.

After finishing tryouts in late January, their first tournament is Saturday, February 5 at the University of Texas at Austin.

By competing well in this tournament, they will advance to the crossover tournament at Baylor February 25 and 26.

Here they can qualify for the championship tournament at Texas A&M University March 26.

Inline Hockey Looks to Defend League Championship

The inline hockey team won their league championship in 2010 and scored a berth to the national tournament. They hope to defend their title and make it back to the national tournament. They will compete in a tournament in Denton February 12 and 13. Playoffs for inline hockey will be March 5 and 6 in Denton.

This season, the club is focusing on building the women’s team and sending them to more tournaments. Both the men and women’s teams will compete in the regional tournament held again at UTSA February 25 and 26.

All Sport Club Picture Front Row: Mercades Cheuis: Women’s Volleyball; Audrey Spencer: Judo; Elisabeth Fortin: Water Sports; Lauren Owens: Women’s Soccer; Katherine Timaeus: Skateboarding; Meghan Holderrieth: Rodeo; Jasmine Dill: Women’s Basketball; Kevin Higgins: Beep Baseball Back Row: Rodney Hayward: Men’s Basketball; Matt Thomas: Inline Hockey; Steven Geib: Outdoor Adventure; Richie Louate: Men’s Soccer; Kingsly Adanse: Ultimate Frisbee; Preston Whisenhunt: Bass; Thomas Harris: Tennis; Drew Atherton: Cycling; Paul Idibia: Rugby Not Pictured: Racquetball, Student Official’s Association, Men’s Lacrosse

Want to get in touch with old club members? Please email us at millsbrian@sfasu.edu or call 936-468-1434 and give us some details about your experience with the club program, when you were a part of the club, and who you are looking for. We will do everything we can to help.

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In the next issue of the

REC INSIDER, A deeper look at the Graduate Assistants program at Campus Rec NIRSA involvement and success Where are YOU now? The Bandits

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