RecLIFE S p r i n g 2 0 22
INSIDE: REC SPORTS GOING VIRAL SPORT CLUBS JUDO & WRESTLING REC SPORTS STAFF HIGHLIGHTS AND MORE...
HOWDY The end of the spring semester is often a time for reflection on a college campus – looking back at the memories of the past year and wishing graduating students the best as they embark on their new careers. For the Department of Recreational Sports, we have much to reflect on during the past 12 months, but more importantly, much to look forward to as we move ahead. Our student participants and staff were able to experience their first near normal year in Aggieland since 2019 – when the seniors were freshmen – and what a year it was! Our 37 sport clubs teams were once again able to travel, compete, and win national championships! The number of patrons participating in our programs and utilizing our indoor, outdoor, and aquatics facilities has rebounded impressively, and all our facilities and teams are back to full capacity. Our new Polo Road Rec Center marked its one-year anniversary in January 2022 proudly reporting over 290,000 entries during the first year. As we look forward, we are excited about what the facility and program areas have planned for the next year. The Southside Rec Center, located on Bizzell Street next to the Golf Club at Texas A&M University, is slated to open for the fall 2022 semester. This facility will provide more than 60,000 square-feet of additional recreational space for the university community and complete the promise we made during the Vote Rec campaign of 2018 when we said we wanted to bring recreational opportunities closer to where the students lived and went to class. The end of the academic year brings excitement as we share in our graduates’ joy and look forward to their success. It also brings sadness, knowing that one stage of our connection with these students is finishing, but that does not mean that the relationship will end. We were thrilled that over 100 of our former students and their family members joined us on March 25-26 for a weekend of golf, tours, food & drinks, baseball, and time together to reflect and reconnect. If you haven’t had the opportunity to attend one of these events, it would be great to see you again, relive some memories, and let you know what we’re up to these days. Thanks so much for keeping in touch with Rec Sports – we are very grateful for your continued support.
Drew McMillen Senior Associate Director Texas A&M Rec Sports P.S. Remember to mark your calendar for Saturday, November 5 and join the Rec Sports tailgate as Texas A&M takes on Florida!
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CONTENTS Retirements
4
Staff Highlights
6
TexFit & De-Stress Fest
8
Rec Sports Going Viral
9
Rec Sports Reunion
10
Student Achievements
12
Student Appreciation
14
Sport Clubs – Judo & Wrestling
16
Sport Clubs Achievements
19
Pictured above is the Marketing & Communications team at Texas A&M Rec Sports. The RecLIFE magazine is made possible thanks to the hard work the team puts in everyday. From left to right: (back row) Roberto Galvan, Alex Gonzales, Jack Banas, Kelly VonDrehle, Pranav Kumar, Madi Street, Aidan Skinner, (front row) Delaney Wessel, Brittany Scott, Katie Kupper, Grace Gabriel, Annie Ortiz, Brette Clark, and Mary Kalafatis. Not pictured: Maddie DeNard, Christian Jacobo, and Lena Kaziska.
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Rec Sports
RETIREMENTS Michelle Briggs Rec Sports recognizes and extends our appreciation to Michelle Briggs who recently retired from our department. Michelle began her career at Rec Sports in 2006 as a communication specialist responsible for creating posters, flyers, and general marketing content. Over the course of nearly 16 years, she rose to become marketing manager and was responsible for the department’s website and its publications, oversaw content creation, and supervised a team of student employees. In 2008 she was also honored as a namesake for Fish Camp. During her tenure, Michelle oversaw two website redesigns, assisted with re-branding efforts, and helped expand staffing to meet the needs of the department. She was instrumental in our “Vote Rec” marketing campaign in early 2018, the successful effort that educated and encouraged students to vote “yes” for new rec facilities. Most recently Michelle led the marketing campaign for the opening of the new Polo Road Rec Center. “And now we are getting ready to open another one on the southside!” she said. She commends Rec Sports for keeping up with the growth of the student population. As the population continues to grow, Rec Sports keeps expanding to reach all students with its services. She is proud of how far the marketing efforts have evolved since 2006 and remarked how only flyers and banners were used when she started in the department. Today, Rec Sports is active on social media, has a website and an app, uses photography and videography, is represented at events like Fish Camp, and hosts large events, like Rec-A-Palooza. Michelle played a significant role in the growth and success of our marketing team; we thank her for her dedication and expertise. “Michelle was a consistent force through a lot of change, and we are in a great place because of her expertise, creativity, and the extraordinary amount of time she willingly gave,” commented Rick Hall, Director of Rec Sports. “We wish her the best in her future endeavors.” Some of her favorite memories are student staff banquets and seeing the Rec Sports expansion, especially moving into the marketing suite! Michelle will miss the people that she had the opportunity to work with as she moves into her new position as Public Relations Coordinator for the College Station Police Department. Her advice to future students and staff is to go into the job with a positive attitude, be ready to learn, and have lots of fun!
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Paula Opal After 40 years of serving Texas A&M Rec Sports, our Associate Director of Banquet and Event Services, Paula Opal, is ready to retire, and of course, her destination is sunny Florida, where the beach is a stone’s throw away. Paula started her journey at Texas A&M in 1981 where she worked with intramural sports at a time when computers were not used – imagine that now! She remembered having to work out brackets on paper, sometimes with over 800 participants. After a shift in the department, Paula worked with Sport Clubs for 15 years; an experience she loved because of the multitude of learning opportunities. Over the years, Paula grew professionally and learned how to adapt to her changing roles and increasing responsibilities. She learned the importance of time management (and passed this onto her student employees), because people are expecting your service to be flawless. Not a stranger to hard work, she worked tirelessly to ensure our customers had everything they needed for their events and meetings. “After working side-by-side for so long, it is going to be strange not seeing Paula at the Rec,” commented Rick Hall, Director. “She has worked in many capacities and helped us grow and succeed. Her retirement is well-deserved!” Her favorite memories are the student workers and the times she shared with them. She remains in contact with many and is proud of all they have accomplished. She loved working with students because they were full of energy and innovation. “You can’t get old when you’re always with 18 to 23-year-olds,” she said. She also enjoyed seeing how students applied the skills and knowledge they learned as officers of clubs to become successful in the work environment at Rec Sports. Throughout her forty plus years at Rec Sports, Paula has seen the department expand its reach to students all over campus. Paula complimented Rec Sports on creating competitive and noncompetitive opportunities and activities, while adapting to the needs of students, and providing much needed space on campus to socialize, study, hang out, and dine. Her advice to future Aggies is to not be afraid to ask questions because someone is always willing to help. Paula, we wish you all the best and thank you for everything that you have done for Rec Sports!
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Rec Sports
STAFF HIGHLIGHTS Amber Guthrie | Graduate Assistant, Banquet & Conference Services Congratulations to Amber Guthrie, Rec Sports Banquet and Event Services Graduate Assistant, for winning first place for her research at the Cotton Bowl 1% Competition. Dr. Shane Hudson supported her research titled, “Organizational Management and Marketing Strategies: A Case Study of the Administrative Effectiveness of the Texas A&M & Cotton Bowl Classic’s Student–Volunteer Grassroots Marketing Campaign.” Amber also presented her research at the College Sport Research Institute Conference in South Carolina in March 2022.
Nick Heiar | Director, Intramural Sports Congratulations to Nick Heiar for receiving the 2022 Division of Student Affairs (DSA) Award of Distinction! By thinking creatively, Nick maintained the competitive aspects for intramurals throughout COVID-19 and launched Esports during this time. He brings excellence and works hard, creating positive outcomes for the almost 14,000 intramural participants annually. Under his leadership, a new model for intramural fees was implemented, a cricket league was formed, Unified Sports has blossomed, and new partnerships created, all for the benefit of our students. “To be nominated by my students, colleagues, and supervisors is a great feeling, and I would like to thank them, along with the students that have allowed me to serve them over the years.” Well done, Nick!
Chelsea Jones | Graduate Assistant, Sport Clubs Congratulations to Chelsea Jones, Sport Clubs Graduate Assistant, who was recently elected as the new NIRSA National Student Leader. This is a tremendous honor and will be an incredible experience for her. She is slated to graduate in May 2023 with a M.S. in Sports Management. Chelsea noted, “As a Canadian now studying at a U.S. institution, I am excited to lean into my experiences from both places, unite students from all regions, and share the unique opportunities NIRSA and the campus recreation profession provides.”
Anna Taggart | Director, Fitness & Wellness Congratulations to Anna Taggart for receiving the 2022 Division of Student Affairs (DSA) Award of Distinction! Anna is known for developing De-Stress Fest and being actively involved in NIRSA. She is currently co-chair of the DSA Staff Wellbeing & Appreciation Committee, a DSA student conduct investigator, and a member of the Interpersonal Violence Prevention Working Group. During the pandemic she tirelessly led her team and offered hundreds of fitness and wellness classes online for Aggies. Anna commented, “I am so grateful to be able to serve and live out the mission of our program, department, and division by helping to improve the well-being of the Aggie community.” We are happy for Anna and looking forward to what she comes up with next.
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DJ Scott
Personal & Small Group Training Coordinator Rec Sports welcomes DJ Scott as our new Personal and Small Group Training Coordinator. DJ earned his Bachelor of Science in Exercise Science and Health Promotion from Florida Atlantic University and his Master’s in Sport Management at Texas A&M University. While at Texas A&M he was the Strength and Conditioning Graduate Assistant at Rec Sports and is passionate about fitness and nutrition. DJ is excited to help our Aggies achieve their wellness goals.
“I am happy to be back at Rec Sports and build our personal and small group training programs,” said DJ, “I also look forward to working with our great group of personal trainers.” Rec Sports hires students as personal trainers and small group coaches and is always seeking more. The department offers a personal training certification prep course every year for those interested in becoming a trainer. DJ noted that “Personal trainers and coaches participate in many development opportunities such as paid admission to educational conferences, performance evaluations, and access to a variety of resources.” In addition to technical knowledge and skills, students learn transferable and leadership skills that will help them succeed after graduation. Rec Sports is exploring additional training options at our new Polo Road and Southside Rec Centers in the future and incorporating small group offerings for specific groups across campus. Our small group training program is a great way to get involved with fitness at Texas A&M and to meet new people. DJ encourages everyone to get active in a way that works for them. He recommends figuring out a fun way to move more often, getting your close friends or family involved with you, and remembering that you deserve to be in any fitness facility as much as anyone else. Welcome back DJ, we can’t wait to see what you do at Rec Sports!
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Rec Sports
TEXFIT Congratulations to TexFit for celebrating its 25th anniversary! TexFit, originally Texas Aerobics Choreography Exchange, was co-founded in 1997 by DeAun Woosley, former Rec Sports Director of Fitness & Wellness. From 3 to now 30 universities involved, the vision evolved into a collegiate conference and expo that hosts fitness instructors and personal trainers from Texas and beyond. “We wanted a way for group exercise instructors to meet and showcase their favorite choreography. It was a win-win experience. Instructors came back with new ideas and created a strong network with university programs” said Woosley.
DE-STRESS FEST Our annual free De-Stress Fest was held on March 23 and featured a wide range of activities to promote wellbeing and provide ways for students to cope with stress. Students relaxed while listening to live music, enjoying delicious treats, collecting swag, and participating in fun activities. The fan-favorite, goat yoga, featured almost 20 goats for students to pet and take pictures with. This spring event is a collaboration between multiple departments and is rapidly gaining popularity for its activities which include planting succulents, dance-offs, outdoor fitness classes, and even sleep stations. Miranda Price, Assistant Director of Fitness and Wellness, said “Each year we are trying to meet our students’ needs as we continue to develop the event. This is always a stressful time for students, so to see them take their study breaks at the event brings me so much joy!” Aggies BTHO stress and were ready for the rest of the spring semester! RECLIFE MAGAZINE | PAGE 8
Rec Sports
GOING VIRAL In case you haven’t heard, Rec Sports is TikTok famous! Our marketing and communications team made the leap into the world of TikTok this year and have not stopped producing high quality content. “It has been so exciting seeing student workers in marketing and communications and other program areas come up with new and engaging ideas,” said Brittany Scott, Marketing Graduate Assistant. This initiative is student driven, with our student employees thinking of ideas and filming the content. Our TikTok account features a multitude of videos showing off different things at Rec Sports including trainers, highlights of Rec Sports facilities, and funny videos. “Getting started was a challenge, but through teamwork and collaboration we have been able to see our team’s creativity thrive!” commented Kelly VonDrehle, Marketing and Communications Manager. Our most popular video shows differences between belayers and climbers on our rock wall and has over 1 million views and 110,000 likes so far! Our content is sure to bring a smile to your face and make you laugh.
MEET OUR TIKTOK TEAM Brittany Scott Marketing & Communications
Grace Gabriel Marketing & Communications
Madi Street Marketing & Communications
Cameron Fuentes Outdoor Adventures
Lauren Stapleton Fitness and Wellness
Bekah Hodges Aquatics
If you haven’t looked into our TikTok yet, you should definitely give us a follow @tamurecsports.
"It has been so much fun getting to work with other student employees from program areas and seeing everyone's creativity shining through. The program area reps have done an amazing job this past semester and I'm excited to see how much the platform will grow" said Grace Gabriel.
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Rec Sports
REUNION Rec Sports was excited to host our annual reunion, bringing back friends and former employees to campus to reconnect and have fun. Held this year on March 25 and 26, the reunion featured many activities for over 100 Ags to reunite and discover all the latest happenings with the department. Deb Tolar, former intramural sports supervisor said, “Rec Sports workers are family. You become very close with each other and some of those friendships last a lifetime.” Rec Sports Director, Rick Hall, kicked off the reunion activities by organizing a round of golf at the Golf Club at Texas A&M. Participants drove, chipped, and putted their way through the course while sharing stories and enjoying the sun. Mo’s Irish Pub was the locale for our Friday evening social where dozens came to chat and catch up. On Saturday, guests took tours of Kyle Field in the morning and took advantage of the amenities at the Student Rec Center. The main event included our Aggie baseball team beating Auburn, while attendees watched from the Rec terrace enjoying food, friends, and laughs. After the game, many took on Northgate to celebrate and conclude the reunion. We are grateful for the return of this beloved tradition, which was made all the more special since it had been three years since the last reunion due to COVID-19. It was fantastic to see all of us together again and to make new memories with new friends.
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“Seeing the changes from when I was there in the 1980’s was amazing! The facilities that I remember are no longer around, but the goal is the same; to build the greatest Rec Sports department in the nation. I truly think they have achieved many parts of that goal and are still growing today. I hope to see many more from my generation the next time we get together,” said Mark Moynihan, former Intramural Sports Supervisor. Rhonda Bloodworth, former Facilities Supervisor shared, “My daughter, Emily Magness (Class of ‘22), a current Rec Sports Facilities Supervisor, gave us a great tour of the Rec Center. I am very pleased that she has continued the family tradition of working for Rec Sports. The environment of the Rec Sports facility and staff are second to none, I wouldn’t trade my years of working there for anything.” It’s always great seeing familiar faces and reconnecting with old friends; we are already thinking about spring 2023 and our next big event!
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Rec Sports
STUDENT ACHEIVEMENTS
Rec Sports celebrated its graduating student employees this past April at a fun social event that included both College Station food favorites and baseball. Our students also received their Rec Sports graduation cord to show off as they strut across the stage at graduation. Sydney Dacus, an Office and Volleyball Supervisor for Intramural Sports said, “I loved getting to hang out with friends and watch some Aggie baseball! I appreciate everything Rec Sports does for their students and will greatly miss working here.” We give a heartfelt congratulations and hope our students have made lifelong friends and memories and that they come back to visit! We wish the class of 2022 nothing but the best and that they take their Aggie Spirit with them wherever they go.
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Rec Sports
SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS
Grace Gabriel
Jacob Polanco
Morgan Crowley
Katelyn Rodriguez
Dennis Corrington Rec Sports Leadership Scholarship
Walter L. Penberthy Intramural Sports Scholarship
Patsy L. Kott Outdoor Adventures Scholarship
David & Mary Chovanec Rec Sports Facilities Scholarship
Jackson Bolick
Brette Clark
Christina Coppins
Luke Holland
Rec Sports Leadership
Rec Sports Leadership
Rec Sports Leadership
Rec Sports Leadership
Myrka Lila
Jack Mullen
Chelsea Jones Rec Sports Leadership
Rec Sports Leadership
Rec Sports Leadership
Blanca Sifuentes
Rec Sports Leadership
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Rec Sports
STUDENT APPRECIATION Our Rec Sports employees are the best in Aggieland and keeping with tradition; we recognized them at our annual Student Appreciation Banquet. This year’s theme was “The Kentucky Derby” and many dressed in classic derby attire to celebrate. In addition to sharing memories of the past year over dinner, everyone enjoyed the horse races and cheering on their favorite professional staff to the finish line.
STUDENT BANQUET
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STUDENT EMPLOYEES OF THE YEAR Each area within the department also recognized one outstanding member of their student staff and honored them as “Student Employee of the Year.” These students will receive a named brick and will join past recipients in the Rec Sports Circle of Excellence in front of the Student Rec Center. A huge congratulations to all our honorees; we are proud of your accomplishments and thankful for everything you have done for Rec Sports.
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Sport Clubs
JUDO
For the first time in its 60-year existence, the Texas A&M Judo Sport Club won the National Collegiate Judo Association (NCJA) Men’s Standard and Men’s Novice National Championships! Not only did six individuals walk away as national champions, but Dario Maaskant and Isabella Garriga also won the male and the female “Athlete of the Year” respectively. In addition, the team earned second place finishes for the Women’s Standard and Novice divisions. To top it all off, Bob Perez and Dan Gomez were named Coaches of the Year. After losing 2 years of competing due to COVID-19, the team came back and overpowered the competition. Coach Perez said, “I am extremely happy how well the team performed. We have a lot of young members, and I knew some would do well, but many others did a lot better than I thought.” He also commended the club officers for the team’s significant increase in membership, and the entire team’s dedication to practicing hard and giving up their weekends to compete in tournaments.
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Team president Dario Maaskant said, “Coaches need to inspire the members to perform well and train hard, something our coaches Dan Gomez and Bob Perez do very well.” In fact, prior to the NCJA Championship, Coach Gomez motivated the team by posting “I am a National Collegiate Judo Champion” on the walls of the practice room. Evidently it helped! To keep up with the Judo team we invite you to follow them on Instagram, @aggiejudo.
Sport Clubs
WRESTLING Ty’rae Carter has made collegiate wrestling history! He is the first athlete in the history of the National Collegiate Wrestling Association (NCWA) to be named “Most Outstanding Wrestler,” not once or twice, but three times! If that wasn’t impressive enough, he also won three consecutive national championships and his last loss was in the national championship match as a freshman. Along with Ty’rae, the men’s conference team had 12 national qualifiers and seven champions with their third conference title. Their coach, Mike Konetski, received Coach of the Year at the Southwest Conference Championships. At Nationals, the men’s team placed third overall with two All-Americans (Jacob Grogan and Ty’rae Carter), and Ariel Kamat earned an All- American for the women’s team as well. “I can’t say enough about the preparation and effort that these men and women put into this sport,” commented Coach Konetski. “They talked about winning the conference and putting on a show all season long. I don’t think they fully knew what they were capable of until the conference came around. Taking 12 athletes to nationals is what top programs do, and so the 12 we took all showed up and performed very well. While I think there is still room for improvement, since we had two open weight classes, the sky’s the limit for this group who will only lose two seniors to graduation. I want to say congratulations to all of them!”
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SAVE THE DATE FALL 2022
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
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 high quality, inclusive programs, experiences, and facilities where future Aggies can maintain their wellbeing, test their limits, and gain leadership skills. To learn more, contact Mary Kalafatis at (979) 845-6457 or recsportsbricks@tamu.edu.
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SPORT CLUBS ACHIEVEMENTS 2022 National Collegiate Wrestling Association Championship Ty'rae Carter - 3 time National Champion and Most Outstanding Wrestler 2022 National Collegiate Judo Association Championship Men’s Team Standard National Champions Men’s Team Novice National Champions Andy Bui - 66 kg Novice 1st Isabella Garriga - 70 kg Standard 1st Tahron Knight - 100+kg Novice 1st Dario Maaskant - 81 kg Standard 1st Aneesh Mahodaya - 100 kg Novice 1st Brette Poliakiwski - 57 kg Standard 1st 2022 Association of College Unions International Collegiate Clay Target Championship High Overall National Champions (2862/3000 targets shot, 1/95 schools) High Overall National Champions Division 1 School (2862/3000 targets shot, 1/4 schools) American Skeet Team National Champions Sporting Clays Team National Champions Sydnee Craven - 1st Women’s High Overall Combined Singles Events Sydnee Craven - 1st Women’s High Overall Combined Skeet Events Sydnee Craven - 1st Open Women’s Individual Skeet Joseph Fanizzi - 1st Men’s Overall Dominic Grossi - 1st Open Men’s Individual Sporting Clays Dominic Grossi - 1st Men’s High Overall Combined Sporting Clays Haylyn Hanks - 1st Women’s High Overall Combined Sporting Clays Haylyn Hanks - 1st Women’s Overall Haylyn Hanks - 1st Open Women’s Individual Sporting Clays 2022 National Association of Intercollegiate Gymnastics Clubs Nationals Women’s Team Developmental Division Champions Skylar Hagar – 1st Intermediate Flyers Power Tumbling Skylar Hagar – 1st Intermediate Higher Flyer Trampoline Alyssa Pfeiffer – 1st, Level 8 - Vault Jamie Spell – 1st, Level 6 - Uneven Bars
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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
COMING FALL 2022
