Inside RecSports: Fall/Winter 2008

InsideRecSports Published for friends and supporters of UT Recreational Sports

Vol. 8, No. 1

Fall 2008

NIRSA 2008

Winner’s Circle 1992–93 SAE Open basketball champions Front row (L–R): David Mitchell, Frederick Brazelton, Blake Purnell Back row (L–R): Webb Jennings, Worthey Wiles, Ragon Richey

In three seasons, 1991, 1992 and 1993, the SAE basketball squad posted a 38 – 6 record. Playing in the Fraternity A and Open leagues, the SAEs appeared in one semi-final and four championship games, winning two, the 1991 Frat A and the 1993 Open league. This group never lost consecutive games and was anchored by Fred Brazelton ’93, and Webb Jennings ’95, of Houston Kinkaid High School; Blake Purnell ’93, and Worthey Wiles ’93, ’98, of Dallas Highland Park; and Ragon Richey ’93, of Tyler Lee High School. Brazelton and Jennings – with their respective wives and children – live in Houston. Fred works with Playform Partners, LLC and Webb works at Hancock Park Associates. Blake, Ragon and Worthey– and their families – live in Dallas. Blake and Worthey work for CB Richard Ellis, while Ragon is an attorney. All remain in touch.

RECSPORTS OPEN HOUSE Saturday, October 25 Gregory Gym Three hours before kickoff UT vs. Oklahoma State

Visit old friends, tour new Gregory, claim a Wall of Fame T-shirt and enjoy refreshments.

UT RecSports staff members served on the host committee.

Division of Recreational Sports Hosts Annual NIRSA Conference The University of Texas at Austin served as the host institution for the 59 th Annual Conference and Exposition of the National Intramural-Recreational Sports Association (NIRSA), held in Austin, April 2–5, 2008. More than 2,500 student and professional members participated, greatly exceeding previous attendance records and making it the largest conference in the association’s history. Attendees came from all 50 states, as well as Canada and Mexico.

Staff from the University’s Division of Recreational Sports led a group of 10 other Central Texas institutions in planning and implementing this four-day event. In addition to offering over 125 educational presentations and seminars, the event included pre-conference trips and workshops, a golf tournament benefiting the NIRSA Foundation, a guest program, a tradeshow featuring nearly 500 vendors, several service projects, and numerous social and networking activities.

Planning the conference spanned a period of nearly 16 months and entailed securing numerous corporate sponsorships, as well as making detailed arrangements with the Austin Convention and Visitor’s Bureau, six downtown hotels, an assortment of transportation suppliers, and a score of local venue providers and merchants. Conference attendees were exposed to many of Austin’s diverse cultural opportunities, in addition to many of the University’s nationally recognized programs and facilities.

The 2009 NIRSA Annual Conference will be held in Charlotte, N.C.

Join the Winner’s Circle! Let us recognize your team with a story and a picture. Contact Bob Childress at bobc@mail.utexas.edu or call 512-475-7180.

The University of Texas at Austin Recreational Sports 1 University Station D7500 Austin, TX 78712-0395

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Continuing the Tradition Fe a t u r e A r t i c l e s

The Early Birds

∙ The FutURe of RecSports

Letter

Spotlight

From

the Director Dear Friends: Welcome to the 15th edition of Inside RecSports. As we begin the 2008-09 academic year with a new generation of Longhorns, I am reminded once again of what Recreational Sports is all about. It is about people and it is about participating—being part of a team and making friends. RecSports is also about creating memories that can last a lifetime. Thank you for taking the time to read these newsletters and for letting us share information, highlights and a little history with you.

In this expanded edition of Inside RecSports, we include two special features in addition to the popular Where Are You Now updates. The first feature tells the story of the Early Birds, a group that has made significant contributions to our organization for over 40 years. The second feature introduces the Division’s Development Program as we begin exploring alternative approaches for funding future projects and initiatives.

This past summer, in response to the changing financial landscape on campus and the rising cost of higher education, a group of friends formed a Leadership Team. The Team’s goal is a rather simple one: to help ensure that today’s students will have the same kinds of opportunities that you experienced while participating in the program. Although current students will remain the primary source of funding, the Team hopes to pursue new resources that will allow the Division to remain one of the premier collegiate recreational programs in the country. We hope that you will find a way to support future students as they create their own memories with RecSports. Please read the complete Early Birds We hope that you will and Development features inside and meet the new RecSports Leadership Team.

Finally, and as I have said in each newsletter, we look forward find a way to be part of to your communications and welcome you to contact us with your comments, suggestions and ideas. If you are ever on campus, please the plan to support future come by Gregory Gym for a visit or, better yet, plan on attending the RecSports Open House on Saturday, Oct. 25, 2008, in Gregory Gym. We wish you all the best in 2008-09 and we hope to see you students as they create this fall.

their own memories with

(1) Intramural Sports In its 4th year, the Backyard Brawl features the UT men’s, women’s and coed flag football champions competing against the A&M champions in a "home and home competition." The winner takes home the traveling trophy and the bragging rights. To date, UT holds a commanding lead in this extramural competition, winning the trophy each year, losing only three games out of 12 in the history of this challenge.

(4) Outdoor Recreation Over the weekend of April 26 – 27 the UT RecSports Adventure Trip Program led eight UT students and staff on a caving trip to West Texas.

Geary Schindell from the Texas Cave Management Association (TCMA) hosted the group at the Punkin’ Deep Cave Preserve in the Carta Valley near Del Rio, Texas.

These outdoor enthusiasts thoroughly enjoyed crawling and scrambling their way over 250 feet below ground followed by an enlightening lecture on cave geology and ground water hydrology. As part of the trip, the group completed 20 hours of service work on the property to assist TCMA with the management of the resource. The service component of this trip was embraced by all and will ensure that the UT RecSports Adventure Trip Program will be welcomed back for years to come.

90% of undergraduate students participate in RecSports

(2) Sport Clubs The UT Tennis Club is one of 45 clubs sponsored by Recreational Sports. The club is open to all UT students and consists of players who vary in range from beginner to nationally competitive.

They compete in the Texas Section of the United States Tennis Association against other universities in the state. The UT Tennis Club advanced to the USTA National Campus Championships in Cary, N.C., after qualifying at the Texas Section of the USTA Campus Championships hosted by Texas A&M University. After winning their tournament pool, the Longhorns advanced to the Championship match with wins over Syracuse, Georgia and Stanford. The team went on to defeat UC-Berkeley to win their first-ever National Championship.

The club was recognized in front of the lighted orange tower for their accomplishment.

(5) Fitness/Wellness This popular program at UT RecSports offers 130 weekly TeXercise (group exercise) classes, including yoga, Pilates, step, kickboxing, body sculpting, cardio combo, ab lab, dance and many more.

Another component of the Fitness/Wellness Program is Pilates Reformer classes in which five or fewer participants work out together utilizing Pilates Reformers machines. These machines allow participants to challenge their bodies in new ways, while at the same time strengthening their muscles and improving overall core strength.

(3) Instructional Swim Lessons Aquatic classes are offered for current students and RecSports members as part of the Instructional Program. Classes take place in the new Aquatic Complex and include private instruction or group instruction for beginners and advanced swimmers.

Sincerely yours, (1)

(2)

(3)

RecSports.

Cover PhotoS: Where memories are made– (clockwise from left) Gregory Gym: 2008 The Gregory Gym Aquatic Complex: 2008 Whitaker Fields: 2008 Whitaker Fields: 1962 The Recreational Sports Center: 1990 Gregory Gym: 1933

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RecSports

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.

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Looking Back

Dr. Stanley Burnham With a zoology degree from Daniel Baker College in Brownwood, Texas, in 1949, Stan Burnham intended to go to medical school and become a doctor. Instead, the San Saba, Texas, native became a teacher and coach until the spring of 1959 when he enrolled at The University of Texas to pursue a doctorate. In 1961 Stan moved to Gregory Gym as part of the Department of Required Health and Physical Education for Men and began studying strength development.

The Early Birds

Tradition “ E x e rc i se: T h e i m p orta n t fac t or contributing to fitness for effecti ve li v ing.”

–Dr. Stan Burnham

The Five Charter Members

The genesis of the Early Birds began in 1961 when then StateRep. Bob Armstrong was referred to Stan Burnham to seek advice on his health and fitness level. Bob began meeting with Stan three mornings a week and was soon joined by four other Austin attorneys: Chrys Dougherty, Tom Gee, Lloyd Lochridge and Tom Reavley. The program’s success attracted many Austin doctors, lawyers and businessmen and officially became known as the Business-Professional Program.

Faculty and Staff Join the Program

Dr. Stan Burnham pushes the class through their paces circa 1962.

Lieutenant Colonel Bob Higley and the Early Birds

In 1962 Lt. Col. Bob Higley joined Dr. Burnham’s early morning exercise group. “We exercised down in Gregory Gym on the big mats. If you came in late you would have to use the hard f loor,” Higley related. Upon Dr. Burnham’s departure from UT in 1972, Bob began conducting the class occasionally and by 1974 had become the official leader. He embraced the Early Birds name and carried on the tradition for three decades. As a leader and proponent of the value of play and exercise, both Stan and Bob clearly had a profound inf luence on the Division of Recreational Sports.

By year two, professors began “coming down from their ivory towers” to join the program. Soon more than 100 faculty, coaches and other University officials were skipping lunch in favor of bar bells, isometrics and Burnham’s non-stop exercise regimen. They included such notables as Dr. Norman Hackerman, Dr. John Silber, Jones Ramsey, Jack Holland, Dr. John McKetta and many others. Stan was assisted by several individuals, including Charlie Craven, Pete Tyson, Frank Medina, Terry Todd, Alton Hodges, Wayne Jennings and Tom Martine.

In 1972 Dr. Burnham left the University to become the chairman of the Governor’s Council on Physical Fitness, an agency sponsored by Bob Armstrong and originally chaired by Dr. Kenneth Cooper and Jim Lovell. Over the next decade Stan served as dean of Arts and Sciences at San Jose State University, as vice president of Academic Affairs at the University of Montana and, finally, as president of the Pacific Coast Health Science Center in San Francisco, Calif. In 1986 Stan and his family moved back to San Saba, Texas, where he is retired with his wife, Millie. Stan does volunteer work at nearby Howard Payne University and Daniel Baker College, as well as with the Library of Congress.

first member of what became the Early Birds, visits with Stan Burnham at the 2005 Early Birds Breakfast. Bob reflects, “Stan Burnham was an important person in my life. He restarted my fitness program which continues today. Thanks, Stan.”

Chrys Dougherty, Austin attorney and the second Early Birds member, recalls, “Burnham’s idea then was that there were some professional people in town that needed help. He was right!

I think it’s the thing that’s kept me alive and kept Lloyd (Lochridge) alive!”

Austin attorney and Chrys Dougherty’s squash partner for 44 years says, “The Austin Business-Professional people needed a program like the Early Birds to provide an exercise program that would help them. Stan’s Early Birds Program did that for many of us.”

In the summer of 1959, after serving in the U.S. Army, Lt. Col. Bob Higley was assigned to The University of Texas where he taught military history and coached the Army ROTC intramural football team. On Jan. 31, 1963, Bob retired from the Army and immediately went to work in the University’s International Office as a counselor and became the faculty sponsor/coach of the newlyformed UT Club Soccer Team.

Early Birds Scholarship

Donations are currently being accepted to establish an Early Birds Endowed Scholarship honoring the tradition and spirit of this group.

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During this period Stan found time to start the Early Birds Program for Austin business and professional men and later for UT faculty/staff members. As an associate professor, Stan continued to conduct research, teach classes, publish articles and even video tape an exercise show featuring his 16-year-old daughter, Diana, for KLRU-TV. By 1969 Dr. Burnham was chairman of the newly-formed coed Department of Physical Instruction.

1914 –2003

Top: Bob Higley (top left) and the 1980 Early Birds.

Bottom: Early Birds Breakfast 2007.

RecSports

In addition to teaching and conducting research, Stan answered Coach Darrell Royal’s request to help his athletes who were having problems with the heat during “two-a-days.”

Stan developed a pre-season training program, a pre-participation physical exam and, for the first time ever, a strength program for UT football. He also coordinated the rehabilitation for injured athletes, especially post-operative cases.

Lieutenant Colonel Robert P. Higley

The early morning exercise group had a habit of parking all around Gregory Gym and going to breakfast at the old Varsity Cafeteria next door following the workout. One morning as the group emerged from the cafeteria the UT police were ticketing their cars. Stan relates, “Eddie Joseph sauntered over to the officers and said, “We’re just a bunch of early birds working out in Gregory Gym.” With this plea, the police backed off and the Early Birds were officially named.

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Bob Armstrong (L),

Lloyd Lochridge,

Origins of the Early Birds Name

Wayne Jennings directs the Early Birds class circa 1965.

Early Birds Remember

Information on the initiative is available on the enclosed envelope, online at www.utrecsports.org or by calling Bob Childress at 512-471-3116.

Following Dr. Burnham’s departure from the University, Bob assumed the leadership role over the Early Birds class and for some three decades put these men through their daily routine with military precision.

In 1982 Lt. Col. Higley started the alumni Early Birds Breakfast, attracting 55 men to this first gathering. This annual breakfast continues today as part of RecSports’ support of this long-standing tradition. Lt. Col. Higley passed away in 2003, but his legacy remains as a leader and a proponent of the value of exercise as well as a greatly respected “friend of RecSports.”

Tom Martine,

Early Birds Breakfast 2000. (L-R): Bob Armstrong, Clift Price and Stan Burnham.

former assistant director for Men’s Intramurals and class instructor, says, “I owe a debt of gratitude to Stan Burnham. I first knew him as one of my professors and then as a mentor as I took over his faculty/staff fitness classes. His enthusiasm for fitness for all was unbounded. While he was a hard taskmaster, he was a great teacher.”

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Development Corner

Continuing a UniversITy Tradition Enriching the Lives of Generations of Students

The Division of Recreational Sports is one of the oldest and largest collegiate recreational programs in the United States. Many of you recognize us as Intramurals because of your participation in that program. However, in 1974, the Men’s and Women’s Intramural Programs combined to form the Division of Recreational Sports. Besides the name change, we have been fortunate to have experienced growth in both facilities and programs. Students today enjoy 10 wide-ranging facilities and participating in one of six programs – Intramural Sports, Sport Clubs, Outdoor Recreation, the Fitness/Wellness Program, the Instructional Program and Informal Recreation.

Today's program by the numbers:

• Over 90% of the undergraduate student population participates in RecSports.

• UT students, faculty, staff and other members generate over 3.5 million hours of participation each year.

Partnership with Students

Through all the years, one fact has remained consistent - student partnerships are critical to this organization. Men and women student managers organized the early Intramural Sports and Sport Clubs Programs, while today, student employees manage facilities, assist in the office, officiate intramural games, lead outdoor trips, teach fitness classes, supervise programs and organize special events. In 1985 this student support led to a successful referendum that approved the use of student fees to build the Recreational Sports Center. Two subsequent referendums resulted in the renovation of Gregory Gym and the construction of the Gregory Gym Aquatic Complex, again using student fees.

For decades this student support has been the primary reason Recreational Sports has achieved the status it holds today. While we believe that students have an obligation to assist in maintaining this status, alternative approaches for funding new initiatives, projects and programs must be explored. With the help of our friends, this process has already started.

Women Intramural team managers—1964

The Gregory Gym Aquatic Complex opened in 2005.

Recreational Sports Leadership Team

Recently a group called the RecSports Leadership Team, comprised of past participants, employees and friends, was officially formed and began meeting to discuss how to approach this new challenge facing the Division. Chaired by Joe Bill Watkins (’65, ’68), all members of this team have a personal passion for the value of RecSports to the overall university experience and each has committed their time and resources to ensure the economic future of our organization. Members include: Joe Bill Watkins, Chair R. Gordon Appleman Ann Vandivier Brodnax John S. Butler, Ph.D. William H. Cunningham, Ph.D. Sylvie Crum Kenneth B. Ford, Jr., M.D. René A. Garza Bennett J. Glazer Jerry R. Grammer, Ph.D.

Thomas O. McGarity Anna Holand Miller C. Baker Montgomery Howard D. Nirken J. W. Pieper Michael J. Tomsu Charles Martin Wender Linda McCalla Williams Mark J. Williams

Opportunities to Make a Difference

In its initial discussions, the Leadership Team has identified three areas as “opportunities to make a difference.” These areas are:

Student Scholarships The Division of Recreational Sports provides unlimited opportunities for those interested in creating new scholarships or adding to the value of current endowed scholarships to assist today’s students.

RecSports Excellence Fund The Excellence Fund raises critical, unrestricted resources for the Division. Because these gifts are not earmarked for a specific purpose, they allow the Division to place resources where they are most immediately needed or where opportunities are the greatest.

Special Projects

Memories from the Leadership Team Chair

• Over the past 15 years, RecSports is proud to have celebrated 28 Sport Club national championships.

The Gymnastics and Tennis clubs won national championships in 2008.

• RecSports employs 1,000 students each year, returning over $2 million to students in the form of wages.

Gergory Gym was renovated in 1995 and reopened in 1997.

Senior Managers— 1957–58.

(L-R): Stewart Gillette, Everett Tucker, Gordon Appleman, George Helland.

• Some 500 basketball teams, 400 football teams, 300 softball teams, and 200 soccer and volleyball teams play intramurals.

• Students can choose from 130 weekly TeXercise classes, which include fitness, mind/body and specialty classes.

The Recreational Sports Center opened in 1990.

“As a young student many years ago, I spent countless hours competing in intramural sports and Gregory Gym was like a second home to me. Today, I’m pleased to be able to give back to this student-centered organization by leading the effort to continue its traditions for future generations of Longhorns.”

Joe Bill Watkins, Class of 1965, 1968

Today, RecSports employs over 1,000 students each year.

As RecSports prepares for the future, the focus turns to outdoor facilities including a complete renovation of Whitaker Fields and Tennis Complex and Clark Field, as well as a potential Outdoor Leadership Development Center.

While today’s students remain the single most important factor to our continued success, the time has come to ask for help from our friends.

We invite you to be a part of the RecSports Development initiative and help us “Continue a University Tradition of Education though Recreation.”

• 95% of participants say that RecSports significantly contributes to their overall university experience.

Information on Development efforts is available online at www.utrecsports.org/friends 5

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Special Projects

Clark Field

History and Future

Clark Field has functioned as a venue for Recreational Sports since the early 1980s.

It is the last remaining “green” space on campus and is used heavily by students and other members for jogging, basketball and field sports. The facility has a long and storied history on the UT-Austin campus, including these milestones:

• 1924 Football and track teams use Clark Field until their relocation to Memorial Stadium.

• 1927 Baseball moves to “new” Clark Field just north of Memorial Stadium.

• 1974 Clark Field closes to make room for the Performing Arts Center.

• 1975 Clark Field “name” transferred to Freshman Field site on Waller Creek.

• 1980 A major renovation adds basketball courts, racquetball courts, exercise

Clark Field 1930s

stations and a track.

• 1999 Construction of San Jacinto Hall eliminates the racquetball courts and

relocates the basketball courts.

• 2001 Clark Field reopens in its current location with four outdoor basketball

courts, a quarter mile free-form track, four fitness stations and a turf area for play.

Sykes Houston

Best All-Around Athlete and team manager for the SAE fraternity, played intramurals for over eight years, including two while stationed in San Antonio in the Air Force. He spent four years (1961– 65) as a member of the Texas House of Representatives and was elected to the 92 nd and 14 succeeding Congresses (1971 – 2001). Today, Bill is the senior policy advisor for PricewaterhouseCoopers.

1960s John Knaggs

A feasibility study to convert Clark Field into a competitive lacrosse facility was conducted in 2007. The renovation would allow UT Sport Clubs to utilize the space for practice and competition, while maintaining opportunities for informal recreation by the University community.

’61, Oak Grove

Clark Field 1980s

Clark Field Proposed Renovations:

• • • • • • •

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:

William R. Archer Jr. ’50, ’51,

• 1904 Varsity Field renamed Clark Field after Judge James B. Clark.

Where Are YOU Now? 1950s

• 1887 Varsity Athletic Field constructed on 24 th and Speedway.

Permanently fixed aluminum bleachers for spectator seating Synthetic turf playing surface Improved grading, drainage and landscaping New sports lighting to adequately illuminate the field Improvements to the track, track lighting and fitness course A multi-purpose support building Other amenities to include lacrosse netting, public address system and scoreboards

Wall of Fame athlete in football, volleyball, basketball and tennis, was sports editor for the Daily Texan in 1955.

After graduation he worked as a journalist in three Texas cities.

John has written three books, notably “The Bugles are Silent,” a historical account of the Texas revolution against Mexico, and has a fourth manuscript in progress.

Bill Paddock ’62, ’64, former

Fiji and tennis doubles champion, is retired from practicing law in Houston and today is the vice president for development with the Greater Houston Community Foundation. Of note, his brother, Bob Paddock ’66, set the 880-yard relay record with his Fiji teammates running a 1:31.8 in 1963.

Aerial perspective of proposed Clark Field from the south.

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Clark Field 2008

Fast Forward

’65, ’68, former

football and softball champion as well as Best AllAround Athlete in 1964–65 (Independents), became a special agent for the FBI in 1971. Sykes retired to Austin after 30 years of service and continues to work part time for the U.S. Department of State and the FBI.

1970s Rik Wehmeier ’76, is executive

vice president and managing director of Balser Cos., an executive benefits firm in Atlanta, Ga. This multi-sport intramural champion and his wife, Susan, have two sons, Doug (UT ’06), and, Greg, a junior at UT who keep them coming back to Austin where they are remodeling a second home in Hyde Park.

1980s Bill McMeans ’80, an intramural

Wall of Famer in several sports, was very successful in business and now is a “semi-retired nuisance” in Austin. Bill says his memories of the intramural competitions were by far his fondest college memories. He notes, “I often tell people that while my degree is in economics, I really majored in intramurals.”

Bill is married to Tracy and has two children, Austin and Kris.

Darrell Taylor ’81, ’84, earned a

finance degree and law degree and had time to play intramurals

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

and make the Wall of Fame 10 times. Darrell is a partner with BakerBotts LLP in Houston and has a 17-year-old daughter and three sons, ages 10, 13 and 14.

Robert Martinez ’89, former intramural supervisor and player, worked in the Los Angeles, Calif., District Attorney’s office for eight years where he met his wife, Rose (Garcia) ’98. Today, Rose attends the LBJ School while Robert works for the Office of the Attorney General.

A 5-year-old daughter, Marisa, and a 2-year-old son, Matthew, complete the family.

Kevin (KC) Crouch ’85, intramural track champion and multiple winner in football and softball, lives in Alexandria, Va., and works in Washington D.C., for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security as chief in the Training and Operations Security Division. He and wife Linda have three children – Jami, Isac and Grayson. Kevin recently released a contemporary Christian CD entitled “Song from the Heart.”

Susan (Peterson) Hickman ’86, former Gregory Gym store clerk and intramural champion, spent 18 years in the quality assurance food industry after graduation. She now lives in Houston with husband Tony and stepson Sean, designs jewelry and tries to keep up with Harley, her agility-course dog, (aka Rocket-Dog).

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Dr. Reginald Baptiste ’86, intramural basketball champion with the Unknowners, earned his medical degree from Baylor College of Medicine in 1990. Today, he is a practicing heart surgeon in Austin. He and his wife, Hope, stay busy raising four daughters – Hannah, Madison, Rylee and Savannah.

1990s Scott Hill ’90, intramural softball champion and official, spent 16 years with IBM before becoming the CEO for InterContinental Exchange (ICE), based in Atlanta, Ga. Scott and his wife, Hilary (Hand) ’90, have an 11-year-old son, Jacob, and a 5-year-old daughter, Sophia.

Dr. Danielle (Baker) Cooper ‘96, all-around

intramural athlete and champion, finished her residency in 2004 and began working as an assistant professor teaching OB/GYN residents at L.S.U. in Shreveport, La. She and her husband, Dr. Paul Cooper, have a young son, Jackson.

Michael J. Hennessey ’90, was the inaugural intramural triathlon champion in 1985. He and wife Janelle have launched a non-profit foundation http:// w w w.ironmanforkids.com/.

While Mike is in Malaysia and New Zealand for the Iron Man Competition, Janelle works with the foundation while homeschooling their six children.

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Kappa Sigma Fraternity

The Illegal Eagles Women in Law Playing the Fields and Courts The Illegal Eagles was the team of women law students who were very active in intramural sports throughout the decade of the 70s. They won in soccer and football while competing in volleyball, softball, track and swimming. Meet a few of these women who combined athletic competition with their law books and were successful in both.

Charisse (Locke) Mayer ‘74, ‘78, remembers that “UT intramurals reintroduced me to the fun of sports participation.

It was so much fun to play with such a great group of women!” Charisse played football, softball, basketball, soccer and ran track. She and husband Dave Mayer live in Providence, R.I., with three sons who “play everything but specialize in hockey.”

Laird Lawrence ‘78, was a football and

soccer champion, as well as a member of the UT Club Soccer Team. “Playing Top (L-R): intramurals during law school is one Lawrence, McClellan of my fondest memories of that time,” Bottom (L-R): Mayer, Loomis she remembers. Laird is a partner with Kleiman Lawrence Baskind Fitzgerald LLP in Dallas. “ I still love sports, but now as a spectator rather than as a participant. Thanks for giving me a reason to relive these wonderful memories,” Laird concludes.

Renie McClellan ‘76, ‘79, one of the original UT intercollegiate

basketball players, all-around intramural athlete and squash champion, continued her athletic exploits in law school with the Illegal Eagles. Her brother, Cole McClellan ’71, operated the clock as she played a coed exhibition football game in Memorial Stadium. Renie practices law in Dallas and the surrounding counties and is also the director of the Southern Regional National Institute for Trial Advocacy. She has a 17-year-old son, William.

Debby (Herzberg) Loomis ‘77, former Illegal Eagles soccer player,

lives in Austin and joined the Texas Department of Banking Legal Division last November after 18 years in private practice with a number of Austin law firms.

Mary Pat (Darilek) Wilson ‘77, worked for several

firms in Houston following graduation before ending up as deputy general counsel for Nisource, Inc. in Fairfax, Va. Mary Pat is a huge baseball fan of the Houston Astros and the Rice Owls, her alma mater. She enjoys golf and gardening.

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Intramural Excellence Linda Broocks ‘78, received her Wall of Fame

T- shirt for the Illegal Eagles 1976 – 77 football team at the RecSports Open House last fall. Linda is a partner with Ogden, Gibson, Broocks & Longoria LLP in Houston. She is active in numerous professional organizations and is a founding member of the Center for Women in Law at the UT School of Law. Her son, Mack Wilson, is a junior at UT.

Lynne Wilkerson ‘75, ‘78, excelled in intramural

track winning the 100-yard dash and 200-yard dash as well as the coed 440 doubles relay. Lynne was also one of the first women to answer the call for the inaugural women’s intercollegiate track team at UT. After her intramural days, she turned to soccer and played until age 47. Today, Lynne is general counsel for the Bexar County Juvenile Probation Department in San Antonio.

Marilyn Kretsinger ‘78, worked brief ly at the Justice Department in Washington, D.C., and in 1980 joined the General Counsel’s Copyright Office where she worked until 2005. Today, Marilyn lives on an organic family farm in Denison, Texas, does volunteer work, walks, plays bridge and travels.

Linda Perine ‘71, ‘77, acted as captain and played

quarterback for the 1976 – 77 Illegal Eagles team.

Linda was the first woman to score a touchdown in Memorial Stadium during the 1978 exhibition intramural game versus Our Gang. Today, Linda has “the perfect job” traveling to vacation spots, finding properties to fix and renting them to vacationers. Most recently (June 1– 7), she completed a 550-mile, 7-day AIDS/Life cycle ride from San Francisco to Los Angeles to benefit those living with HIV or AIDS.

Kappa Sigma Fraternity has a long history of intramural success dating back to 1919 on the Wall of Fame. From 1946 – 56, Kappa Sigma won the All-Year Trophy Point Standings seven out of 10 years. In addition, the group won intramural track for five consecutive years from 1951– 56. The following men represent a few of literally hundreds who contributed to Kappa Sigma’s success.

Bobby Whilden ‘57, ‘60, is retired after 40 years with Vincent &

Elkins and now is general counsel for BMC Software, Inc. in Houston. Bobby was a varsity track man and acted as coach for the intramural track team.

Bob Thornton ‘57, ‘59, Class A football champion in 1953 – 54 and

track champion in 1954 – 55, is retired from his law practice and living in Horseshoe Bay, Texas. Interestingly, Bob’s state champion high school basketball team (Alamo Heights in San Antonio) was introduced in Gregory Gym in 1977 during the state tournament for its 25th anniversary.

Lynn Carter ‘60, an excellent all-around athlete for the Kappa

Sigs, appears on the Wall of Fame in football, basketball and track as an intramural champion. A seven-year career at UT included law school and five intramural championships. Lynn retired from practicing law at Fulbright & Jaworski 10 years ago and today works for RDF Biotechnologies, Inc. doing foundation work.

Joe Russo ’56, a two-time intramural track champion, attributes their success to all the great athletes from Houston, especially, and Lamar High School in particular. Joe owns The Russo Group/USA, a commercial property and financial advisory service company. His grandson will be a senior at UT this fall.

Clifton Morris ‘58, first team All-Intramural football in 1957

and runner-up in the 100-yard dash in 1956, is the chairman of AmeriCredit Corp. in Fort Worth, Texas. Of note, Clifton’s father lettered in track at UT in 1913 – 16.

Pat Makin ‘76, ‘79, senior attorney in Houston for the

Tom Burke ‘59, former All-Intramural football player in 1957,

Class A football champion and two-time Class A basketball champion, acknowledges the “really good group of guys, especially out of Houston Lamar High School, who played for the fraternity.”

Two sons and a granddaughter graduated from UT. Today, Tom is in the oil field service business with his son.

Dr. Fallon Gordon ‘60, former football and swimming champion, graduated from UT-Galveston Medical School and today is a board certified thoracic and cardiovascular surgeon in Beaumont, Texas.

Larry Connelly, track, football and basketball

champion, is retired from the Galveston/Houston Diocese and now lives in Austin. Larry works one day a week at the Emmaus Catholic Church in Lakeway, Texas.

Dan Burck ‘56, member of the football and basketball champion teams, was twice president of the fraternity and remembers, “Intramurals bonded our chapter. We had good people, not just good athletes.” After a 33-year distinguished career as a business executive with Getty Oil, ESPN and Block Watne Texas Inc., Dan joined the UT System where he served for 13 years, the last two as chancellor.

Charles Pierce, Jr. ‘56, one of the best team manag-

Customs and Border Protection in the Department of Homeland Security, played on multiple Illegal Eagles intramural teams. “We were all athletic, could run and worked really good together,” she remembers. “It was a total team thing and a lot of fun.”

ers of the Kappa Sigma intramural machine, also is a Wall of Fame member for football and basketball.

‘Chick’ is highly regarded by his fraternity brothers as a “fantastic human being” who tirelessly worked to organize the Kappa Sigma’s intramural program.

‘Chick’ is retired in Dallas after a long career with Dain Rauscher, Inc.

Diane Shisk ‘73, ‘77, one of the more active women

intramural athletes played soccer, basketball, softball, inner tube water basketball and football. She says, “It helped us survive law school!” Diane lives in Seattle, Wash., and is involved as a peer counselor for women of all ages who are trying to stay active and strong throughout their lives.

Back row (L-R): Pease, Lovejoy, Bruce, Snoddy, Volz, Burke Front row( L-R): Ferguson, Gordon, Dulaney, Baker, Jennings, Kilday, McClelland

Tom Foitik ‘60, tennis champion and member of the

Back row(L-R): Whilden, Thornton, Long, Carter Front row(L-R): Russo, Morris, Gardere, Dulaney, Applewhite

softball and basketball champion teams in 1958 – 59, retired to Wharton, Texas, in 1995. Tom worked in the finance and savings and loan business after graduating from UT.

Vol. 8, No. 1

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