Horizon League tennis active on court and in community
April 26, 2007
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Serve. To Horizon League tennis student-athletes, it more than just something you do on the court; it's something you do to help make your community a better place.
This year, student athletes from the League's tennis programs logged countless hours or volunteer work at a variety of organizations, including Special Olympics, the Salvation Army, Ronald McDonald House, Toys for Tots and local elementary schools.
The teams from Butler University, Cleveland State University and the University of Illinois at Chicago spent the year working with children at elementary schools and community centers in their cities. The Bulldogs tallied over 75 hours at the Martin Luther King Jr. Center, helping inner-city youth with their homework and other activities, while the Vikings adopted the second-grade class at Marion-Sterling elementary in Cleveland, visiting the classroom at least twice a week to assist the students with their reading, math and vocabulary skills. The Flames, through involvement with the Student Athlete Advisory Council (SAAC), help prepare holiday parties for the children at the Smyth School.
Wright State University, University of Wisconsin-Green Bay, and Youngstown State University spent their time assisting with various special events in their communities this year. The Raiders work annually with the Toys for Tots campaign, while YSU played a key role in the Angels for Animals yard sale in nearby Canfield, Ohio, in addition volunteering at the Canfield Fair. The Phoenix players gave their time to several organizations by assisting with a Special Olympics bowling night in the fall, serving as bell ringers for the Salvation Army during the holidays and participating in the department-wide "Kids Night Out with the Phoenix" every spring.
"We're proud of our student-athletes, not only for what they do on the court, but what they do in the community," said Stephanie Jarvis, Horizon League Associate Commissioner for Compliance and Legal Affairs.
"It's wonderful to see that our student-athletes are willing to give of their time to help others. One of the platforms of the Horizon League is community service and I think this proves what a wonderful job they do of living that platform everyday."
The 2007 Horizon League Tennis Championships begin Saturday April 28 at 9 a.m. as the women begin opening round play at North Central High School in Indianapolis. The men's contests begin at 11 a.m. Saturday, with both championship matches scheduled for Sunday morning.
