Inside RecSports: Spring/Summer 2005

InsideRECSPORTS Published for friends and supporters of UT Recreational Sports Vol. 4, No. 2 Spring 2005

[Intramural Sports] [Sport Clubs] [Informal Recreation] [Outdoor Recreation] [Fitness/Wellness]

Letter

From

the Director

RecSports Dear Friends: will celebrate In the four years since Inside RecSports was inaugurated, we’re now its 90 reaching nearly 20,000 of you who have had a history with the Men’s or anniversary in 2006 Women’s Intramural Sports Program or with the Division of Recreational Sports. During this period, we’ve highlighted past leaders who envisioned a comprehensive recreational program as being vital to the mission of the University. In this edition we are pleased to illustrate what today’s RecSports program is all about.

RecSports continues to support the mission of the University, namely educating students, developing scholars and transforming lives. With nearly 90 percent of the student body participating in some aspect of our program, a comprehensive, diverse and ever-changing set of recreational opportunities is mandatory to meet the needs of today’s student. While Intramural Sports continues to be a traditional part of RecSports, many other areas contribute to the popularity and success of Recreational Sports today.

In 1990 RecSports adopted the slogan “education through recreation.” With the addition of the Recreational Sports RecSports continues to evolve Center in 1990, the renovation of Gregory Gym in 1997 and the anticipated opening of the aquatics complex next fall, while still supporting recreation today comes in many forms. We hope that this eighth edition of Inside RecSports will give you a quick glimpse the University’s mission into the life of today’s student and how they are making the most of their RecSports experience. of educating students, developing As we approach our 90th anniversary, I am amazed at the memories you’ve shared about your experiences in intramurals scholars and transforming lives. and other areas of RecSports. We continue to believe that the impact that we have on today’s students, coupled with our partnership with the many Friends of RecSports, will help make RecSports a strong and viable organization as we reach for 100 years!

With warmest wishes for 2005, th

Cover: Recreational Sports has evolved from the Men’s and Women’s Intramural Sports Program into a diverse program that includes five main program areas: • Intramural Sports • Sport Clubs • Informal Recreation • Outdoor Recreation • Fitness/Wellness

Thomas W. Dison Associate Vice President and Director Visit our Web site and let us know “where you are” or drop by Gregory Gym the next time you’re in Austin.

Spotlight

(1) Stepping into Fitness For the past 15 years, exercise enthusiasts have frequented step aerobic classes like this one, led by Gay Gasper, because of its challenging format and more intense workout. Fitness/Wellness Coordinator Jennifer Speer says step classes are sure to remain a major staple of the fitness program due to their immense popularity.

GRE aquatics complex due to open fall 2005

(2) Dog Sledding Adventure Chris Johnson (left foreground), Ryan Crago (right foreground) and Jeffrey Schwartz (background) were among the eight UT students who learned to work as a team, build fires, stay warm and mush dogs in sub-zero degree weather during a January Break trip to the Boundary Waters in Minnesota. Outdoor Recreation teamed up with the Voyager Outward Bound School to sponsor this unique adventure.

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(3) Rugby Club The UT Rugby Club, shown here playing against Louisiana State University at Whitaker Fields, competes at the state and national level against other rugby club teams in the Western Rugby Football Union Collegiate Division I (Texas Region). The team finished in the top 16 last year and has won three cup matches this year.

(4) Intramural Basketball Over 500 teams tipped off the intramural basketball season in January playing in 15 different divisions: Orange A/B/C, White A & B, Fraternity A & B, Housing, Graduate, Law, Coed A & B, Six Foot & Under A & B and Women. Teams play four regular season games followed by a single elimination playoff, culminating with a champion in each division. Champion photos can be viewed at www.utrecsports.org.

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Est. 1916

RecSports Is...

Intramural Sports Under the guidance of Berry M. Whitaker, The Intramural Sports Program offers over 100 team, individual Over 1,000 the Men’s Intramural Sports Program was or dual events each year for Men, Women and Coed divisions. students work born in 1916. With the arrival of Anna Hiss Men still compete in such divisions as Fraternity, Housing and for RecSports Independent with A, B or C skill levels. in 1921, the Women’s Intramural Sports each year.

Traditional sports such as football, basketball, soccer, Program and club sports were established. volleyball and softball are staples of the intramural calendar, while Led by Albert A. “Sonny” Rooker and Betty A. sports like ultimate, wallyball, sports trivia bowl and indoor soccer offer Thompson throughout the 1960s, both programs non-traditional options. ourished and nally joined forces in 1972, becoming Sport Clubs the Division of Recreational Sports. Today’s students, With over 40 clubs today, the Sport Club Program attracts the serious and not under the guidance of Tom Dison, enjoy a diverse and so serious enthusiasts. A nationally competitive tier of clubs includes soccer, volleyball, lacrosse, crew, sailing team, water ski team, gymnastics and ultimate. comprehensive program of recreational opportunities.

Intramural champions – Men, Women, and Coed from 1919 to present – are immortalized on the Wall of Fame in Gregory Gym.

Bob Childress awards the Charles Alan Wright trophy to the All-University football champs, Holla at Yo Boy.

Two Coed Intramural volleyball teams square off in the Gregory Gym Arena.

2003 NIRSA Women’s Collegiate Volleyball Sport Club Champions enjoy the orange-lit tower.

From archery to wushu, over 4,000 students devote time to the University of Texas Sports Club Association.

Fitness/Wellness Originating from the aerobics club formed in the early 1980s, today’s Fitness/ Wellness Program consists of over 105 classes each week including Pilates mat, step, sculpting and Core Board. In addition, specialty classes such as yoga, NIA (Neuromuscular Integrative Action) and vertical fitness offer thousands of students the opportunity to stay fit. Services new to this area include massage, personal trainers and fitness assessments.

Outdoor Recreation Formed in 1974 shortly after the creation of the Division of Recreational Sports, this program offers the outdoor participant opportunities for clinics, workshops, weekend trips or extended trips. Backpacking, canoeing, kayaking and rock climbing are just a few of the types of adventures available in this program. An outdoor resource center offers rental equipment for students, faculty and staff.

The latest trends include personal trainers and fitness assessments.

Yoga is gaining in popularity with both men and women.

UT students enjoy a Rio Grande river trip on Spring Break.

Informal Recreation While many students continue to play intramurals, join sport clubs, enjoy outdoor recreation and attend group exercise classes, the availability of facilities and equipment for “drop in recreation” contributes to the 90 percent participation rate of the undergraduate population.

The Recreational Sports Center (RSC), opened in 1990, greatly expanded the opportunities for students on campus. As the first student-funded facility for recreation, the RSC established the benchmark for future facility expansion.

Gregory Gym, renovated between 1995 and 1997, stands as an historic landmark while offering modern amenities for students, faculty and staff.

Whitaker Fields and Tennis Courts and Clark Field serve the outdoor participant’s needs for a place to recreate. Initially renovated in 1981, these facilities host intramurals, clubs, national events, as well as informal recreation.

Jogging on the indoor track in Gregory Gym is the third most popular recreational activity for students.

Fitness stations at Clark Field enhance the jogging routine.

Fast Forward Where Are

YOU Now?

Lost touch with former intramural teammates or fellow RecSports employees? Want to find out what happened to your old workout buddies?

Here’s what some of you are doing now: 1940s Weller Seiders ‘47, returned from serving in the military during World War II to win a softball championship with a group of ex-servicemen in 1947. Weller spent his career with the KashKarry (now Fresh Plus) food chain, retiring in 1985 as the secretarytreasurer for the business. Living in Austin, he and his wife raised a son and daughter and have a grandson who is a UT graduate.

1950s Ross Blumentritt ‘52, former senior manager (Phi Kappa Psi), celebrated his 71st birthday at Scholz Beer Garden during this past Rose Bowl. Today, with ve children, 12 grandkids and one great-grandchild, he keeps a home in Austin but lives in Belize in Central America.

His businesses include Aberdeen Insurance Managers (Turks & Caicos) Ltd., Grand Turk, TCI and Aberdeen International Insurance Managers Belize Ltd, Belmopan, Belize.

Dr. Laurence Becker ‘58, ‘66, won Class A tennis as a freshman and then played varsity tennis for the next three years, serving as captain his senior year. After a teaching/coaching stint at Schreiner Institute, he earned his master’s degree, taught English at St. Stephen’s School in Austin, ofciated soccer for 23 years and

since 1976 he has worked with autistic savant artists. Today, Dr. Becker still plays tennis (Hard Knox), is very involved with UT tennis and enjoys his three children.

1960s Seth (Skip) Schapper, former Roberts Hall tennis doubles champion with Robert Young and member of the bowling team in 1959-60, left school in 1960 to become a computer programmer and pursued a career in data processing. Seth lives in Houston with wife Margaret and still plays tennis with an old intramural buddy, David Edgar.

Weir Labatt ‘62, former senior manager, AllIntramural water basketball player and manager for Phi Delta Theta, led his fraternity to three straight participation trophies and a water basketball championship. He lives in San Antonio and is chairman of the board of directors of Habitat for Humanity of San Antonio. He previously served on the Texas Water Development Board.

Wall of Fame reprints are available. Details at www.utrec sports.org

James Byland ‘69, won a softball championship playing with the Vikings in 1968 and was named the Best AllAround Athlete (Clubs) for Tejas in 1969. Living in Camdenton, Mo., he is a retired basketball coach and high school administrator (Lake of the Ozarks).

Alvin Badger ‘67, star pitcher for the KA fast pitch softball champions and member of the champion KA basketball team, now practices law in Dallas.

Married to Tanna Sue Doing for 37 years, Al and Tanna raised four kids all of whom have graduated from college. Their second son, a West Point graduate, is currently deployed to Iraq. Al and many of his former KA friends meet in Dallas every January for breakfast.

1970s Robin Teague ‘70, former rst baseman on the championship KA fast pitch softball team, got his law degree in 1973 and has been practicing in San Antonio ever since. He and his wife Sher Brooks raised a daughter, Kimberley, who graduated from UT and now works for Texas A&M in Austin. Robin’s interests include camping, art and Texas sports, especially baseball.

Jonathan Purvin ‘71, served as a senior

manager for Acacia in 1970-71. He has been married to Tobi for 27 years and has three daughters, Stacy (24), Erin (21) and Robin (18). Living in El Paso and working various manufacturing jobs, he has been in sales for 14 years with Packaging Corporation of America.

Manuel “Bob” Garcia ‘72, is a former intramural program manager who after graduation worked with past director Albert A. “Sonny” Rooker during Rooker’s tenure as executive director of the Governor’s Council on Physical Fitness. Bob is now an attorney in private practice living in Houston. He proudly notes that his two children are UT graduates – Lauren (’01) and Matthew (’04).

James Crosland ‘73, presently is an assistant professor for medical sciences teaching pediatric anesthesiology at Arkansas Children’s Hospital. He played football for Sigma Nu and was named a rst team All-Intramural football player. He was also a member of the champion Sigma Nu track team in 1969. “Plan II and intramurals were the highlights of my time at UT,” he notes.

1967 Softball Fast Pitch Class A Champion Kappa Alpha: Front (L-R): John R. Pipkin, Robert E. Giles, Alan B. Roberts, Clyde C. King Jr., Michael E. Murray. Back (L-R): Robert O. Collier, Don W. Priefert, John F. Kirkwood Jr., Carl Robin Teague, Alvin H. Badger III, David B. Kiker.

Go to www.utrecsports.org/whereareyou to let us know what you’re up to!

Fred Battenfield ‘78, past intramural champion in volleyball and sports editor for the RecSports Review, just completed his Ph.D. in sport management at Florida State University and is currently an assistant professor at Old Dominion University.

1980s Mike Wasson ‘81, ‘90, is a former intramural champion in football and softball and was the outstanding ofcial in 1981-82. Married to Julie Yarsa, an IBM employee, Mike is gainfully employed by the Science Application International Corp. since earning a second degree in computer science. He reports that he has completed three marathons and many half-marathons and has won the past four IBM ag football championships “despite the advanced age and by using the system we perfected in intramural football.”

Steve Knight ‘82, former member of the Triumph football champs and the Fly Shooters, is a senior writer for The Think Tank, an Austin ad agency. Married to Mary Yelenosky ‘84, current budget director and associate VP of business at UT, Steve spends time coaching his kids, Eric (17), and Matthew (13), and is still active in sports.

Wilbor Boyd ‘83, former intramural volleyball champion, met his wife, Cindy Lamb Boyd, playing intramural volleyball. Since college he has coached high school and college volleyball teams and today owns a couple of Curves for Women franchises with his wife.

“We are able to combine coaching and business to run a franchise where lives are changed due to the

1989 Football Flag Champion and All-University Champion TRIUMPH Front (L-R): John Wilcox, John Duston, Mike Wasson, Andy Whitehead, Craig Ballentine. Back (L-R): Steve Knight, Scott Stolle, Tom Stinson, Mike Newton, Kevin Ayers.

benets of exercise and healthy choices in life. We also live on a little space in the Pacic Ocean many call paradise,” he notes.

Home is Kailua Kona, Hawaii.

Michael Newton ‘85, ‘88, ‘91, a former member of the Triumph All-University football champions in 1989, also played for the Legal Eagles. Today, Michael practices law in the eld of intellectual property (95 percent patent litigation) and “coaches more sports than I play” with his three boys (13, 9, 7) and daughter (4).

1990s Scott Stolle ‘90, former member of Triumph football, has been practicing law in San Antonio for the last 10 years with Davis, Cedillo & Mendoza, Inc., representing businesses in commercial litigation. Scott is married with two daughters “whose sports careers ended my over-30 baseball career.” While trying a case, Scott met a former intramural football competitor and relived old times. “It’s amazing how neither of us could remember much of anything from our classes at UT, but we can still remember specic plays from our intramural football games,” he says.

Or contact Bob Childress at 512.475.7180 or bobc@mail.utexas.edu

Melissa Guzman ‘91, former building coordinator for RecSports, pursued a career in the recreation eld upon receiving her master’s degree from Drake University.

After a year in tness/wellness, she became an Outward Bound instructor in Colorado where she met her husband and began a long journey that included ve years in Alaska in pharmaceutical sales, as well as skiing, hiking and hunting.

With her husband deployed to the Middle East, she now attends her ill mother and has completed her rst year of veterinary school at Colorado State University. Melissa’s sister, Dr. Michele Guzman, is an assistant professor in education psychology at UT and her brother Peter is an academic advisor for biological sciences at UT. Cheryl (Biasbas) Fleetwood ‘92, former intramural participant, graduated with a degree in child development and family relationships and has taught in the Round Rock school district for the past 11 years.

Frank Trevino Jr. ‘95, former intramural employee and champion,

married Janice Peters ‘97, a former intramural supervisor and champion. Living in Sugarland, Texas, Frank earned an MBA and currently serves as director of advertising for a property asset management company in Houston.

Janice, who got the rst hit for the inaugural women’s softball team in 1996, is a buyer for a seismic data rm. Most of their free time is spent traveling.

Paul Hudson ‘95, former building coordinator in Gregory Gym, received his master’s degree from Arizona State University in 1997 and has worked in public policy in Texas for the last eight years, including director of policy for the governor. Currently, he is chairman of the Public Utility Commission of Texas. Paul celebrated his seventh anniversary with wife Shannon and has one daughter, Ella (2), and a second child due this summer. ”I still bike, run and hit the tennis ball around and chase my daughter,” he says.

Becky Stenzel ‘96, former intramural staffer and champion, received her master’s degree from Ohio State and now works in Dallas, managing production for a soap distribution company. She still plays softball and volleyball several nights a week.

2000s Nazri Malek ‘03, former building coordinator for RecSports, lives in Malaysia where he works as an engineer. On his time at UT he remembers, “most of the time I looked forward to going to work way more than going to class.”

Winner’s Circle

Team members from UT and A&M Coed teams meet after the game. UT won 41-0.

Back Yard Brawl

The competition between The University of Texas at Austin and Texas A&M University extended into the intramural world as the Men’s, Women’s and Coed champions in football traveled to College Station to compete in the rst annual “Back Yard Brawl.”

Representing UT were the Men’s team Holla at Yo Boy, the Coed team Longhorn United and the Women’s team TD Twisters.

Four ofcials – two from each university – ofciated each game.

By winning all three contests, UT brought home the trophy for the 2004 competition. Texas will host the 2005 challenge.

Fast Forward

Best All-Around athletes meet at the 2003 reunion: L-R: Lynn Halamicek (1954-55), Kyle Read (1956-57), Max Smith (1952-53 and 1953-54), Jackie Boston (1955-56, 1957-58 and 1958-59)

Oak Grove Reunion Slated for Oct. 22, 2005

From 1939 until 1961, Oak Grove competed in the intramural program and dominated the club division. In 1998, under the leadership of Kyle Read, then president of the Oak Grove alumni, the “Grovers” met in Austin for their first reunion with over 160 men attending. This fall Oak Grove will host its fifth reunion during the Texas Tech game weekend. For information contact Jim Cole, Oak Grove alumni president, at cccole@flash.net or 281.286.9438.

Action from the Men’s contest, won by UT 34-13.

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