RecLIFE Fa l l 2 0 2 1
INSIDE: REC SPORTS HIGHLIGHTS TEXAS A&M SWIMMING CLUB REC SPORTS TAILGATES AND MORE...
HOWDY Rec Sports was ready and excited to welcome back 70,000 students this fall to reconnect and recreate safely in our facilities. Sure, there was some trepidation given the global environment, but as the sun sets on 2021, we are very happy that students were able to enjoy the Aggie experience and create lasting memories with us. As friends of Rec Sports, you know first-hand how our rapidly expanding corners of campus positively impact students and play a big part in the Aggie experience. Even with precautions placed on our programming last year due to COVID-19, we still had almost 925,000 student entries in our buildings to run, lift, swim, bike, climb, walk, and just hang out. The Southside Rec Center is on track to open in Fall 2022 and will provide 63,000 additional square feet of recreational space, including courts, multipurpose rooms, strength and conditioning space, and a bouldering wall. We kicked off the fall semester strong with our annual Rec-A-Palooza event that showcased all the Rec has to offer to over 4,700 new and returning students. Our sport clubs have jumped back into competitions, Outdoor Adventures trips are back on the schedule, and intramural sport participations have surpassed pre-pandemic levels. While we had a very busy semester reconnecting with students, it was also great to see many of our alumni at our tailgates! Be sure to save March 26, 2022 for the annual Rec Sports Reunion, as well as November 5, 2022 for next season’s tailgate. As always, you have an open invitation to visit—we would love to give you a tour of our new recreational facilities any time. We look forward to seeing you in the new year! Thanks and Gig ‘Em!
MARY KALAFATIS Assistant Director, Marketing, Communications & Development Department of Recreational Sports
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TABLE OF CONTENTS Walk Of Champions
4
Rec Sports Highlights
4
New: Texas A&M Swimming Club
5
Rec Sports Tailgates
6
Save the Dates
7
Graduate Assistants
8
Staff Highlights
9
For the RECord
10
Outdoor Adventures: Full Circle
11
Intramural Sports: Cricket
11
GRAPHIC ARTIST
MARKETING MANAGER
CONTENT CONTRIBUTOR
PHOTOGRAPHER
Madeleine DeNard '22
Brette Clark '23
Michelle Briggs
Grace Gabriel '23
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Walk of Champions The Walk of Champions Brick Campaign features bricks engraved with the names of students, employees, and friends of Texas A&M. Together we can ensure that the values of excellence, integrity, leadership, loyalty, respect, and selfless service are instilled in all Aggies. Proceeds will help Rec Sports continue to offer highquality, inclusive programs, experiences, and facilities where future Aggies can maintain their wellbeing, test their limits, and gain leadership skills. To learn more about getting your own brick in the Walk of Champions, contact Mary Kalafatis at (979) 845-6457 or recsportsbricks@tamu.edu.
LET US TELL YOUR AGGIE STORY
Rec Sports Highlights FISCAL YEAR 2021
656,417
181
50,077
4,700
Strength & Conditioning Participations
Student Org. Meetings & Events
Intramural Participations
Rec-A-Palooza Attendees
3
2,137
7,152
331
Sport Clubs National Champions: Target Archers, Trap & Skeet, Pistol Team
43,130
Aquatics Participations
1,182
Personal Training Sessions
1,772
Specialty Class Participations
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15,146
Group RecXercise Participations
Sport Clubs Athletes
Intramural Games Played
2,861
Climbing Wall Participations
22,708 Participants at 96 Meetings & Events
Student Wages Paid Scholarships & Grants Awarded Raised for Sport Clubs
Outdoor Adventures Trip Particpants
$2,136,608 $43,575 $391,180
NEW: TEXAS A&M SWIMMING CLUB Texas A&M Rec Sports has always boasted an exemplary Sport Clubs program, and the newest club is no exception. The Texas A&M Swimming Club was recognized as an official Sport Club in 2021 after a long and thorough process. In December 2017, Jeppesen “Jepp” Feliciano recruited ten fellow Aggies and completed the first step to attain official recognition as a student organization at A&M. Jepp led the effort to participate in competitions as a strategy to increase membership beyond the founding swimmers. This would prove beneficial as demonstrating a leadership transition is a crucial step in becoming an official Sport Club. At the end of their first full year in Spring 2020, Jepp passed on the reins. However, with that transfer of leadership came the complications of COVID-19. Despite the setbacks, the organization turned its focus to the remaining activities required to become a Sport Club, and its members continued to work diligently to prepare their application. At the end of the 20202021 season, under the leadership of a two-week-old officer group, the final hurdle of presenting to the Sport Clubs executive committee was successful; all of the members’ hard work had paid off and Rec Sports welcomed its newest club to its portfolio of competitive opportunities for students. On their journey to becoming a recognized Sport Club, the team grew significantly in membership and in their presence in the Aggie community. The club has developed team traditions, with current president, Rachel Sweeney, stating, “There is a positive relationship between the number of yards in that night’s set and the number of breadsticks eaten by our team at Fazoli’s!” In addition to creating fun traditions, the club also participates in time-honored Aggie traditions. “We encourage students to attend Muster and Silver Taps and strengthen team bonds by going to midnight yell or various athletic competitions. Getting to know your teammates by practicing together and socializing helps team members really find a place they can call home at Texas A&M.” The club has found success in the pool, winning the Southwest Swim League Championships in 2019. During the 2020 season, they placed 6th overall in the College Club Swimming Virtual National Championship. While the team strove to remain safe and active last year during the pandemic, they are proud to report that this year their roster has multiplied to 110 members. (By comparison, the club started out with only ten members in December 2017.) Sweeney exclaimed, “Members are not only excited to see the growth of our club in pure membership, but also in our abilities as a team and as individual competitors.”
We had a chance to sit down with Sweeney for additional insight into the club. What past accomplishments are you most proud of as a club? We are very proud of our performances at Nationals in previous years. We had planned to take 32 swimmers to the 2020 Nationals meet, and a simulation we ran indicated that we would have placed in the top 10 once again that year. We are proud of winning the Southwest Swim League Championships in 2019, the last year they were held, and we look forward to extending our winning streak at that meet this upcoming spring. What activities and goals does the club have for this year? What are you most looking forward to? We are most excited to see the growth of the club in both membership and ability. In the spring of 2019—the last time we were able to compete at Nationals prior to the pandemic—we took 19 swimmers and placed in the top ten overall. Since that time, both our membership and the ability of our swimmers have increased tremendously. We are excited to compete in the College Club Swimming 2022 National Championship in Atlanta, where our ultimate goal is to beat Georgia Tech (who is to college club swimming what Alabama is to NCAA football) and win Nationals. To beat Georgia Tech at their own pool would be the cherry on top! We are also excited for all of the opportunities available to us as a Sport Club, most importantly of which is having access to our own Natatorium to host meets. What is the best part about being a member of the club? The best part about being a member of the club is having a group of people who have a shared experience with you. We were all competitive swimmers in some capacity prior to joining the team, and now we all share in continued training at A&M. Getting to know your teammates by practicing together and participating in socials helps team members really find a place they can call home at Texas A&M. The social experience found within the club is really what kept me involved; it has shaped my college experience and changed my life, and I’m sure that sentiment is shared by all of the officers and team members as well. For more information about the Texas A&M Sport Clubs program, visit recsports.tamu.edu/sport-clubs.
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REC SPORTS TAILGATES We fired up the grill and turned up the music under our Rec Sports tailgate tent this past football season, reconnecting with friends and alum on October 23 and November 6. We were excited to see so many former students and their families, share fond memories, and bring them up to date on the latest happenings in the department. Laughter was plentiful, and “It’s so great to see you!” was heard over and over again. “They were
amazing weekends,” said Ms. Evelyn Dorsey, Member Services Manager. “The events were some of our best yet because so many of our Rec Sports family came back to see us.” Rick Hall, Director, commented, “We couldn’t have asked for more. The weather was beautiful, the energy was high, and our Aggie football team did not disappoint, earning victories over both the South Carolina Gamecocks and the Auburn Tigers! We are already planning for next year’s tailgate in anticipation that more students will visit.” Our former students have an open invitation to visit any time; no event or special occasion needed! Come by for a tour of the expanded Student Recreation Center as well as our new Polo Road Rec Center, and remember to follow us on Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, Twitter, and more.
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GIG 'EM AGS!
SAVE THE DATES SPRING & FALL 2022
Rec Sports Reunion What: An opportunity for Rec Sports alum to reconnect at the Rec! When: March 26, 2022 Where: Student Recreation Center
Rec Sports Tailgate What: Join us for your Aggie tailgate experience as Texas A&M takes on Florida! When: November 5, 2022 Where: Student Recreation Center RECLIFE MAGAZINE | PAGE 7
Rec Sports
Graduate Assistants Brooks Ford | Facilities Brooks Ford is receiving his Master of Science in Sport Management. He completed his undergraduate degree in Sport Management at The University of Texas at Austin and decided to continue his education at Texas A&M “because of their great Recreational Sports department, as well the top notch Sport Management program.” While working at the Rec, Brooks hopes to gain skills that help him grow, not only professionally but on a personal level as well.
Luke Holland | Outdoor Adventures Luke Holland completed his undergraduate degree in Recreation, Park and Tourism Sciences at Texas A&M and is continuing with his Master of Science. “My passion for outdoor recreation and youth development is what kept me at A&M. The experience I gained through my undergraduate studies fueled my desire to continue to study youth development in one of the top programs in the country.” Luke hopes to get people back outside for fun, safe recreation after a difficult year.
Chelsea Jones | Sport Clubs Chelsea Jones received her Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology and Health Studies and Sport and Recreation Management from the University of Regina. She chose to pursue her Masters of Sport Management in the U.S. because she “wanted to be a part of the Aggie family and attend a large school that offers a wide variety of programs to its students.” While here, Chelsea plans to attend Sport Club events and is also excited to attend Aggie football, baseball, and softball games.
Jacob Jorgensen | Fitness & Wellness Jacob Jorgensen is currently pursuing his Masters in Sport Management after receiving his undergraduate degree in Exercise Science from Iowa State University. Before coming to A&M, he had never been to Texas but said the “change is exciting!” Jacob chose Texas A&M because of the “amazing Rec program” and the “phenomenal professors” in the Sport Management program. He is excited to explore College Station and discover the native snakes and reptiles of Texas.
Jennifer McGrath | Intramural Sports Jennifer “Jenn” McGrath received her Bachelor of Science in Civil and Environmental Engineering from the University of Maryland and is pursuing her Masters of Engineering in Structural Engineering. “At A&M, I can work for one of the largest Intramural Sports programs in the nation and study structural engineering and the preservation of historic structures.” Jenn looks forward to getting involved with NIRSA and meeting others who share her enthusiasm for Intramural Sports.
Sarra Regimand | Human Resources Sarra Regimand completed her undergraduate degree in Psychology at Texas A&M and is earning her Masters in Educational Psychology. “I knew a lot about the program and the endless resources Texas A&M offers. I wanted to continue my education where I knew I could excel not only in the classroom but on campus as well.” Sarra loves the atmosphere and the people here. Her focus is on becoming a better writer and continuing to learn and grow in her position at the Rec.
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Rec Sports
Staff Highlights Drew McMillen | Senior Associate Director Congratulations to Drew McMillen on his promotion to senior associate director for Rec Sports. Drew began his Rec Sports career his freshman year at A&M as an intramural flag football official and has served for the last 15 years as an associate director working with multiple program areas and many division committees. In this new role Drew will work with programs, business services, marketing and communications, development, assessment, and risk management. Drew currently serves on the Division of Student Affairs (DSA) IT Governance Committee and was one of the first co-chairs of the DSA Staff Wellbeing and Appreciation Committee.
Alyssa Moncrief | Student Leader, NIRSA Alyssa Moncrief, Facilities Graduate Assistant, is a NIRSA Region IV Student Leader and serves on the Leadership Team where she helps recruit student leaders in collaboration with the NIRSA member network. In addition, Alyssa is working with students nationwide in her role as chair of the 2021 Virtual All Regions Student Lead On Conference. She attributes a large portion of her development to opportunities that NIRSA provided and the network of professionals who were willing to help her develop as a leader and take on challenges. Rec Sports benefits daily from Alyssa’s leadership and positive attitude!
Zach Ganger | State Director, NSCA Zach Ganger, Assistant Director for Strength & Conditioning, is the current Texas State Director for the National Strength & Conditioning Association (NSCA) where he serves as a resource for fitness professionals in the state. The NSCA is the gold standard organization for strength and conditioning and its mission is to blend theory and practice. The organization is composed of over 60,000 coaches, trainers, physiologists, and other professionals. In this role Zach hopes to help create a tactical facilitator training certification, as well as increase partnerships with universities offering certified personal trainer preparatory courses. To date, Rec Sports, in partnership with the NSCA, offers the only personal training prep course of its kind in the country!
Katie Kubler | Aquatics Coordinator Welcome to Katie Kubler, who recently joined Rec Sports as Aquatics Coordinator! Katie is from Mullica Hill, New Jersey and earned her Bachelor of Arts in Education from Rowan University and her Masters in Public Administration from Georgia Southern University. Katie decided to pursue a career in campus recreation as it provides her the opportunity to supervise and guide students to help them prepare for life after college. While Texas A&M was intimidating in size, and she was a bit nervous moving so far from home, Katie quickly found a welcoming environment, thanks to her colleagues, and a wide range of fun, new, and different experiences to take advantage of.
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For the RECord:
Meeting the needs of our community
Key findings about fitness consumer preferences and motivations were recently published in The Next Fitness Consumer Report (1), and Rec Sports is excited to say that we continue to keep pace with fitness trends and the needs of our Aggie community! Report findings indicate that consumers include mental health and acuity in their definition of fitness; we certainly agree. The Student Recreation Center itself provides a variety of spaces and recreational experiences for Aggies to relax, hang out with friends, and decompress from their hectic schedules. In addition to hosting our annual Destress Fest during midterm week, Rec Sports has expanded programming and increased our university partnerships to promote the mental health of our Aggies through physical activity. Our yoga classes have increased in popularity (especially those held at The Gardens at Texas A&M University), and our new, free mindfulness hikes, focusing on yoga and hiking, are very popular. The publication noted that “outdoor activities and digital/online workouts are here to stay” and Rec Sports couldn’t be happier. For decades we have offered excellent outdoor experiences and continue to provide online group fitness options. We also maintain a library of short, pre-recorded videos that focus on exercise technique, working out, and outdoor skills that can be accessed for free. Furthermore, our Fitness Outreach initiative brings customized workouts, fitness events, and educational lectures directly to our Aggies. The need for the fitness and wellness industry to address barriers of inequity as “regular exercise may be a privilege of the well-off’’ was also highlighted in the report. Rec Sports offers “free weeks” each semester for bootcamps, group fitness, specialty and swimming classes, and small group training. Our fitness and wellness team now offers Wellness Coaching, a free, customized service for all A&M students, has increased the number of free classes on our regular schedule, and organizes several free events each semester in collaboration with university partners. The Outdoor Adventures team’s newest service, Camping Concierge, provides free assistance on how to have great outdoor experiences by answering questions about camping equipment choices, the best parks to visit, and more.
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While the pandemic did create significant disruptions, Rec Sports pivoted quickly to provide programs and services in a safe manner so that our community could stay healthy. This fall, Texas A&M welcomed back its largest student body ever, and Rec Sports was ready. We are working hard to meet our goals to operate dynamic facilities that encourage activity and engagement, create communities where everyone feels they belong, and offer a variety of experiences that promote wellness. For more information on everything Rec Sports has to offer, we invite you to visit our website at recsports.tamu.edu. (1) A report published by ABC Fitness Solutions in partnership with ClubIntel and the IHRSA Foundation in July 2021 that examined the exercise motivations and preferences of fitness consumers post-pandemic and provides recommendations to the health and fitness industry.
FULL CIRCLE
From camp participant to confident leader
Jason Kurten, Outdoor Adventures (OA) Director, always beams when he speaks of students he has worked with at Rec Sports. Bailey Brawley, Class of 2020, is one such student who made a lasting impression. Jason reminisced, “I first met Bailey at Venture Camp, which she chose because it is a smaller, more intimate experience than Fish Camp. She had such a positive experience that she volunteered to be a Venture Camp mentor and came to work in the Outdoor Center as a climbing instructor and trip leader. It was truly amazing to see her confidently use the communication and leadership skills she developed at Outdoor Adventures to land an internship and full-time employment with Lockheed Martin.“ Bailey reflected on her time with Outdoor Adventures, stating, “I can’t say enough about my OA experience. As a flight test engineer with Lockheed, I use skills I developed at OA every day; specifically communication, decision-making, problem solving, and risk management. In my current role, quick, effective, and decisive communication and decision-making skills are vital to mission success and safety. As an OA trip leader and climbing wall instructor, I had to think and act quickly, make effective decisions, and share information in a way that was understood and could be applied by our customers.” Bailey enjoys visiting Rec Sports when she can and really likes being able to meet new student employees who are just starting their journey with OA. She encourages all former students to stay in touch with the Rec and to be a role model for all the new students they meet.
CRICKET
Join or support an Intramural Sports team The Rec Sports Intramural Sports program is always seeking ways to engage more students and bring new recreation opportunities and events to Aggies. In addition to launching a series of Esports tournaments and collaborating with university partners to host events like Run for Recovery, cricket is one of the newer team sports on the calendar. Played in both the fall and spring semesters, cricket provides an avenue to participation for a traditionally underserved audience. This fall, approximately 75 Aggies played on eight teams each Sunday at the Polo Road fields. Intramural Sports Director, Nick Heiar, is excited to see the sport’s success and is working on investing in a portable cricket pitch so that games can also be played on the lighted fields at the Penberthy Rec Sports Complex.
If you are interested in helping support the enhancement of cricket or other Intramural Sports opportunities, please reach out to Mary Kalafatis at mkalafatis@rec.tamu.edu.
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Department of Recreational Sports Texas A&M University 4250 TAMU College Station, TX 77843-4250
NONPROFIT ORG. U.S. POSTAGE PAID COLLEGE STATION PERMIT NO. 215
REC SPORTS TAILGATE