North Charleston, SC – Former Dorchester standouts Carlos Dunlap and Robert Quinn were among a group of several National Football league players who conducted drills for the many student-athletes in attendance at their co-sponsored camp held this past Saturday at Fort Dorchester high school. Dubbed the “Twin Towers Football Camp” after Dunlap and Quinn who line-up at the defensive end position for their respective squads. Dunlap is entering his fourth season with the Cincinnati Bengals and Quinn is entering his fourth with the St. Louis Rams.

“Today we want to see the kids give their best effort as we teach them basic football fundamentals and core values so that they can use them on and off of the field because everyone isn’t going to make it in the NFL…but they will be able to use what they learn here for the rest of their life.” said Dunlap. The impetus for starting the camp came from a desire to do what was not done for them. “Growing up I couldn’t remember one football camp that an NFL player threw back here” stated Dunlap.

The wow factor was evident as the campers got to see the imposing figures of Dunlap and Quinn up close but to the delight of the smaller campers the reveled in the delight in chasing down a pro football player in a game of shirts versus skins.

Quinn described the mission of the day by saying, “every kid out here has a different story and hopefully just from us coming out here, spending time with them, it keeps them focused as they go through their journey in life.”

Carlos Dunlap Sr., one of the organizers of the camp expressed the desire and need to start the camp at home. “We started the camp three years ago when my son said dad, they want me to do a camp in Cincinnati, Florida…my logic in life is you can’t clean another house until you clean your own” stated Dunlap Sr. Making it a true family affair, Dunlap’s mother, Diane Ross participated in the organization and planning of the camp. “We have kids from six to thirteen and a few fourteen year olds and schools represented from Dorchester, Charleston and Berkeley counties…and being an educator, I focus on the importance of education…yes sports may get you somewhere… but you will not always be able to rely on that” said Ross.

Byron Maxwell, a current member of the Superbowl champion Seattle Seahawks was on hand to lend support to his former Fort Dorchester teammates and to be a living example of success through hard work. “It’s great showing these kids that anything is possible. Me being out here…they understand that it’s real…you can do it..and its not being a football player, its whatever they want to do…own their own business…success is possible if you grind and work hard.” Maxwell spoke about some of the young students who made an impression on him. Kalil Jenkins, an eleven year old, displayed the confidence and athletic ability that caught Maxwell’s eye. “It’s a great experience and its great that they came out to help improve the kids from South Carolina” stated Jenkins.

Along with Dunlap, Quinn and Maxwell were Jeremy Miles of the Baltimore Ravens and Michael Johnson of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Several former Fort Dorchester teammates were on hand including Kevin White.

NFL sports agent Drew Rosenhaus was also on hand to support the camp and to stress the importance and correlation of academic and athletic success. Rosenhaus stated, “…the key for the young people is really for them to learn is that academics and athletics go hand in hand…it is just as important for them to get good grades as it is to be a good athlete.”

The camp not only impacted the students but it also left an impression on the parents in attendance. Eric Walsh stated, “it’s great that the kids get to run around with people who actually care…it shows a lot of these kids that these guys made it to where they are…and with a lot of hard work these kids can make it that far as well and when they make it, it’s time to keep that cycle going. You’ve got to give back to the community that gave back to you.”

After being inspired by Dunlap, Quinn and the many others in attendance, perhaps Walsh’s son Bryson, and Kalil Jenkins will be back at Fort Dorchester or at some other high school conducting camps of their own.

By Kurt Walker

Source: http://www.charlestonchronicle.net/83563/2152/nfl-pros-give-back-to-their-community

Many of the 18 athletes on the U15 Shaler Area Middle School boys lacrosse team took time out of their day last month to give back to the school district and community.

The student athletes, who finished their season 8-1, worked together to plant flowers and shrubs in the middle school Courtyard Garden behind the school under the direction of lacrosse coach Alan Jaspert and parent volunteers.

“I want them to get to a point where they realize community service is fulfilling,” said Jaspert, a 2009 Shaler Area graduate and alumnus of the Shaler Area lacrosse program. “I wanted to give them that push and opportunity … so they can learn to give back to the community that serves them.”

Many of the plants and supplies were donated or purchased by parents of the lacrosse players or community members to complete the project. The students spread peat moss and placed a weed barrier down before planting boxwoods, shrubs and succulents, as well as mulching the garden.

“I thought it was an excellent idea, especially at the middle school U15 level, to have these boys do a community-service project,” said Dave Reagle, president of the Shaler Area Boys Lacrosse Booster Association.

“A lot of the people in this community support the lacrosse program, and I thought it was important for these kids to give something back to the community and learn there is more than just playing lacrosse.”

Source: http://triblive.com/neighborhoods/yournorthhills/yournorthhillsmore/6235603-74/community-lacrosse-shaler#ixzz34R9ErgMT

LAWRENCEVILLE, Ga. — Centenary’s Sarah Bradshaw was named Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference Female Character and Community Student-Athlete of the Week. The senior from Longview, Texas, joined fellow Centenary student-athletes Kayla Thornhill (women’s cross country) and Gregg Simmons (men’s cross country) who were honored earlier this seeason.

Bradshaw, who served as President of the Centenary College Student-Athlete Advisory Committee this past year, helped to organize many activities throughout the 2013-14 academic year, including the Centenary College Service Week, which is sponsored by the Centenary SAAC.

This week-long event gave the student-athletes to interact and assist with various organizations in the Shreveport community.

The 17 intercollegiate programs divided into small groups to lend a helping hand at Common Ground, the Northwest Louisiana Food Bank and Querbes SPAR Recreation Center with service projects that consisted of dinner preparation, helping in the community garden, cleanup projects, tutoring and various other activities.

“This is a new approach to service that we have implemented this year,” said Bradshaw. “Community service is very important to us and this is a great way to get everyone involved. We as student-athletes believe that community service is important to grow and expand the community and we are all excited to help in any way we can.”

“With smaller groups, everyone can help and we can help many different organizations with service projects instead of finding somewhere large enough for all of us to go together,” continued Bradshaw. “We paired teams up by their brother and sister teams and then found places that needed some type of service work done and sent student athletes there.”

The student-athletes totaled 200-plus hours of community service during the week.

In addition to her role as SAAC President, Bradshaw played a huge role in the mentoring and training of Resident Assistants. She coordinated the “Sunshine Committee”, which helped create a culture of caring among the Residence Life staff by leading a committee that celebrated birthdays as well as spreading “sunshine” to staff for encouragement. The group also supported Centenary students and student-athletes by giving them encouragement and promoting their activities across campus.

Bradshaw also assisted with the Salvation Army Toy Drive, Polar Plunge, a canned food drive, Oxfam America and single-handedly organized a Special Olympics Basketball game.

She also assisted with the campus MLK Service Day and worked with Shreveport Green.

The SCAC Character & Community award was created in 2009 to honor and recognize the efforts of the extraordinary student-athletes of the conference who not only excel athletically on the field, course, court, pool or track, but also by serving their campus and community.

Source: http://www.gocentenary.com/wgolf/news/2013-14/7105/bradshaw-named-scac-female-character-and-community-student-athlete-of-the-week/

On Sunday May 18th, nine athletes from Bellport High School and Bellport Middle School participated in various track and field events at the Special Olympics Spring Games hosted by Southampton High School. Athletes from a variety of Suffolk County Schools competed for gold, silver and bronze metals. Mr. Patronaggio and Mr. Grossi volunteered to chaperone the event and were joined by high school students from the “Athletes Helping Others” club.

The athletes trained for a month in various events with Mrs. Clark at Bellport HS and Mr. Giacomin at Bellport MS. At the games, the athletes were cheered on and supported by the “Athletes Helping Others” club, Mr. Patronaggio, Mrs. Quatrale, Mr. Grossi, Mrs. Bodnarchuk, and Mrs. Giacomin.

Our athletes did an excellent job and are looking forward to next year’s competition. Below is a list of participating athletes:

Bellport High School
Deanna Boylan: 1 silver medal
Jillian Kelvas: 2 gold medals
Joe Maddalone: 2 gold medals
Kyshauwn Maynes: 1 gold medal

Bellport Middle School
Thomas Spiotta- 2 gold medals
Sa’Von Liggins- 1gold, 1 bronze
Ethan Wilson- 1 gold 1 silver
Taishawn Augustin 1 gold 1 bronze
Jimmy Garcia 1 gold 1 silver

Congratulations and good luck next year!

Source: http://www.southcountry.org/

Copley, OH – June 10, 2014: In the Fall of 2013 and Spring of 2014, University of Akron Student Athletes participated in the freshman leadership program and chose to work with Spring Garden Waldorf School students.

In fall, the UA freshman spread 50 yards of new mulch on the SGWS playground. According to Spring Garden Admissions Director Amy Hecky, “This was a big, difficult job, and mulching our play area is essential for the safety of our children. We are so grateful the students were willing to come do such hard work.”

In the spring, a new group of freshman athletes talked to Spring Garden Grade Five students about what it means to be a college athlete. The college students spoke about the importance of sleep, nutrition, and good study habits, and the necessity for hours and hours of practice that might seem mundane, but is essential for competition. They also spoke to the importance of resilience — experiencing failure and getting up to try again. This message resonated with SGWS fifth graders who, at the time of the discussion, were training for a multi-school Pentathlon competition.

At the end of their involvement, the UA students decided to donate $200 to SGWS.

Hecky says, “We were so moved and honored by this kind gesture after all they had already bestowed on our school. We give a heartfelt thanks to The University of Akron and their generous student athletes.”

Source: http://www.ohio.com/upublish/school-and-education/ua-athletes-give-back-at-spring-garden-waldorf-school-1.492905