Inside RecSports: Fall/Winter 2013

YOUR CONNECTION TO UT INTRAMURALS

Vol. 13, No. 1 Fall 2013

EDUCATION THROUGH RECREATION FE ATUR E A RTICLE

FOR THE LOVE OF THE FIELD

From the

WELCOME Director Dear Friends: You may have heard the saying that to dream about success is not enough. One must work hard at achieving success. I’ve always considered it to be a great privilege and pleasure to work at The University of Texas because I believe that with hard work, dedication and perseverance, we can make dreams come true for our students and the entire campus community. As I begin my 40th year with RecSports this fall, let me share a few thoughts about making dreams come true.

“As always, we hope this newsletter helps you stay connected and gives you a chance to reflect on your own experiences with RecSports.”

Inside RecSports is published twice a year by The University of Texas at Austin, Division of Recreational Sports. For more information, log on to friends.utrecsports.org.

COVER IMAGE: Intramural Coed Flag Football game at Whitaker Fields.

In 1985 students on this campus supported RecSports by passing the first of three referenda that would significantly enhance their experience with Recreational Sports.

The 1985 referendum resulted in the establishment of the Recreational Sports Center, the first UT Austin facility built and operated entirely with student fees. The renovation of historic Gregory Gym in 1997 and the addition of the Gregory Gym Aquatic Complex in 2005 also resulted from students and RecSports staff sharing their dreams.

Our next dream is to renovate the Whitaker Fields Complex. Many of you will remember “the old playing fields” which were situated on the site currently occupied by Jester Center. Others will recall the fields at 51st and Guadalupe Streets where they have been since 1967. Still others will recollect that the fields were updated in 1980. After many years of extremely heavy use, the complex is in dire need of another major renovation.

Please read inside the details of what could be the finest recreational sports complex in the country. With your help, this dream can also become a reality.

On a final note, let me remind you that in 2016–17, RecSports will celebrate its 100th anniversary. We hope you will join us in commemorating this monumental milestone in the long and storied history of Recreational Sports, the third largest organization of its kind in the United States. With your continued support, we can continue to make dreams come true.

Best Wishes,

DESIGN: Jennifer Boss Rodriguez Thomas W. Dison Senior Associate Vice President for Student Affairs Director of Recreational Sports

Inside RecSports Fall 2013

SPOTLIGHT RECOGNIZING

OUTSTANDING STUDENTS KRISTA SEAMAN, RECSPORTS INTRAMURAL SUPERVISOR

Krista is a senior architectural engineering/engineer honors student whose wide-ranging involvement on campus leaves no doubt of her immense allegiance to Longhorn life. To start with, she works two campus jobs. She’s an intramural supervisor for RecSports and an avid participant who has played on 17 teams, including flag football, basketball, volleyball, softball and dodgeball. As an intramural supervisor, Krista is known for her everpresent positive nature, even in the face of gruff players. Academically, she’s a teaching assistant for the Women in Engineering Program and president of the Architectural Engineering Institute. She also mentors prospective Longhorns for the Office of Admissions and middle school kids with an interest in engineering. Additionally, she tutors at the Jester engineering study tables and serves on a UT advisory board seeking to improve graduation rates. Although Krista admits to being “a tad over involved,” she says she still has time for friends, relaxation and watching basketball.

KRISTA SEAMAN

OUTDOOR RECREATION PROGRAM TOUTS COMMUNITY SERVICE

Students employed by the Outdoor Recreation Program earn more than a paycheck and learn more than they might expect. Chris Burnett, senior assistant director of outdoor recreation and community outreach, has created a series of opportunities for these students to get involved in community service. Under his direction, students have removed invasive plants from protected wildlife areas including Grand Canyon National Park, built trails in state parks, collected and distributed food and clothing to the homeless and programmed outdoor recreational activities for the Helping Hand Home for Children.

Burnett has developed a partnership with UT’s Horns Helping Horns program and the Orange Jackets to support and broaden these service opportunities. He says, “Students respond more favorably to a leadership and management style that recognizes and develops character and that motivates them to engage and invest in their community long after they’ve left academic life.”

JAKUB FELKL

ELIZABETH BOULDIN

TEXAS 4000–FIGHTING CANCER EVERY MILE

Every year, a group of UT students sets out on a 4,000+mile bike ride from Austin to Anchorage, Alaska, to raise money and awareness in the fight against cancer. Texas 4000 is described as a 70-day journey that takes grit, determination and support–an ideal metaphor for the fight against cancer. The 2013 team included 69 Longhorn students, including RecSports Intramural Supervisor Megan Sinclair and Fitness/Wellness Program Assistant/Fitness Instructor Michelle Han. Megan says her eyes were opened to the impact of cancer when she met a fellow Longhorn at a Freshman Interest Group who had been diagnosed with a rare form of leukemia and when her grandfather lost his battle with lung cancer. Michelle has also seen the pain of those whose family members have been affected by cancer. Both students rode on the Ozarks Team and arrived in Anchorage, Alaska, on Aug. 9. You can find their biographies and links to their blogs online at http://www.texas4000.org/riders/riders MEGAN SINCLAIR

MICHELLE HAN

LOOKING AHEAD

FOR THE LOVE OF

WHITAKER FIELDS RENOVATION

FOR THE LOVE OF THE FIELD More Than Just a Field

OVERVIEW OF

WHITAKER FIELDS

35

ACRE S I T E at 51 and Guadalupe Streets

Intramural sports and club sports are more than just a game. And the fields on which they are played are more than just a place where victories are celebrated and defeats lamented. Sports fields evoke fond memories of days gone by, lifelong friendships, healthy rivalries and lessons learned–lessons on leadership, sportsmanship and humility. College sports fields, in particular, represent the landscape on which students learn to compete with pride and honor, to win with humility and to lose with dignity. For UT students, those fields are Whitaker Fields, located north of campus at 51st and Guadalupe Streets. The fields are part of a complex called Whitaker Fields and Tennis Complex.

While Whitaker Fields can rightly be described in such sentimental terms, the other reality is that the facility is in dire need of repair and renovation. Tom Dison, senior associate vice president and director of RecSports, notes, “Over 30 years of heavy use has taken its toll on this popular turf, so much so that the fields, infrastructure and the entire complex do not currently meet the standards of excellence that other RecSports facilities exhibit or that students deserve.” To rectify this situation, the Division of Recreational Sports has launched the Whitaker Fields Renovation Project that will include a fundraising initiative called For the Love of the Field.

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LIGHTED

Enhancements I R R I G A T E D Proposed A feasibility study to renovate Whitaker Fields has placed a $20 million price tag on

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Inside RecSports Fall 2013

the project. Recreational Sports has committed $10 million toward the cost and is seeking to fund the remainder through private gifts. Naming opportunities will be available soon.

The initial $10 million project will include basic infrastructure improvements, including new grading and drainage, new irrigation, lighting and sod, and repairs to existing buildings and systems (public address, fencing, etc.).

The $20 million project proposes many enhancements, including a Championship Corner featuring synthetic fields with bleachers and scoreboards, six fields used primarily for sport clubs and 12 multipurpose fields for intramural competition, as well as a gateway entrance with lockers, training and meeting rooms and an open-air pavilion.

HOW YOU CAN HELP

Contributions and pledges for any amount are greatly appreciated. All donors who contribute $5,000 or more will be recognized on the official university plaque at the new facility. Donors at higher levels will receive special recognition appropriate to the gift. Donations are accepted online at friends.utrecsports.org/whitaker.

F THE FIELD

Questions regarding funding of the Whitaker Fields project should be directed to Bob Childress at 512-475-7180 or bobc@austin.utexas.edu.

For the last 33 years, Whitaker Fields has been the site for an intramural sports program featuring over

For the Love of the Field Campaign RecSports is widely known for both the quality of its programs and facilities and the richness of its history.

Anyone with a love for the University and a particular fondness for recreational sports is invited to contribute to the For the Love of the Field Campaign. Contributions will directly affect tomorrow’s Longhorns and will help preserve the legacy of one of the largest and most storied collegiate recreational sports programs in the country. It’s all for the love of the field, Whitaker Fields.

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FUNDRAISING

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DESIGN

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200+ seven AS A VENUE FOR

Spring ‘15

2

year.

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SPORTS C L U B S

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CONSTRUCTION

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in time for the 100th anniversary of Recreational Sports

4

DEVELOPMENT

A message from

Joe Bill Watkins ’65, ‘68, Chair, RecSports Leadership Team

Dear Friends of RecSports, As a UT alumni do you remember all the time you spent playing, practicing or just working out on the Intramural Fields? Some of us remember the fields being on campus.Others who were students post-1967 played at 51st and Guadalupe Streets. A few improvements were made in 1980–81 but since that time 30 years of football, soccer, softball, rugby and lacrosse have taken its toll on the fields. We need your help to restore those fields to a standard of excellence exemplified at Gregory Gym and the Recreational Sports Center.

In this issue you’ll find information about a renovation project planned for Whitaker Fields. I strongly encourage you to contribute to this project so that all future Longhorns can experience the fun of playing outdoor sports on quality fields. Because a new student fee is not a funding option for this project, RecSports will pay half the cost of the renovation with private donations making up the other half. Please read all the details in this publication and take this opportunity to do something for the University that will directly touch thousands of students for many generations to come.

Thank you for being a Friend of RecSports.

Inside RecSports Fall 2013

UT REUNIONS Over 200 Lambda Chi alumni gather at the Recreational Sports Center for a pre-game reunion.

HOST YOUR OWN REUNION Are you interested in hosting a reunion for your team, group or organization? Perhaps on a home football game day? Recreational Sports will provide space for your event at no charge in Gregory Gym or at the Recreational Sports Center. Your group will handle the catering or provide the snacks and we’ll do the rest. Your group can also work with RecSports to produce a slideshow featuring photos of your group’s intramural championship teams and individuals. Here are a couple of reunions already booked for fall.

OAK GROVE REUNION Friday, Nov. 1, 2013 The Oak Grove’s reunion has been held every other year since 1996.

This year’s host hotel is the Holiday Inn Austin Midtown at 6000 Middle Fiskville Road. Contact the hotel for rooms at 512-451-5757.

No golf will be offered this year. RecSports Senior Assistant Director Bob Childress is scheduled to speak and will show old team photos.

A block of tickets has been reserved for those who want to attend the Kansas game on Saturday. For more information, contact Jim Cole at 281-286-9438

LAMBDA CHI ALPHA REUNION Saturday, Nov. 2, 2013 For the third year in a row, Lambda Chi will host a reunion at the Recreational Sports Center, located at San Jacinto Boulevard and 20th Street. The reunion will coincide with the home game against Kansas and is slated to begin three hours prior to kick-off. Families are invited. Food will be provided. Enjoy the camaraderie of members from the 40s to today. For more information, contact Kevin Farrell at kevinfarrell@utexas.edu

2013

SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS

This past August, 13 student employees of the Division of Recreational Sports were awarded a scholarship for their outstanding work and contributions to the Division.

You can read about each award recipient online at friends.utrecports.org/scholarships Front row (L-R):

Back row (L-R):

Mark L. Hart, Jr. Endowed Scholarship RANNY TANG, Senior, Business, St. Louis, Mo.

Bill Patman Endowed Scholarship ANDREA MCCUISTION, Senior, Human Development/Family Science,

Division of Recreational Sports Endowed Scholarship ASHLEY NG, Junior, Computer Science, Lubbock, Texas Thomas W. Dison Endowed Scholarship STEPHANIE WANG, Senior, Business, Plano, Texas

Jacksonville, Texas

Acacia Fraternity Endowed Scholarship SARAH BENOIST, Senior, Biology, Boerne, Texas DeDe and Joe Bill Watkins Endowed Scholarship JACOB QUINN, Senior, Liberal Arts, Fairfax, Va.

Delta Tau Delta Endowed Scholarship AUDREY GARCIA, Senior, Business, San Antonio, Texas Mark L. Hart, Jr. Endowed Scholarship SHEREEN AHMAD, Senior, Government and Theater/Dance, Round Rock, Texas

Thomas W. Dison Endowed Scholarship CHLOE SANCHEZ, Senior, Urban Studies, San Antonio, Texas Not pictured: Sylvie & Gary Crum Endowed Scholarship JOCELYN ZUNIGA, Senior, Radio, Television and Film, McAllen, Texas

Phi Gamma Delta Endowed Scholarship FABIO GRANT, Senior, Psychology, Sasche, Texas Charles & Carolyn Spence, James & Kathryn (Spence) Nance, and William (Spence) & Edith Nance Endowed Scholarship Honoring Michael Monsoor JAMES DEITSCHEL, Senior, Math, Cibolo, Texas Kenneth Ford Family Endowed Scholarship MICHELLE HAN, Senior, Chemistry, Rowlett, Texas

To read more and view additional photos visit friends.utrecsports.org/newsletter.

LOOKING BACK

TEXAS T NIGHT HONORED

WOMEN WHO PLAYED SPORTS T Night While today’s female students can and do play in any and every intramural sport offered by RecSports, their predecessors in 1921 had limited choices. Under the auspices of the Women’s Athletic Association, female students could only try out for teams in field hockey, basketball, baseball, tennis, canoeing, swimming and dancing.

Their participation earned them credit through a point system. One hundred points earned a T pin, 700 a T sweater and 1,400 earned the ultimate prize, the coveted T blanket.

1921–22. (L-R): Katherine Brougher, Polly Norton and Lloyd Martin, named the three Best Athletes in 1922, earned the Blanket Award.

Anna Hiss, the director of physical training for women, recognized the need to reward these female students for their athletic achievements and organized two separate events held on successive days. On the first day, an awards presentation was held and all women participants were invited to attend. The following night, a special T Night Banquet was hosted for all T award winners. The tradition of the T Banquet continued for many years and the banquet became known for its special themes and elaborate decorations, including a large electric, orange colored T. Celebratory toasts, spirited singing and demonstrations by clubs added to the festivities. In 1928, the two events were combined into a single formal dinner dance.

By 1933, when women’s intramurals became a separate program from the clubs, trophies replaced the T blanket and sweater awards. May Lee Weston, a participant from that era, wrote, “The elimination of the point system that had girls working endlessly to earn points from this tournament or that activity resulted in more women playing in an atmosphere of interest, pleasure and clean sport rather than the one that emphasized rivalry and undue labor.“

The traditional electric T decorates Anna Hiss Gym for the annual T Night.

Inside RecSports Fall 2013

The 1920–21 T award winners and intramural participants pose at the first annual T Night Awards event. A T Night Banquet for award winners followed the next night.

T Night Evolves Throughout the 30s and 40s, the T Night tradition continued to be the highlight of each year. As the intramural program grew in the 50s and 60s, T Night remained theme-oriented with the clubs and intramural managers serving in leadership roles on committees to organize and run the event.

Meta (Mogford) Talley, ‘56, kinesiology major, Delta Zeta manager, intramural official and All-Around athlete, remembers T Night in the 50s and herself won the Participation Award in 1955–56. She recalls that each club decorated their table for T Night to vie for the Best Decorated Table prize.

1953-54. Anna Hiss (far right) and the trophy winners.

She adds, “During my undergraduate years, the top three organizations won a traveling trophy for earning the most points from all the tournaments. We also won participation trophies for having the most members of our group or sorority play at least one sport. First, second and third place trophies went to those organizations with the highest participation, to the three best managers and one winner received a sportsmanship award.”

During this era, campus faculty and administrators, such as Dean of Student Life Arno Nowotny–noted for helping to found the Texas Cowboys–were invited to present the awards. As the decade of the 60s ended, additional awards were added to T Night, including the Best Official Award and Best Athlete Award. With the combining of men’s intramurals and women’s intramurals in 1972–73, T Night officially ended, replaced by an end-of-year awards ceremony for both men and women.

1955-56 (L–R): Dean Arno Nowotny awards the 1st place traveling trophy to Meta Mogford and Roy Ann Foster of Delta Zeta.

To read more and view additional photos visit friends.utrecsports.org/newsletter.

WINNER’S CIRCLE

THE THUMPERS

FRIENDSHIP, FELLOWSHIP, FUN The Thumpers formed in 1979 when Texas A&M graduate, Tommy Upchurch, entered UT to pursue a master’s in architecture. “The Thumpers,” Tommy explains, “were a group of family, friends and friends of friends who enjoyed being together on and off the field.” Both of Tommy’s sisters – Laura, a resident assistant at Kinsolving Residence Hall, and Susan, who lived in Blanton Residence Hall – were founding members along with his fellow A&M dorm mate Bill Banowsky and his friends from high school.

Unbeknown to Tommy, Bill had transferred to UT. Then one day he ran into his old friend in the intramural office. “The rest is history,” Tommy says, “including Bill becoming my brother-in-law.” The Thumpers fielded Coed and Women’s teams throughout the decade of the 80s, winning nine championships and finishing second four times. “We were more about enjoying playing together and being together than about winning. We were good because our women players were very good,” he notes. Meet some of these players who shared friendship, fellowship and fun back in the 70s and 80s.

1988–89 Coed Basketball Champion

Front (L-R): L. Joiner, P. Schelfhout, E. Solie, T. Upchurch.

Back (L-R): K. Browder, S. Pickens, S. Schelfhout, D. Davenport, M. Robitaille, K. Beckwith.

1985-86 Coed Football Runners-Up

Front (L-R): G. Crane, T. Weber, T. Upchurch, L. Joiner, C. Wiginton. Back (L-R): C. Danysh, J. Brigham, E. Lukefahr, D. Collins, R. Gonzalez

TOMMY UPCHURCH, ’81, arrived at

JACK MORSE, ’81, played on the

UT and formed The Thumpers in the fall of 1979. The team made it to the semi-finals before losing to the eventual champs 8–7.

He spent a year in Midland, Texas, working as an architect before returning to Austin where he became eligible to play intramurals as a member of the Business/Professional Program. He says, “I concentrated primarily on coaching for those mid to late 80s teams.” Today, he lives in Brenham, Texas, has two children and is the principal architect for Upchurch Architects, Inc.

championship Coed football team of 1980–81, as well as on the Coed softball team. Jack graduated from The University of Texas Health Science Center’s School of Medicine in San Antonio in 1985 and has been practicing emergency medicine in Tyler, Texas, since 1989.

BILL, ’82, and LAURA (UPCHURCH) BANOWSKY, ’80, met on the intramural football field and have been married for 31 years. They make their home in Ogden, Utah, and hope to relocate to Austin soon.

LEE JOINER, ’86, ’87, along with his three sisters, Lisa, Kathy and Christy, played for The Thumpers. For the last 20 years he has taught physics and coached tennis at Cypress Falls High School.

LISA (JOINER) WESELY, ’86, ’87, currently serves as a municipal judge for the City of Bellaire, Texas. She was a member of the first Coed football champions in 1980–81.

CHRISTY (JOINER) MACON, ’84, graduated with a degree in petroleum engineering. She played for The Thumpers Coed basketball and football teams.

1988-89 Coed Football Runners-Up

Front (L-R): L. Joiner, T. Upchurch, L. Lukefahr, T. Kennedy, W. Pena. Back (L-R): G. Cervenka, S. Gauntt, D. Boyne, D. Collins, D. Daley, M. Wasson.

Inside RecSports Fall 2013

1980-81 Coed Football Champion

Front (L-R): B. Banowsky, H. Carvajal, D. Crabtree, T. Kemmy, J. Morse, T. Upchurch.

Back (L-R): C. Fick, T. Fry, L. Joiner, A. Kolodzie, A. Lege, S. Upchurch, C. Joiner.

1988-89 Coed 3-Pitch Softball Champion

Front (L-R): F. Kelly, G. Cervenka, R. Ford, T. Thurston, B. Garcia, L. Joiner, T. Upchurch.

Back (L-R): C. Yeatman, L. Murr, D. Boyne, L. Hannusch, L. Lukefahr.

ANNE (LEGE) WOOD, ’82, won the

CHARLOTTE (FICK) BYRNE, ’83, who

DAWN (DAVENPORT) BEGOR, ’89,

Coed football championship on the muddy intramural fields in 1980 and remembers traveling to College Station to play the Texas A&M University Coed champions.

played on the 1980–81 Coed flag football team, went to work at Merrill-Lynch post-UT and has since worked for Fairfield Athletic Club in Cypress, Texas.

played varsity volleyball for UT and on two Thumpers teams. She is a high school journalism and English teacher in Pittsburgh, Pa.

ANNETTE KOLODZIE, ’82, ’85, met

SUE (SCHELFHOUT) BERG, ’90,

APRIL FERRINO, ’89, ’05, played on The

one of the Upchurch sisters in her dorm and joined The Thumpers for their run to the Coed championship in 1980–81.

played on seven Thumpers’ Wall of Fame teams and is now a teacher and head volleyball coach at Second Baptist School in Houston.

Thumper’s Coed softball team in 1987–88.

She worked in local television as a writer/ producer before taking her current job as an analyst at the Legislative Budget Board.

SUSAN (UPCHURCH) RUTLEDGE, ’82, who played on the 1980–81 Coed flag football team, earned a nutrition degree and worked as a dietician for Parkland Hospital in Dallas before starting a direct sales jewelry business.

LISA HANNUSCH, ’86, won a national championship with the Women’s Bombers football team, played with the champion Outlaws Women’s football team as well as the 1987–88 Ten is Enough Women’s champions.

HOMER CARVAJAL, ’81, a member of the 1980 Coed football championship team, is married and lives in Houston where he runs his own graphics and advertising design firm.

TOMMY KEMMY, ’82, part of the ’80

STEVEN GAUNTT, ’89, played football and softball as a Thumper. Since April 2012 he has lived in China where he teaches and works as an educational consultant for English as a Second Language services and standardized testing.

Coed football champions, married Ginger Saldana, ’82, during their last year at UT. Tommy practices law in San Antonio.

To read more and view additional photos visit friends.utrecsports.org/newsletter.

TEAM OF THE DECADE

PHI GAMMA DELTA INTRAMURALS

WINNING IN THE 1960s The legacy of The University of Texas’ Phi Gamma Delta Fraternity (also known as the Fijis or Phi Gam) and intramurals dates back to the very first Wall of Fame photo board when it won the basketball championship in 1919–20. Over the ensuing decades, the Phi Gamma Delta Fraternity established itself as one of the most successful fraternities in terms of intramural championships. From those early teams in the 1920s to today’s Fiji champions, the Phi Gams appear over 200 times in photos on the Wall of Fame. In the nearly 95-year history of Phi Gamma Delta competing in intramurals, the 1960s Fiji teams won 29 team championships while finishing as runner-up only four times. Read about some of the Fijis who contributed to those 29 championships and go online at friends.utrecsports.org/newsletter to see where they are today.

LELAND ALLRED, ’64, came to Texas to play intercollegiate

KEN FORD, ’69, (UT Medical School–Galveston) was a

football but injuries cut his career short. Allred starred for Phi Gam, appearing eight times on the Wall of Fame for softball, track, volleyball and football.

member of the undefeated intercollegiate freshman basketball team at UT in 1961 along with Dean Greenwood and Tommy Nelms. He earned the Best Athlete Award (Fraternity) in 1963–64.

His Wall of Fame honors include championships in softball (twice), volleyball and football.

JACK COLLINS, ’63, played football for UT from 1959 to 1961 and was inducted into the UT Hall of Honor in 1982. Jack won two track championships and a softball championship with Phi Gam. He was twice named to the All-Intramural softball team.

JOHN GENUNG, ’67, quarterbacked the 1962 Longhorns to an undefeated season. As a Phi Gam intramural athlete, he won both softball and track titles three times and was named All-Intramural in softball in 1962–63.

WALTER FORTNEY, ’62, ’64, managed the Fijis’ intramural machine for a few years with a strict rule that the teams and individuals devote ample time to practice. Walt earned All-Intramural honors twice as a pitcher on five Fijis’ championship softball teams.

ED ESQUIVEL, ’64, ’67, was an All-Around Athlete for the Fijis, winning six championships in softball, football, volleyball and track.

He also played for the Legal Eagles while attending UT law.

DEAN GREENWOOD, ’64, who was deemed by Intramural Director Sonny Rooker as “the only intramural athlete I’ve seen who I think could play varsity in three sports–football, basketball and baseball,” was named All-Intramural in all those sports as well as in volleyball for a total of nine titles. Dean also played for the Legal Eagles after a four-year stint in Vietnam.

Inside RecSports Fall 2013

ED JUNELL, ’68, ’71, had an outstanding undergraduate intramural career with the Fijis that included winning basketball and football championships, being named Outstanding Official in 1967–68 and winning the Berry Whitaker Leadership Award that same year. Ed also played as a Legal Eagle in law school.

CORRY ADAMS, ’67, appears seven times on the Wall of Fame and he earned All-Intramural recognition in three sports– football, volleyball and softball. In 1966–67, Corry finished second to Delt Wally Tingley in the Best Athlete race, accumulating 117 points to Tingley’s 123. Corry still laments this loss to this day.

ROBERT ROSS, ’65, ’69, earned the Best Athlete Award for the Fraternity Division in 1965–66. He notes, “I played almost every sport–football, softball, basketball, tennis, bowling and my favorites, golf and ping pong. We took great pride in not just participating but in winning.”

BERT GRAHAM, ’65, ’69, played on various Fiji teams, as well as with the Legal Eagles while in law school, and served as manager in 1963–64 leading the Phi Gams to a first place finish while setting an all-time record for points (4044.25) accumulated by a fraternity. He notes, “I played with my younger brother, Glenn, ‘68, on several winning teams.” Glenn passed away on Christmas day in 2007.

1968 FIJI flag football players (L-R) Doug Wiley, Jack Hanks and Mike Reilly compete against Prather Dorm in a victorious game for Phi Gam, 32-0.

1962-63 Class A Volleyball Runners-Up

(L-R): L. Roan, D. Greenwood, T. Oliver, D. Stone, R. Carnahan, L. Allred

1964-65 Class B Basketball Champion

1965-66 Class B Football Champion

Front (L-R): D. Schick, R. Albrecht, G. Graham, W. Junell.

Back (L-R): J. Young, D. Owen, E. Scott, C. Sparenberg

Front (L-R): G. Rall, B. Montgomery, R. Herberger, J. Kendall, C. Adams, R. Jarry, R. Satterwhite. Back (L-R): D. Covert, B. Graham, B. Fenoglio, J. Mundy, R. Speed, R. Nelson, D. Sewell, D. Schick. Not pictured: A. Geiselman

LEO ROAN, ’64, ’66, served as the team manager for the Fijis

BOB PADDOCK, ’66, won two track championships and played

in 1960–61 and 1961–62. He is a Wall of Famer for softball and volleyball and was named All-Intramural in volleyball three times.

on the runner-up class A football team in 1965. In the 1963 track meet, Bob and his teammates set the intramural record for the 880yard relay running a 1:31.8. His brother, Bill Paddock, ’62, ’64, won tennis doubles with partner Bill Wyatt in 1960–61.

JOHN YOUNG, ’65, ’68, won six championships playing basketball, volleyball and football for Phi Gam. He also was a player for the Legal Eagles from 1965 to 1968.

BILL FENOGLIO, ’66, played on three consecutive championship B football teams from 1964 to 1966 and also played handball. “In the Fiji house, we encouraged participation in all school sponsored activities whether that be intramurals, Varsity Carnival, Sing Song or Aggie Sign,” Bill noted.

JEFF MUNDY, ’66, ’71, a transfer student from Stanford

BAKER MONTGOMERY is a four-time Wall of Famer who won three football championships, one in Class B and two in Class A. He also played for the runner-up Phi Gam basketball team in 1967-68 and was named to the first All-Intramural football team in 1967–68.

BILL NANCE, ’71, is acknowledged as one of the best receivers to play intramural football. He won championships for the Fijis in 1967, 1968 and 1969.

University in 1963, was a member of numerous championship teams including three for volleyball, two for football and one for track. He was named to the All-Intramural volleyball team in 1964–65 and 1965–66.

STEVE MATTHEWS, ’70, ’72, played defense for three

DUKE COVERT, ’69, started out at Texas Christian University

the late 60s and early 70s, winning championships in 1969–70 and 1973–74. He also won in Class B softball and Class B basketball in 1969–70.

playing intercollegiate football and baseball before an illness ended his career and he transferred to UT. He quarterbacked the B football team to a championship in 1965 then won two more A football championships in 1967 and 1968. He was named first team AllIntramural both years.

championship Class A Phi Gam football teams from 1967 to 1969.

He later played intramural football with the Legal Eagles.

JIM GEARY, ’73, followed Duke Covert as the Fijis’ quarterback in

STEVE HEAD, ’72, was a member of the 1969–70 Class A Fiji football champion team. He served as president of the Texas Exes in 2003–04.

To read more and view additional photos visit friends.utrecsports.org/newsletter.

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 / 1950s »

DR. CHARLES MCCOLLUM, ’56, professor of surgery at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, earned his T letter sweater as a senior manager after working in the Intramural Sports Program for Delta Kappa Epsilon (Dekes) for three years. “I had the pleasure of rooming with Neal Blanton during my three years at UT,” writes Dr. McCollum. Neal holds the distinction of being the only freshman to win the Best Athlete (Fraternity) Award, Charles notes.

1960s »

1966 with partner Jan Baldwin.

With a master’s degree in 1971 from Smith College, she taught physical education and coached tennis. In the early 1970s, with interest in tennis booming, she collaborated with three developers to build The Courtyard Tennis Club–Austin. Over the years Sheryl has been the head professional at various tennis clubs in Texas.

As a player, Sheryl ranked No. 1 in the U.S. Professional Tennis Association’s women’s 50 singles in 1997 and No. 1 in women’s 45 doubles in 1996. She earned Master Professional (MP) status, having achieved USPTA’s highest tested rating of Professional 1.

JULES LUND, ’69, participated in basketball (1968–69 Class B champions), tennis and wrestling for the Sigma Alpha Epsilon (SAE) team. He served in the U.S. Marine Corps and Vietnam after leaving UT. Following law school he practiced in San Antonio until 1987 when he and his wife moved to Arizona where they worked for Grand Canyon National Park until they retired and relocated to Austin in 2012. They enjoy following the Longhorns and traveling.

SHERYL BEHNE, ’66, was a UT kinesiology major and PEM (Physical Education Major) Club member. She won tennis singles in 1964 and tennis doubles runner-up in

Inside RecSports Fall 2013

PATRICK O’CONNELL, ’75, ’78, ’84, played for the UT handball team that finished second in both 1974 and 1975.

He was also the intramural handball doubles champion in 1976–77. He has practiced law in Austin since 1984, representing whistleblowers in cases under federal and state false claims acts.

His uncle, John O’Connell, won handball doubles in 1937–38.

JOHNNIE JOHNSON excelled for 10 years in the NFL as a safety for the Los Angeles Rams following his collegiate football days at UT. One of his least known accomplishments is winning the Class A intramural basketball championship in 1978–79. He says, “At La Grange High School I played football, basketball, baseball and ran track. At UT, the one sport I really missed playing was basketball so I, and a group of friends from the football team, discovered the intramural basketball program. The thing I still remember from that experience, besides winning the top division championship, was how competitive the program was.“

BEN WEAR, ’76, a petroleum engineering graduate and Austin native played with AIME (Engineering Club) winning the

1970s »

WILSON CALHOUN,’78, ’82, played football, basketball and softball for MooreHill Residence Hall.

He won a softball championship in 1982 with his team, Jury Strikes, while in law school. Wilson told us that one of the reasons he was grateful for intramural sports was because he was able to pick up some spending money for dates by refereeing football and basketball. Wilson is married to Sheryl Beaver Calhoun, ’88, and has a son at Texas State University. He practices law in Corpus Christi, Texas.

Class B softball championship in 1973–74 and finishing as runnerup to the Wombats in Class A football in 1975–76. Ben worked in the engineering industry for 11 years before earning a master’s degree in journalism at Northwestern University. He has been with the Austin American Statesman newspaper since 1994 and covering the transportation beat since 2003. He also teaches journalism as an adjunct professor and in the fall serves as a football official for everything from Pop Warner to high school games.

1990s »

CLINT BACHMAN, ’95, has worked at HarteHanks Response Management in Austin for almost 18 years. He played both Men’s and Coed softball, winning a championship and finishing as runner-up twice.

Clint also served as an umpire in intramural softball and Little League baseball through the University Officials’ Association.

2000s »

RAJIV WEERARATNE,’02, worked at the Recreational Sports Center (RSC) as a supervisor then as a building coordinator. “As an international student from Sri Lanka, working at the RSC was the perfect opportunity for me

to meet other students and form

lasting friendships, which have been maintained to this day,” Rajiv shares.

After earning a master’s degree in 2003, he moved to Washington, D.C., where he worked in association with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).

His work has taken him to Kabul, Afghanistan and South Sudan and he’s traveled throughout the Middle East and China. “I believe my years at UT and the Rec Center helped me academically and socially to meet the challenges and adventures I have since faced,” he says.

MEGAN (CRONAN) KUHLENSCHMIDT, ’02, who worked as a building coordinator in Gregory Gym, went on to earn a master’s degree

in recreation, sport and tourism from Texas A&M University and a Ph.D. in applied health sciences from the University of Illinois–Champaign. She is now part of the management team for the Champaign Park District where she oversees the sports, aquatics, fitness and events staff. “My parttime job at UT shaped my future career in so many ways. My favorite part of my time at UT RecSports was the camaraderie we built as a staff and the life-long friendships we made,” she says. Her favorite memories include a visit from the Secret Service prior to a visit to the UT campus by President George W. Bush’s daughter.

TAYLOR BENTLEY, ’03, is a fourtime Wall of Famer playing softball with the Magoos. He worked in Gregory Gym as an activity assistant then as a building coordinator.

Taylor says, “I enjoyed being in charge and learning how to manage my co-workers.... I found I (also) really loved the firstaid side of the job.” Today, he works for the Williamson County EMS where he is part of the Honor Guard team and also a member of the Emergency Services Pipes and Drums Association. He’s married to high school sweetheart, Trina, and has two children, Easton, almost 4, and Avery, 10 months.

ANU MITHAL, ’03, lived in Jester Residence Hall for three years. He says, “Working at Gregory Gym as a supervisor and a building coordinator was one of the most memorable experiences of my time at UT.” After graduating, he spent a short time in sales for Dell before joining a company where he worked with teams of consultants to streamline revenue cycle operations at hospitals nationwide. Anu has been married for six years to his college sweetheart and they have a 14-month-old boy. This past summer, he relocated to College Station, Texas, to open a Montessori School that his wife will run while he splits his time with the school and his healthcare consulting business.

To read more and view additional photos visit friends.utrecsports.org/newsletter.

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