In an effort to give back and reciprocate the amount of support they receive from fans and the community, several DU athletic teams are involved with different community service events.
Cindi Nagai, the associate athletic director of student athlete services at DU, said the athletics department strives to make community service a normal occurrence for Pioneer athletes and works directly with them to come up with ideas.
“We want it to be a meaningful thing for them, something that interests them,” said Nagai. “If an athlete approaches us with an idea of something they want to be involved with, we try to make the best effort to help with it.”
Over the past few weekends, the Pioneer men’s basketball team has been participating in the National Association of Basketball Coaches clinic. The team has also helped to launch the 5th Gear Kids Program for Cherry Creek Schools, which is a local nonprofit focused on helping 5th graders understand the importance of physical activity and diet in their lives. The student athletes got the chance to play with and coach the children and families of the Denver community who look up to them.
“It’s really important that we contribute to events like these to help ensure youngsters have an opportunity to experience basketball on and off the court in such a positive way,” said men’s basketball head coach Joe Scott. “It is also very pleasing to look at our players and see them interacting with all the kids.”
During the second weekend of October, players from the men’s lacrosse team helped the community in a different way, by preparing City Park for the winter.
“We showed up at about 8 a.m. on a Saturday morning, and we basically dug up garden beds, dead shrubs and the plants that needed to be pitched to get ready for winter,” said junior lacrosse goalie Jamie Faus.
According to Faus, the community service not only benefited City Park, but his own team as well.
“You always get to know the guys that you’re working with a little better; you’re able to bond with them and learn more,” said Faus. “Anytime you’re able to do community service, you just feel good at the end of the day.”
According to Nagai, at the end of the day, it’s all about having these different athletic teams working together and giving back to their community. In an effort to get different athletic teams working with each other, Nagai said they have incorporated all-student-athlete service events.
“For the past 13 years, we have been the main volunteer for the 9 News food drive,” said Nagai. “It gives the different teams an opportunity to work with other teams, having each team represented and working side by side. We also expect staff to be volunteers too – not just the students.”
The athletes who were involved helped to collect donated canned foods, clothing and toys that were all donated to local food banks and Goodwill thrift stores.
“A bunch of guys on our team went down to Channel 9 News for the food drive and packaged up food for Thanksgiving for less fortunate families in the area,” said Faus. “Whenever we can give back to our community, it’s always rewarding, and it’s something that we try to do as much as we can.”
As a student athlete, Faus believes it is important to give back to the fans and community, and he feels that community service done by DU athletics will remain an important part of the program.
“As athletes, we’re given so much, and it’s such a privilege to be able to play on the university’s team, use these facilities and gain support from the students and the city of Denver,” said Faus. “Giving back to the community, not only our DU community but also the city, is so important to us.”
