May 2, 2006

COLLEGE PARK, Md. - The eighth grade student body from The Cradlerock School in Columbia, Maryland visited the University of Maryland for National Student-Athlete Day on Friday, April 28. The mission of the day was to promote academics and athletics and help the visiting students realize the importance of finding a balance for both.

Over 160 students received a campus tour, followed by lunch at the Comcast Center with the student-athletes and a speech by former men's soccer stand-out and current women's soccer assistant coach Leo Cullen on the importance of school. The eighth-graders also performed in team games led by the student-athletes and received autographs from student-athletes on shirts and participation cards.

The students participated in several team games including, basketball shooting, football toss and catch, a wiffle-ball batting cage with hitting and fielding, a soccer shoot-out, and a track & field shuttle station. Each station brought their own challenges physically to the visiting students, but the instructions and energy provided by the volunteering student-athletes helped increase the level of enjoyment. "This field trip was the best field trip these students have taken, they had a great time," said Deborah Epperly, the supervising teacher with The Cradlerock School.