a different kind of stat for student-athletes Being a student-athlete at RU involves more than just dedicating your time and energy to the sports you love; it also allows several opportunities to give back to the community. The Rockford University athletic department encourages all of its teams to get involved and lend a hand whenever the opportunity presents itself. Taking time away from the competition field has become a tradition that student-athletes look forward to each and every year. The Athletic department as a whole has already begun collecting items for the annual Cans Across the Conference competition among the 12 members of the Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference. Regents have won the competition twice and collected more than 1,000 items in each of the last seven years. This past year, the Athletic department gathered 1,032 items, all of which were donated to the Northern Illinois Food Bank. Men’s soccer began their season not with a practice, but by volunteering for the Habitat for Humanity ReStore. Rockford’s 21 players and two coaches arrived early in the morning at the ReStore, ready to lend a hand. The Regents were split into two groups, with the first on warehouse duty and the other put to work in the front of the store helping organize the new 8
materials for sale. “It truly was a great experience for our newcomers and returners to lend a hand and give back to the community,” Head Coach Jeremy Vann stated. “I am very proud of my players for all of their hard work as well as volunteering their time to help a truly worthy cause. Rockford University is an institution that prides itself on giving back, and I am happy these young men understood that their efforts were appreciated.” The football team took time away from the gridiron during its pre-season camp to volunteer with the Rockford Housing Authority. All of the Regents returners, along with members of the coaching staff, spent a day helping paint fences for housing units on the west side of the city. “This was an exciting and rewarding experience for our student-athletes,” Head Football Coach Jim Schroeder stated. “We were fortunate to have the opportunity to support the local community in a meaningful way while at the same time growing as a team and as people.” The Men’s basketball team spent a day donating their time at the Rockford Public School District 205 Coaching Clinic. The clinic featured multiple collegiate coaches speaking to local youth basketball coaches as members of the team demonstrated how to execute drills.