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TABLE OF CONTENTS.
04
05
06
08
Message from the Director
Mission & Values
Master Plan Update
Director’s Award
10
Student Recreational Leadership Council
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Engagement, Inclusion, & Diversity
14
16
18
20
22
24
Aquatics
Fitness
Finance
Instructional Programs
Intramural Sports
Sport Clubs
26
28
30
32
Marketing & Communications
Member Services
Operations
34
36
38
#ActiveBadger Day
Day of Play
Special Events
Staff
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MESSAGE FROM THE DIRECTOR. Greetings and thank you for taking time to look through some of our 2017-2018 highlights. A period of tremendous change continues within the Division of Recreational Sports. In the last year, we completed and opened the Near West Fields, which increased our participation at that facility by more than 100% and allowed us to maximize the opportunity for our campus community to PLAY HARD. GET FIT. LIVE WELL.
John Horn Director
We shut down and demolished our largest and most widelyused facility, the Southeast Recreational Facility, to make room for the Nicholas Recreation Center (the Nick). In turn, we expanded equipment, programs, and hours at the Camp Randall Sports Center and the Natatorium to make up for the loss. A partnership with University Housing also allowed us to create a new space in Ogg Residence Hall for students in the southeast community to use state-of-the-art fitness equipment. Every day, we continue working on the Rec Sports Master Plan and preparing to open new facilities in the coming years. But it’s the people that we work with and the members who use our facilities and programs that continue to be our key focus as we move forward with our vision to create the best possible experience.
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Along this important path we’ve been on, we have asked for feedback and listened to students and non-student Rec Sports Members. Through our spring 2018 member survey, we were able to gather amazing data: > Almost all of the respondents (95.7%) of the survey would recommend Rec Sports to a friend > 79.2% of respondents agreed or strongly agreed that their participation with Rec Sports has improved their experience at the University of Wisconsin-Madison > 88.4% of student respondents agreed or strongly agreed that their participation has helped improve their mental wellbeing > 90.4% of student respondents agreed or strongly agreed that their participation has improved their quality of life on campus
As we – and our members and survey respondents – know, we are more than just sports. Our programs, services, and facilities make it possible for individuals to practice healthy habits and develop lifestyles focused on wellbeing. That is why we plan to change our department name to University Recreation and Wellbeing prior to opening the Nicholas Recreation Center, expected in late fall 2019. Our members helped get us to the point we are at today, and they are helping guide our future with new guiding principles and initiatives and ultimately, new facilities and services to create the healthiest campus in the country.
MISSION & VALUES.
The mission of the Division of Recreational Sports is to enhance the UW-Madison experience by providing excellent programs, services, and facilities that promote and inspire the social, mental, and physical wellbeing of the campus community.
Innovation & Excellence
Diversity & Inclusion
We are committed to providing innovative, diverse, and highquality programs, services, and facilities that support and enhance the mission of the University.
We are committed to providing rich and unique opportunities for all employees, members, and participants. Through similarities and differences we find in race, ethnicity, age, gender, gender identity expression, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, ability, religion, experiences, backgrounds, and national origin, we believe that diversity enriches and empowers all of our members and staff.
Student Development We are committed to providing students with developmental opportunities including, but not limited to, leadership, supervision, and conflict resolution.
Collaboration We are committed to fostering relationships by partnering with students, campus departments, and community organizations to support projects and events.
Health & Wellness We are committed to serving the campus as the recreational health and wellness leader.
Resource Stewardship We are committed to using our financial, human, and physical resources in a responsible manner.
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MASTER PLAN UPDATE.
Perhaps our biggest update from 2017-18 is the closure and demolition of the Southeast Recreational Facility (SERF), and the subsequent groundbreaking and construction of the Nicholas Recreation Center (the Nick). The Nick is the second of four planned projects in the Rec Sports Master Plan, and our first indoor facility project. After a summer filled with moving, member communications, and logistics planning, we closed the SERF on August 18, 2017. Some members cheered, other members lamented, but we kept all of them in mind as we planned alternative and improved spaces for them to continue to PLAY HARD. GET FIT. LIVE WELL. At the Natatorium (Nat), we converted a court into a dedicated space for cardio and strength equipment. Aptly named the Cardio Court, this new space offered Nat users more cardio equipment, and allowed us to turn the cardio and weight room downstairs into a dedicated weight space. Throughout this process, our goal was to offer alternative options to our members to lessen the interruptions they may have felt after the SERF closed. For members who prefer to work out on the southeast side of campus, we partnered with University Housing to transform the first-floor lounge of Ogg Residence Hall into the Ogg Hall Fitness Center. New cardio machines, weight equipment, and branded graphics helped create a space that feels like one of our facilities. Throughout the process of closing and demolishing the SERF, our staff also worked hard to complete the design of the Nicholas Recreation Center. Made possible by a generous $20 million donation from Albert “Ab� and Nancy Nicholas and their family, construction is now underway on the $87.5 million state-of-the-art facility, expected to open in fall 2019. 6
“The main thing is that we wanted to do something that supports many students,” said Nancy Nicholas. “Endowed scholarships only support one or two students at a time. The Rec Sports project is something that all students can benefit from.”
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Student:
Antonique Brown Length of Employment:
Spring 2015 - Present 8
Antonique Brown has been a standout employee throughout her entire time with Rec Sports. Originally hired as a facility attendant, Antonique immediately demonstrated the responsibility and attention to detail that supervisors can only dream about. As a facility supervisor, she has remained consistent, attentive, and extremely reliable. In addition to this, this past fall she received her ACE Personal Training certification and became a personal trainer for the Division. Her supervisors share their experience working with her:
My initial impression of Antonique as a reliable, hard-working, professional student has not changed in the almost two years I have worked with her. Her interactions with members, peers, and professional staff are always genuine and engaging. She listens intently and provides valuable input to contribute to conversations and decisions. I was thrilled to see that Antonique pursued (and received) her Personal Training certification and became a personal trainer for the Division. She is the person I would want to work with if I was looking for someone to motivate me while listening and attending to my personal needs to enhance my wellbeing. She’s been a tremendous leader, valuable staff member, and wonderful person. When I think of a top facility supervisor, Antonique immediately comes to mind. She has a strong work ethic, is calm when dealing with difficult issues, and is well respected by her peers. She is also excellent at identifying problems on shifts and relaying them to professional staff so that we can fix them. She is always willing to work special events and the undesirable open or close shifts. I have never seen Antonique in a bad mood, she is always kind and pleasant to be around. I also love that she has continued to push herself by doing things like joining adapted fitness and becoming a personal trainer. She really is a well-rounded Rec Sports rock star!
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STUDENT RECREATIONAL LEADERSHIP COUNCIL. The Student Recreational Leadership Council (SRLC) is a student-led campus organization made up of 15 leaders from Aquatics, Fitness, Instructional Programs, Intramural Sports, Sport Clubs, Marketing & Communications, and Member Services & Operations. During the 20172018 school year, the SRLC focused on professional development, community outreach, and providing feedback for the professional staff.
Some of the council’s accomplishments included reimbursing costs for professional development opportunities, volunteering on campus and in the Madison community, and providing feedback on topics such as the new logo and name change, measuring student involvement and job satisfaction, and implementing a student employee incentive program. The SRLC capped off an impressive year by providing fellow Rec Sports employees with coffee and snacks during finals week.
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$1,737 reimbursed to student employees who attended professional development opportunities
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“I think Rec Sports does a great job of creating an inclusive environment and is always working toward making it even more inclusive.” – Rec Sports student employee
>95
>98.7%
>99%
>97.4%
student employees attended the annual Student Employee Diversity Forum
of student staff would recommend working at Rec Sports to a friend 12
of student staff often or always feel safe while at work
of student staff are often or always satisfied with their job
ENGAGEMENT, INCLUSION, AND DIVERSITY. This year, our Engagement, Inclusion, and Diversity (E.I.D.) Committee focused on better defining professional development while also streamlining tracking and reporting for professional development opportunities. Staff members will now complete a survey after they attend a training or conference to reflect on their learning and development. This also provides valuable insight for future professional staff who are looking to attend the same development opportunity. For our student employees, we held our third annual Student Employee Diversity Forum in February. Student staff participated in activities and discussions that explored identity, micro-aggressions, and how to respond to difficult situations that may arise in the work setting. Our students welcomed the opportunity to talk openly about challenges they face in their positions as well as strategies for continuing to place an emphasis on E.I.D. in the workplace. Around the same time as the Forum, we conducted our third annual Rec Sports E.I.D. Student Survey to assess student employee work culture, preparedness through training, and employee/supervisor interactions. We obtained 157 completed responses, a 26% response rate. We found great insight into ways to improve our trainings and give our student staff more opportunities to meet and work with other Rec Sports student employees. 13
24%
increase in open recreation pool usage
39,740 lap swimmers
1,200
more participations than in 2016-17
150+
log rolling participations 14
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Once the SERF closed in August, the Natatorium Pool became the hub for all things aquatics. Compared to 2016-17, we saw a 24% increase in open recreation pool usage for a total of almost 40,000 lap pool swimmers during the year. To accommodate this increase, our aquatics staff added new open rec hours on Saturday during the fall and spring for the first time in the Division’s history. With the extended hours, we were able to increase participations for the year by more than 1,000 swimmers. In addition to recreation successes, we were also able to continue hosting many of our annual events, including the Girls and Boys WIAA State Swimming and Diving Championships. Outside of lap swimming, we saw an increase in participants thanks to a new activity that made quite a splash: log rolling. Swimmers and non-swimmers alike flocked to the Natatorium Pool twice a week during the fall and spring to try a sport that has been around for decades. Over the course of the year, we welcomed more than 150 log rolling participants during open rec hours as well as at events like Sunday Funday and #ActiveBadger Day. 15
FITNESS.
3,689
Group Fitness Passes sold
16
194
personal training clients, 71% of which were students
288
participants at fourth annual Bucky’s Workout
149
fitness outreach events in 2017-18, increase from 134 in 2016-17
43,929 Group Fitness participations at the Natatorium, compared to 11,360 in 2016-17
Losing the SERF presented a major challenge to our Group Fitness offerings. More than 85% of our Group Fitness participations occurred at the SERF in previous years. Without that facility, our Fitness staff worked to adjust class formats, lengths, times, and locations to continue providing exciting options for our members. We moved the entire Group Fitness program to the Nat, a facility that does not have a dedicated group fitness studio, and tripled the number of classes offered there in the past. With 75 total classes per week, 30 fewer than what was offered when the SERF was still open, our participations at the Nat increased from 11,360 in 2016 to almost 44,000 in 2017-18. The Fitness department also introduced new Group Fitness and Mind-Body Studio classes, offered free Scientific Training Seminars, and added new pieces of equipment like the Queenax. We remain committed to bringing our members the highest quality programs, facilities, and services possible.
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FINANCE. 69%
of total revenue was received from students’ segregated fees
$892,159 revenue from all membership sales
*Increased due to an $8 seg fee increase for the Master Plan
31%
of total revenue was generated by programrelated sources
$1,234,500 of expenses were returned to students in wages
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INSTRUCTIONAL PROGRAMS. 174
swim lesson participants
918
tennis lesson participants
457
American Red Cross certifications
130
Learn to Skate participants, 80% increase from 2016-17
1 award
for being an American Red Cross Top Ten Provider in the state of Wisconsin 20
encourage participants to progress from level to level and allow for more participants to join the programs. To encourage participant progress, our instructors created certificates of completion and had conversations with all participants after the session ended. We found these one-on-one conversations incentivized participants to advance to the next level. For our Learn to Skate program, we created more levels and changed our classes from 6-week offerings to 4-week offerings. This allowed participants to pass through multiple levels and advance at a quicker rate. We were also able to have more skaters participate without needing any additional space reservations. These changes resulted in our largest year of Learn to Skate in the history of the program! In our second year of Rec Sports Summer Camp, we doubled our participation. We added an afternoon-only session that allows campers to participate in other activities during the morning and still attend our camp at a reduced cost. We also added a variety of different field trips for our campers. They kayaked at Memorial Union with Outdoor UW, bowled at Union South, stopped for ice cream at Babcock Dairy Hall, and explored new parts of campus. It’s always fun to see our younger #ActiveBadgers around campus during the summer months, and we’re excited to watch this program continue to grow.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
This year in Instructional Programs, we restructured many of our offerings to
“I took a freestyle lesson and after making a few adjustments in technique, I made big gains this week. Today I swam a mile front crawl, something I couldn’t have done a week ago. Until this week, I didn’t have the skills. Finding adult swim lessons in Madison is kind of hard, so I really appreciate the programs run by Rec Sports.” – SWIM CLINIC PARTICIPANT
“Both Senior Leadership and I appreciate that we are better prepared as a College for accidents and emergencies – both on campus and wherever our faculty, staff, and students may be.” – JESSE DECKER, DIRECTOR FOR SAFETY AT COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING 21
INTRAMURAL SPORTS.
Even without the SERF as a home for competitions, 2017-18 was a year of growth for our Intramural Sports department. The turf fields at Near West, the first completed project of the Master Plan, helped us increase participations in outdoor intramural sports by 43%. Without the usual soggy playing conditions on grass fields, we were able to start our spring season 32 days earlier than we have in the past five years and play almost 500 more games than last year. New this year, we partnered with the Special Olympics chapter in Madison and the student organization Badgers for Special Olympics to offer Unified SportsÂŽ, which join people with and without intellectual disabilities on the same team. In the fall, participants took to the field for Unified Flag Football and in the spring we offered Unified Volleyball. The staff and participants who were involved spoke highly of the opportunity to inspire a new audience to PLAY HARD. GET FIT. LIVE WELL.
> 43%
increase in outdoor intramural sport participations
> 499
more games played than in 2016-17
> 5,483
more participations than in 2016-17
> 193%
increase in spring participations from 2016-17
> 11,736
total participants, 26.78% of the UW-Madison student population
> 78
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participants in first-ever Unified Sports leagues
“I played Unified Flag Football and my team won the championship. The athletes and UW students had the best night ever! This is what I think of when I think of Rec Sports.” – UNIFIED SPORTS ATHLETE
“Playing intramurals and being on the women’s club volleyball team has given me lifelong relationships and helped me to continue doing what I love through college.” – INTRAMURAL SPORTS AND SPORT CLUB ATHLETE
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Building on the regional and national level success in 2016-2017, our Sport Clubs continued to represent the university well on and off the playing field this year. Our clubs completed 1,634 hours of community service, a 50% increase from last year, and fundraised 30% more than last year. In competitions, 26 of our 44 clubs qualified for and attended their national tournaments. Dance Elite won the top spot at their national competition for the third year in a row, placing first in the Collegiate Lyrical and Hip Hop divisions. As our athletes prove their skill level on the field, we’ve worked to find ways to continue to support them off of it. This year, our Division secured the necessary funding for Athletic Training services, making it possible for Athletic Trainer Jerod Keene to provide home coverage for 19 club events in the spring. Keene also traveled to national tournaments with our Men’s Ultimate Frisbee Club and Men’s Rugby Club. In the spring, we opened our first-ever Athletic Training Clinic for Sport Club athletes. More than 80 athletes visited the clinic to seek treatment. In addition, all 44 of our Sport Clubs participated in the NCAA Mind Matters Study, a nationwide study that was also the first concussion study focused specifically on Sport Club athletes. We look forward to building upon the clinic’s success this year as we continue to place an emphasis on concussion education and prevention.
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SPORT CLUBS. > 44
active clubs
> 2,201
total athletes
> 392
total competitions,
108 home competitions
> 26
> 1,634
community service hours,
compared to 1,087 in 2016-17 (50% increase from last year)
> 85,879
miles traveled for competitions (26% increase from last year)
> $102,608
raised for Sport Clubs, compared to $78,867 in 2016-17 (30% increase from last year)
“Following a difficult freshman year, I joined the Club Hockey team and found a group of people who helped me feel like I had a family on such a large campus. Participating in this club helped ground and connect me to UW.” – SPORT CLUB ATHLETE
clubs qualified and attended their national tournaments
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221,662 people reached with #ActiveBadger videos
1,104,450 total post impressions on Facebook
10,662 total likes on Instagram
27,685
people reached with Join The Club videos
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MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS. With the many facility changes happening this year, our Marketing and Communications department was busy educating and informing members about those changes while also making the most of new spaces. We worked with a local design agency, Thysse, to bring the Rec Sports brand to both our the Ogg Hall Fitness Center and the Cardio Court at the Nat. During the transition, we wanted members to feel like they were in a Rec Sports facility while also testing out new designs for the Nicholas Recreation Center. Outside of our facilities, we worked to tell more of our participants’ stories and introduced a few new features to highlight our members and athletes. This included Join the Club, a semester-long documentary series that followed the Women’s Club Basketball Team throughout their season. Through these videos, we were able to give our audience a behind-the-scenes look at what it’s like to be a Sport Club athlete. We implemented Instagram Story takeovers and continued writing regular blog posts and producing our #ActiveBadger video series. Our team also won second place in the NIRSA Creative Excellence Awards for our 2015-16 Annual Report. In addition to storytelling, we also redesigned our website and grew our relationships with corporate and campus partners including American Family Insurance, KIND, Matrix, Ian’s Pizza, Madison BCycle, University Health Services, Multicultural Student Center, Wisconsin Union, and DoIT. We announced American Family Insurance as our first “pillar partnership” for the Master Plan. American Family Insurance will provide funding for the new facilities and will be featured in facility signage, member communications, and at events. 27
MEMBER SERVICES.
$1,238,682 total membership revenue
Although we were down a major facility for the better part of 2017-18, the Member Services team still managed to increase total membership revenue and introduce new ways to engage with members. For the first time ever, the team organized Member Appreciation Week, five days of giveaways, free food, and activities to help thank our members for their membership, their patience during the master Plan, and for inspiring us on a daily basis.
In the spring, we sent out our second annual Rec Sports Survey that resulted in valuable feedback about the SERF closure, the condition of our facilities, and what members love most about participating in our programs, services, and facilities. We’re proud to know that 95.7% of respondents would recommend Rec Sports to a friend.
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1,042
Why do you choose to utilize Rec Sports programs and services?
Rec Sports Survey responses (40.6% increase in responses from last year)
1. Convenience
84.6%
of non-student respondents agree or strongly agree that their membership is a great value
88.4%
of student respondents agree or strongly agree that their participation in Rec Sports has helped them improve their mental wellbeing
2. Cost
3. Wellness
95.7%
of respondents would recommend Rec Sports to a friend
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OPERATIONS.
1,279,766
Breakdown of Users
(only a 17% reduction without the SERF)
UW Students
330,305
569,586
Faculty & Staff Special Events
226,307
Community, Spouse, & Domestic Partners
Natatorium
Shell
Ogg Hall Fitness Center
Nielsen Tennis Stadium
SERF Outdoor (July 1 – Fields August 18)
Athletics 6,291
44,429
49,627
Alumni 53,221
Annual Participations By Facility
TOTAL PARTICIPATIONS
Other
74.6% 8% 7.3% 5% 2.3% 1.5% 1.2%
Lathrop Hall
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Light of the Moon Homecoming 5K: The 3rd annual Light of the Moon Homecoming 5K included more than 400 runners along Lakeshore Path decked out in glowing lights and head-to-toe pink. The proceeds from the race went to the Lighting the Way with Pink Campaign in partnership with the Division of Student Life and Dean of Students Lori Berquam. This mid-week Homecoming celebration, organized in partnership with the Homecoming Committee was a night full of glow-in-the-dark fun, Badger pride, and smiling faces.
294
special event reservations
93,589
special event attendees
Sunday Funday: The kick-off to our Wisconsin Welcome events featured obstacle courses, inflatables, demonstrations from Sport Clubs, and more. Approximately 500 students came out to the Near West Fields to PLAY HARD. GET FIT. LIVE WELL., collect giveaways and prizes, and learn about the different programs we offer throughout the year. For most students, this event was also their official introduction to the Near West Fields, which opened over the summer. 32
SPECIAL EVENTS.
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#ACTIVEBADGER DAY.
On February 22, with the support of a variety of campus and corporate partners, we invited the UW-Madison community to celebrate movement with the first-ever #ActiveBadger Day. Inspired by National Recreational Sports and Fitness Day, we set out to provide a day of activities across campus for #ActiveBadgers of all fitness levels to get up, get outside, and get moving.
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35
events
Throughout the day, we offered events like hip hop yoga, healthy meal options with University Housing, and bowling at Union South. We saw more than 900 participants attend our 35 events, including a participant who attended her first-ever yoga class, seven members of a sorority who tried log rolling, and almost 20 members who did the Matrix Sprint 8ÂŽ treadmill workout for the first time (and loved it!).
910+
participants
12
locations across campus 35
DAY OF PLAY. In February, we hosted our fifth annual Day of Play presented by American Family Insurance. This year’s event provided an opportunity for kids in grades K-5 and their families to enjoy a morning of exercise, games, and healthy snacks. We partnered with students in the Physical Education Teacher Education program to lead the kids through a series of warm-ups, agility games, and dance programs. Members of the Taekwondo Club also gave a lesson in basic kicks and throws, and the day ended with a 20-minute Zumba class for everyone.
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During the event, American Family Insurance showcased opportunities for the whole family to enjoy time together while Metcalfe’s Market provided a table full of healthy snacks and easy recipes for smoothies and soups. Even with a snowstorm the night before, we welcomed 20 families to campus for a morning of movement, dance, and fun.
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STAFF. > > > > > > > > > > > > > >
Professional Interns
New Employees
Retirements
Madeline Bare, Aquatics Intern Malcolm Pope, Competitive Sports Intern Justin Colf, Fitness Intern Powers Spees, Marketing & Communications Intern Trevor Smith, Scheduling & Special Events Intern
Trevor Smith, Coordinator of Scheduling & Special Events Peter Schneider, Financial Specialist Powers Spees, Coordinator of Marketing & Communications Abby Van Note, Coordinator of Competitive Sports
Larry Millard, Maintenance Lori Devine, Assistant Director of Fitness & Wellness
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Aquatics
Marketing & Communications
Aaron Kroth, Assistant Director of Aquatics Matt Morrell, Maintenance
Lauren De Carolis, Coordinator of Marketing & Communications Powers Spees, Coordinator of Marketing & Communications
Competitive Sports
Member Services
Ashley Lax, Assistant Director of Competitive Sports Victoria Landron, Coordinator of Competitive Sports Abby Van Note, Coordinator of Competitive Sports
Sandy Wilson, Assistant Director of Member Services Mackenzie Lucius, Coordinator of Member Services Dave Borgrud, Day Manager at Nielsen Tennis Stadium
Director’s Office
Operations
John Horn, Director Mike Warren, Senior Associate Director Jeff Dvorak, Associate Director of Maintenance & Special Projects Erik Jaeke, Associate Director of Programs Sadat Khan, Associate Director of Member Services & Operations Alex Peirce, Associate Director of Marketing & Communications
Suzanne Brandt, Assistant Director of Operations Gabrielle Murphy, Coordinator of Operations Bill Riggins, Coordinator of Operations
Finance Jeff Sailor, Financial Program Supervisor Noel Becraft, Financial Specialist Joan Kazel, Financial Specialist Peter Schneider, Financial Specialist
Fitness Lori Devine, Assistant Director of Fitness Raquel Sancho Solis, Coordinator of Fitness
Human Resources
Scheduling & Special Events Karen Lux, Assistant Director of Scheduling & Special Events Trevor Smith, Coordinator of Scheduling & Special Events
Maintenance Brian McGuire, Building & Grounds Superintendent Tom Cline Greg Golbach Josh Greeno Tim Kottka Larry Millard Gary Volkmann Mike Worden
Whitney McMonigle, Human Resources Assistant
Instructional Programs Chad Schultz, Assistant Director of Instructional Programs & Staff Development
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FOLLOW THE ACTION.
recsports.wisc.edu
uwrecsports