Horizon League SAAC Volunteers at Kaleidoscope Youth Center

Oct. 4, 2006

INDIANAPOLIS --- Service, camaraderie and fun were the orders of the day when the Horizon League's Student-Athlete Advisory Committee continued an annual tradition by volunteering in early August at the Kaleidoscope Youth Center's Summer Day Camp on Indianapolis' near north side.

Kaleidoscope Church and Community Partnership Youth Center is a community-based organization that has serviced nearly 2,000 youth, ages 7-16.

Thirteen Horizon League student-athletes, an advisor and several League office staff members attended this year's outing, which began in a neighboring school gymnasium with basketball, Frisbee and other games.  The campers and student-athletes then returned to Kaleidoscope for an afternoon of sing-a-long songs, foosball, ping-pong and a special piano performance by one of the camp's younger members.

"I've never been part of something like this," said Mark Sommerfeld, a member of the University of Detroit Mercy men's golf team.  "It was interesting to see how all the kids were so disciplined but want to have fun."

Added Patrick Tatham, a senior men's basketball player at Cleveland State University, "The younger kids look up to older ones and really look up to student-athletes.  Hopefully, this will inspire them to play sports and give back to the community."

SAAC's visit was on the next-to-last day of KYC's eight-week summer day camp, which hosted approximately 35-40 kids per day and featured sports, field trips and other activities.  During the academic year, KYC offers a daily after-school program for local youth.

"It's just a lot of fun," said Teri Kellar of the Butler University track and field team who also attended last year's event.  "Some of the kids remembered me (from last year).  It reminds us this is what life's about."

And, it's what the Horizon League hopes the student-athletes take away from the experience when they return to their respective campuses.

"When they're on campus, so much of their life is spent working the sports aspect of college," said Steve Corder, Assistant Athletic Director at Detroit and one of two advisors to the Horizon League SAAC.  "This helps them understand the rest of their situation, from academics to community service to their responsibility as university student-athletes and Horizon League student-athletes."

Providing the camp's students the chance to interact with the student-athletes is key to the center's staff.

"First and foremost, they have an opportunity to meet the student-athletes," said Robert Nunley, Kaleidoscope's Executive Director.  "For some kids here at Kaleidoscope, access is a key piece and acts as a bridge.  It helps them to know you can go to college on a scholarship for athletics, then go on to get a degree."

The Horizon League SAAC is comprised of two student-athletes from each of the League's nine member institutions. SAAC provides an opportunity for student-athletes to be more involved in League issues and to enhance communication and a sense of community among the League's student-athletes. The group is charged with enhancing the total student-athlete experience by promoting opportunity, protecting student-athlete welfare and fostering a positive student-athlete image.

The 2006-07 SAAC members are Kellar and Evan West (men's tennis) of Butler; Tatham and Michele Penny (softball) of Cleveland State; Sommerfeld, Zach Bolton (men's cross country/track and field) and Mandi Dupuis (women's golf) of Detroit; Blake Booher (men's swimming and diving) and Rowsha LaBranche (women's track and field) of UIC; Nora Schober (softball) and Javier Lopez (men's soccer) of Loyola; Mike Witte (men's swimming and diving) and Holly Carlisle (women's swimming and diving) of UW-Green Bay; Steve Bode (men's soccer) and Sarah Moore (volleyball) of UW-Milwaukee; Sierra Crayton (women's basketball) and Andrea Hess (women's swimming and diving) of Wright State; and Ryan Sellman (baseball) and Brittny Humphrey (women's soccer) of Youngstown State.

LaBranche serves as the SAAC president for the 2006-07 academic year, while Schober and Witte are co-vice presidents.  Corder and UW-Green Bay faculty athletics representative Donna Ritch serve as advisors to the committee.

"This is a great experience for our SAAC and a way to incorporate our platform of community outreach into our meetings, said Stephanie Jarvis, one of the League's assistant commissioners and its liaison to the SAAC.  "We have been working with Kaleidoscope for the last several years and I think that our student-athletes get as much, if not more, out of the day as the children from the Center.  Our SAAC members consistently tell me it is one of the highlights of their trip to Indianapolis."

###