March 26, 2009
In addition to ACC championships in Women's Basketball, Men's Wrestling, Women's Field Hockey, and Men's Soccer, national championships in Field Hockey and Men's Soccer, 130 student-athletes achieving Dean's List and 35 receiving a 4.0 grade point average, the student-athletes at the University of Maryland have found time to go beyond the call of duty. Despite long days of classes, exhausting practices, and nights filled with studying, the University of Maryland student-athletes choose to volunteer in the community out of their sense of altruism. In the fall semester of 2008, the 700 hundred athletes stepped off their fields, out of their classrooms and into their communities, where they volunteered more than 2,000 hours. This article highlights a few teams that have been inspired to contribute through the leadership of their SAAC representatives.
Tracking back to summer workouts, the Maryland football team hosted thirty children age four to eight from the Montgomery County School District. The big Terps spent the day with their little fans playing games, touring the team house, watching football videos, signing autographs, and even running through drills. Months later, the Terps still stand as role models after a successful season and placing the most players of any school in the conference on the ACC Academic Team. During this spring semester twenty-two of the student-athletes are visiting a local elementary school each week to serve as role models and Big Brothers for the school children.
Maryland's swimming and diving teams participated in two great events, The Freedom Walk and the Capital Area Food Bank Drive, both located in the D.C. metropolitan area. The first was held on September 7 where the student-athletes left their Terp uniforms behind and walked in support of the victims of the September 11 attacks, and the many American men and women in uniform, past and present, who protect our freedom. During their most recent visit to the Capital Area Food Bank, the teams spent hours in a large warehouse actively moving and dividing cans of food, hygiene items, and cleaning supplies for distribution to needy families. This proved to be an educational experience according to freshman Martha VanLieshout, “It makes you appreciate the work that goes into food distribution for our area's poor. It also helps you understand the process behind what happens [when you donate cans] and food to such a corporation.”
The University of Maryland's field hockey and gymnastics teams made special visits to area children's hospitals, the National Children's Medical Center and University of Maryland Medical Center, respectively. The field hockey team helped terminal children to forget about their illness for a couple hours as they made Halloween arts and crafts. The field hockey team left the hospital with feelings of gratification, realizations of how blessed they are, and twenty new friends. As senior Danielle Keeley reflects, “I think it was a great, humbling experience for the team. I look forward to going back”. Similarly, the gymnastics team spent their time reading, inspiring, and even tumbling across the hospital floors at the University's Medical Center located in Baltimore. Brandi George confirmed the importance of this day for both the Terps and the children's personal growth, “It is very important to give back to the community and encourage and support these children to achieve their dreams”.
Representing the baseball team's efforts, former Army sergeant and current Terp pitcher, Nathan Steelman, rounded the team up for a visit to the injured Army veterans at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C. during the holiday season. Having served in Iraq, the situation was familiar to Steelman and his teammates, who have heard his stories, and were compelled to express their appreciation. According to Steelman, the event was an opportunity to “help wounded soldiers lift their spirits and thank them for their service”. The Terps provided Walter Reed with newly formed friendships and Maryland baseball gear for their supporters.
The aforementioned are just a few of the remarkable actions made by individual Terps teams. Throughout the year, the student-athlete advisory committee has taken part in other service projects including a canned drive, which raised over 2,100 pounds of food, as well as a coat drive sponsored by former Terp football star, Shawne Merriman. Student-athletes have also been committed to participating in the Terrapin Enrichment Reading Program at over 15 local elementary schools, at which the student-athletes encourage their young counterparts to be dedicated to their academics and extracurricular activities. The community service activities continue as the Terps receive service requests from local schools and organizations, and the student-athlete advisory committee will participate in nationally recognized events such as Relay for Life and a National Student-Athlete Day celebration in the beginning of May.
