Rec Insider - November 2013-January 2014

Stephen F. Austin State University

Volume 5, Issue 1 November 2013 - January 2014

Biking the SFA Way

SFA Outdoor Pursuits receives funding to improve campus bike trails Page 3

Campus Rec Student Staff member Ryan Wigley wins SFA Employee of the Year Page 2

SFA Rugby Alumni commission annual game to honor coaches Page 5

Letter from the

Director

Welcome to the latest edition of the Rec Insider!

As we gear up for the holidays, I’d like to take this opportunity to express my gratitude to the awesome staff that we have working at Campus Recreation. The professional staff as well as Graduate Assistants and student staff are dedicated to providing superb programs and services for the students and staff at SFA. I feel very blessed to work with them every day and to see them grow as students and as professionals.

Fall 2013 Campus Recreation Staff

As always we spotlight a past employee, and this month it is Mr. Jason Morgan who now works at UTA. We also have an article on the SFA Employee of the Year, Mr. Ryan Wigley.

Ryan works with our Outdoor Pursuits program, which is featured in the article about our awesome bike trails. You can also learn about some great Sport Club activities as well as our programs that raise money for the Dr. Raymond Lee Worsham Scholarship.

Ken Morton Director Janice Casper Business Supervisor Kelley Consford Administrative Asst.

Scott Wagner Facilities & Member Services

As you get ready to celebrate the holidays, don’t forget to celebrate and be grateful for those people in your life that make it meaningful. Have a great Holiday Season!!!

Kate Bridges Fitness & Wellness Cody Kuykendall Intramural Sports, & Camps

As always - Axe’Em Jacks!

Steven Whitman Outdoor Pursuits Jess Varlack Aquatics & Safety Travis Lankford Sport Clubs & Camps Kati Van Dunk Promotions & Sponsorships

1817 Wilson Drive • Nacogdoches, Texas 75962 Phone: (936) 468-3507 • campusrec@sfasu.edu Page 1

IMPORTANT EVENTS Campus Recreation strives to promote physical, emotional, intellectual, socio-cultural, environmental, spiritual, and career/financial health for all who participate. You can see how each of our program areas enhances each of these areas of wellness in the 2013-2014 Events Calendar on our website at www.sfasu.edu/campusrec.

We’ve reached the halfway mark to endowing the scholarship!

Thanks to everyone who participated in the 2013 SFA Homecoming events. We had 71 participants in the 4th Annual RAYMOND LEE WORSHAM Lumberjack Homecoming 5K and 28 participants in the 2nd Annual Disc Golf Doubles Tournament. With these events, we passed our first task to reach $10,000 in five years towards endowing the Dr. Raymond Lee Worsham Scholarship for Campus Recreation. We are over half way to reaching our final goal of $20,000, which will endow the scholarship and ensure that Campus Rec student staff receive a scholarship in the SFA CAMPUS RECREATION name of Dr. Worsham for years to come. For results from our Homecoming events, please visit the Alumni Page of the Campus Recreation website.

Scholarship

Golf Scramble

In addition to our 2014 Alumni Bass Tournament this summer, we will be adding another event in 2014 to continue to raise money for the scholarship. Campus Recreation and the SFA Alumni Association will be hosting the inaugural Raymond Lee Worsham Scholarship Golf Scramble. This event will be held at the Woodland Hills Golf Course in Nacogdoches, Texas, on Friday, March 7, with a 1 p.m. tee time. Awards ceremony and dinner will follow. Continue to check the Campus Recreation website for more details.

Campus Recreation has hired two new professional staff The Rec staff has added two new members to the team: Jessica Varlack and Steven Whitman.

Jessica has been hired as the Coordinator for Aquatics and Safety, and Steven has been hired as the Coordinator of Outdoor Pursuits.

Jess started in Campus Recreation as a lifeguard when she was 15 years old, and has been in aquatics ever since. Jess’s focus is to keep people safe while they’re having fun, and as a professional, she has had the opportunity to be involved with risk management, including teaching Legal Issues in Sports/Physical Activity at Wichita State University. She is very excited to be a part of the Campus Rec team so that she can use her passions to contribute to the college experience for students.

Steven was born and raised in a small town in Northeast Florida, graduated from the University of Central Florida with his Bachelor’s degree and the University of Florida with his Master’s degree. At both schools, he worked in the Recreation department, specifically in the Outdoor Programs. Having been at two very large schools, he is looking forward to working here at SFA because it is a smaller campus, but still offers the same services to students that some other schools cannot. He believes that his time at SFA will provide him with more experience and help him to become a better professional in the Campus Recreation field.

Like us on Facebook Campus Recreation- SFA Rec Center

Follow us on Twitter SFACampusRec

Read our blog www.sfasucampusrec.blogspot.com

Watch our videos on YouTube SFACampusRec Page 2

BIKING STUDENTS PRESENT PROJECT AND EARN GRANT TO MAINTENANCE SFA BIKE TRAILS On October 4-6, 2013, SFA students Jarred Taylor, Andreya Taylor, Samual Rhodes, Yakilin Rivera, Juliet Flores, Austin Morrison (pictured above holding the wheelbarrow, accompanied

by Charlie Hall), and Devonte Hill attended the Outdoor Nation Austin Regional Summit hosted by the non profit agency Outdoor Nation.

“We contacted SFA alum Tamberly Conway about getting a group of students together to attend,” notes SFA Outdoor Pursuits Coordinator Steven Whitman, “The summit was a great experience.”

The Outdoor Nation Conference gathered millennial students to discuss getting people outside through education and accessibility.

The final part of the summit allowed for different groups attending to present on a project for prospective communities encouraging more people to get outside and enjoy nature. The students from SFA discussed the SFA Recreation Trails in the Hunts Woods and

the

SFA WAY

the possibility of improving and promoting them for SFA students and other community members.

Each project presented was awarded a grant to carry out the project.

“We are going to be using that money along with some from Campus Recreation to provide some much needed maintenance to the trails,” says Whitman, “This funding will be used to provide the following and more: clearance of vegetation from the side of the trails, rebuilding some of the elements that are currently in disrepair, and provide food for volunteer workers on trail days.”

“I have received much help from Outdoor Pursuits’ staff working with me on the trails. An employee of The Bike Shop, avid mountain biker, and trail enthusiast, Peter Reigelman, has been a great help working on his own time and with me.”

Others working on the trails include Dr. Jim Van Kley, who has devoted his time working and riding the trails

since they were originally built and was part of the original advocates and builders of the trails. The Residential Learning Community, An Outdoor Experience - a collaboration with Residence Life - has also been a good asset, volunteering to work them as a service project.

Another help is Dr. StephensWilliams, who teaches an Introduction to Forest Recreation & Human Dimensions class for the Arthur Temple College of Forestry.

“She asks her students to gain hours doing community projects and has allowed me to come speak in her class about the trails and the volunteer opportunity available,” says Whitman.

Whitman hopes to complete the larger maintenance and restoration projects by May 2014. The Outdoor Pursuits team is also looking into the possibility of hosting or sponsoring a mountain bike race at the end of spring in 2014 to highlight the newly manicured trails.

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SFA Recreational Trail Features: 67 acres of land adjacent to campus on the East side

1.25 miles of paved ADA compliant multi-use trail

3-4 miles of single track mountain bike trails

100,000 square ft and landscaped picnic area

garden

SFA Outdoor Pursuits would like to acknowledge and thank Outdoor Nation for providing the grant for this project.

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EMPLOYEE SPOTLIGHT Campus Recreation Employee Earns Top Award as the 2013 SFA Employee of the Year Award Each year, SFA Career Services collects nominations for a student employee who went above and beyond and awards them with the title of Employee of the Year.

Students nominated are evaluated on six equally-weighted qualities: reliability, quality of work, initiative, attitude, professionalism, and uniqueness of contribution. The winning student receives a plaque and recognition in the Pine Log student newspaper and online on the Career Services website. They are also honored at the annual ODK Leadership Awards Banquet.

Ryan Wigley has worked in the Campus Recreation Outdoor Pursuits program since Spring 2011, starting as an Outdoor Desk Assistant, then moving up to manager at the Outdoor Center and outdoor trip leader Fall 2011. He plans to graduate from SFA December 2013, then continue his education by pursuing a Doctorate in Physical Therapy.

Evan Coulson, former Outdoor Pursuits Coordinator, and Nathan Rector, former Outdoor Pursuits Graduate Assistant, nominated Ryan for the award.

According to Evan, Ryan was a student who stood out. He was an excellent leader and mentor to the many student staffs with whom he worked. His work demonstrated his ability to communicate effectively, and he executed his responsibilities in a manner by which you could clearly see his sincere work ethic, an ethic built upon a commitment to quality. As a student manager with the Outdoor Pursuits program Ryan was directly responsible for four peers. As a trip leader for the program, he was directly responsible for hundreds more. His ability to lead by example and to find solutions to the diverse problems that arose led him to great success in keeping direct reports motivated and inspired, as well as his trip participants safe, engaged, and enjoying rich experiences.

During his undergraduate career, Ryan has invested in his education by not only applying himself to his academics, but by also taking advantage of numerous opportunities to become involved on campus and within the Nacogdoches community. Of particular note is Ryan’s investment in leadership opportunities on intramural teams, through service organizations and within his faith community.

Beyond his extracurricular activities, Ryan has consistently maintained commendable grades.

We congratulate Ryan on his accomplishments as a student leader and believe he was very deserving of this prestigious award. To read more about the SFA Employee of the Year Award, please visit the Career Services website at www.sfasu.edu/careerservices.

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FITNESS AND WELLNESS

a new era in fitness Anyone who has been to the gym lately has probably heard the term “CrossFit”.

Although CrossFit has been around since about 2003, its popularity continues to grow each day. You can even find the annual Reebok CrossFit games being replayed on ESPN throughout the year, and as if the fitness industry didn’t have enough gyms, CrossFit gyms (5,500 and counting) are now popping up in every city.

This leads to the question, “What is CrossFit”? According to CrossFit.com, CrossFit itself is defined as that which optimizes general fitness (constantly varied, functional movements performed at relatively high intensity). In other words, CrossFit is a mix between cardio and strength training. However, this is not your everyday aerobics video with 10 pound dumbbells; CrossFit is much more intense.

An example of a Workout of the Day (WOD) may look like this: Complete as many rounds in 20 minutes as you can of:

5 Pull-ups 10 Push-ups 15 Squats

If you’re somebody who is used to spending 1-2 hours in the gym every day, this workout may not seem like much. However; CrossFit is becoming the “go to” physical activity for people who want to gain muscle and burn fat.

If you’re interested in trying CrossFit, most gyms have an “open gym day” where anyone can participate free of charge or a free session during the week available for beginners. That’s right - a beginner; just because CrossFit is intense does not mean it is only for fitness buffs.

Experienced athletes and beginners work side by side in a CrossFit gym forming a sense of camaraderie between members. This is another advantage of CrossFit; it’s not always about competition with each other, but different people working to accomplish their own individual goals, supporting one another along the way.

For more information you can go to http://www.crossfit.com/ to find affiliate gyms in your area.

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BLAST FROM THE PAST Where They Are Now An update on former Campus Rec employees

Jason “J-Mo” Morgan worked at SFA Campus

Recreation from Fall 2008 through Summer 2011. He worked as an Intramural Official, an Intramural Game Supervisor, an Intramural Site Manager, a Summer Camp Counselor, and a Summer Camp Manager.

Jason graduated in Spring 2011 with degrees in Radio/TV and Journalism.

When asked how he first became involved in Campus Rec, Jason said, “I actually got into Campus Rec through officiating. When I first came to SFA as an undergraduate, I knew I needed a job, and I saw a flier where they were looking for flag football officials. I thought, ‘I’ve been umpiring since I was 16, so why not?’”

Jason’s best experience working in SFA Campus Rec would be the communication skills learned and the friendships made. He said, “Some of my good friends today are ones that I worked/officiated with at SFA. I believe that working in Campus Rec gave me the experience and confidence to be who I am today. For me, it was an opportunity to grow and try different things and come up with new and exciting ideas on how to improve an already thriving program.”

Jason noted that Campus Recreation greatly helped him prepare for his current job as the Coordinator for Intramural Sports at the University of Texas at Arlington in Arlington, TX. “Lucky for me I decided that I wanted to work in Campus Rec for a career. So for me EVERYTHING I have been through since being at SFA has prepared me for my career. That is one of the reasons why I’ve loved SFA ever since I left. While I was there, I was lucky enough to find something that I loved and wanted to do for my career.”

Jason’s advice for current Campus Recreation employees: “My biggest piece of advice would be to be open to new thoughts and ideas. At times we get in a routine, and we don’t want to change the way we do things. The funny thing is that we live in a world that develops and evolves every time we turn our heads with a new, more effective way of doing things. Also, be as involved as you want to be in Campus Rec. SFA has a lot of great professional staff members who want nothing more than to develop you into the person that YOU want to be. Never hesitate to ask them how they got to where they are today, and what you need to do to grow professionally.”

If you are a former Campus Rec employee or participant and want to be featured in this newsletter, please contact us at campusrec@sfasu.edu or 936-468-5844. Please include your experiences working at SFA Campus Recreation and what you’ve been doing since your time at SFA. If possible, please also include a recent picture.

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Where Are YOU NOW?

An update on former Intramural/Sport Club participants

Rugby Alumni Hope to Add Annual Event to The Battle Of The Piney Woods As told by former SFA Rugby Player and active alumnus, Matt Sitser (read more about Matt in the February-April 2013 newsletter)

Before the Battle of the Piney Woods this weekend, November 2, 2013, both SFA and Sam Houston current Rugby teams played each other at the Houston Amateur Sports Park. Both SFA and Sam Alumni groups hope that this can be an annual fixture and become part of the weekend in Houston. The game has been established jointly in honor of Bob Fleet of SFA and Mike Mahon of Sam Houston and will be titled the Fleet-Mahon Cup.

and succeeded spectacularly. He was a maker of friends, life-long friends. A stout fellow at tight head prop, he covered the ground he stood upon. Mike played the game hard, with intelligence, and had great fun while doing so.

The Cup is so named for an Alumnus from each University.

Robert Fleet arrived the second semester that SFARFC was in existence (Spring semester of 1974). He has served in various roles since that time including player, coach, adviser, and encourager to everyone for four decades. All consider him a Living Legend of SFA Rugby.

We will see what rivalry unfolds, as this year, SFA beat out Sam Houston 45-20.

Michael Patrick Mahon attended Sam Houston State University and received his BA in Philosophy with a minor in Psychology in 1978. He died December 25, 1997. Mike was in many ways larger than life. When he entered a room, everyone knew it. He exuded bonhomie with his “hail fellow, well met” personality. With the booming laugh, the knowing chuckle, Mike aspired to be a “character”, he once confided,

Both men are well deserving of this honor for their contributions to each university, but also to the game of rugby and all those that love them.

The SFA alumni chapter board is already planning for next year’s alumni weekend and expect a large turnout for the 40th anniversary of SFA Rugby. Plans include a formal awards dinner and more.

For more information on Rugby events and alumni, please visit the new SFA Rugby Alumni website, SFARugby.org.

This is an alumni funded site used as a recruiting tool for potential players and a hub for SFA Rugby information and upcoming events, including information on the SFA Rugby alumni scholarship fund.

If you have team pictures from your time at SFA and want to be featured in this newsletter, please contact us at campusrec@sfasu.edu or 936-468-5844. Please include names of your teammates if possible, as well as any other information about the picture, event, date, etc.

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Sport Clubs NOTABLE ACHIEVEMENTS Bass Club to Host Annual Tournament

Wake Club Competes in Lewisville

The 2013 SFA Buckemouth Bass Fishing Tournament will be held this year Thursday, December 19 and Friday, December 20 at Lake Sam Rayburn. Launch Thursday and Friday morning and weigh in on Friday afternoon will take place at Umphrey’s Pavilion in Broaddus, Texas.

Last year, the SFA duo of Alec Castonguay and Jay Kendrick won first place with a final weight of 36.27 pounds, with Brett Preuett and Blake Alford of the University of Louisiana at Monroe, taking a close second at 31.11 pounds. Other participating schools included Sam Houston, Tarleton, Arkansas Tech, Louisiana Tech, University of Oklahoma, University of Arkansas, Dallas Baptist, Lamar, Oklahoma State, Texas A&M, University of North Texas, McNeese, and LSU.

Lacrosse Hosted Annual Alumni Game On Saturday, November 16, the Men’s Lacrosse Club Alumni visited for a game against the current SFA Lacrosse club team. The alumni jumped out to a quick lead and held control until early in the fourth quarter when the current club team tied things up. After a few exchanges the alumni sealed the game with two late goals and held on for a 15-13 win. The game was a great experience for both teams, allowing the younger players to meet the alumni for the first time since the game was not played last year. The game was a great event for all and should help to renew the annual game for years to come.

October 19, the Watersports Club competed at Little Elm Park in Dallas, TX on Lake Lewisville, their first tournament in two years.

The tournament was run by Empire Wake, who hosts tournaments for college wakeboarding in California, Texas, Florida, Colorado, Georgia, and many more states. Six teams - including SFA - competed in the Little Elm tournament: Arizona State, Texas State, Baylor, Texas A&M, and TCU. SFA took eight members, with five competing. Katy Reeves competed in the women’s division, placing in the top five.

In the intermediate class, club Vice President Christian Atkinson placed in the top ten. Riders in the beginner class were club President Josh Tucker, Treasurer Cody Rhew, and member Joe Miles. Cody Rhew had a very successful run, landing his first back roll in competition, placing him in the top five of the class. Josh Tucker and Joe Miles also had very solid runs placing them in the top ten of the beginners division.

At the end of the season, SFA placed 19th in the country, putting them only three spots from qualifying for nationals in Las Vegas.

In the spring, SFA Wake hopes to continue growing as a team and organization. They will compete in at least two tournaments, one in Dallas, and another hosted by Empire Wake, but plan to attend more. They also plan on taking trips to cable parks to practice and get ready for cable competitions that will occur during the spring semester.

Want to get in touch with old club members? Please e-mail us at campusrec@sfasu.edu or call 936-468-1434 and give us some details about your experience with the club program, when you were a part of the club, and who you are looking for. We will do everything we can to help.

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Donate to the

Dr. Raymond Lee Worsham Scholarship Fund The Campus Recreation Department is excited to announce the creation of the Dr. Raymond Lee Worsham Endowed Scholarship. This scholarship is created to provide financial assistance to current student employees of the Campus Recreation Department.

Dr. Raymond “Ray” Worsham was the Intramural Department Director at SFA for 43 years prior to the creation of the Campus Recreation Department.

Dr. Worsham was the keystone to the Intramural Department for more than four decades and his dedication and lasting impact is something that we will celebrate for decades to come with the creation of this scholarship. Under Dr. Worsham, intramural sports flourished to the highest numbers the program has ever seen. Thousands of students spent nights playing on the intramural fields, in the HPE and around campus over Dr. Worsham’s tenure.

The strong intramural tradition lives on through our current sport offerings, THE intramural champ shirt, the contact we have with former student athletes in the program and we are privileged to honor him with this scholarship.

For more information about the Dr. Raymond Lee Worsham Endowed Scholarship, please contact Janice Casper, Campus Recreation Office Manager at jcasper@sfasu.edu or call 936-468-1569.

If you would like to donate to the Dr. Raymond Lee Worsham Scholarship Fund, please follow these simple steps: 1. Visit www.sfaalumni.com/donations/ 2. Select “Donate Online” next to SFA Alumni Association Scholarship Fund.

3. Select Alumni Scholarship Fund as the donation type and specify “Dr. Raymond Lee Worsham Scholarship.”

4. Complete all required information.

5. Submit your donation.

You can also join the Alumni Interest Chapter on the SFA Alumni website to follow Nacogdoches Alumni Chapter events.

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