athletes in action Archives - Page 2 of 3

Athletes in Action

Posted: July 27, 2023 Updated: July 27, 2023 by Hannah Bronkema

AFH University Summer Roundup

Developed in 2013, our AFH University program helps college athletes explore leadership, life skill development, advocacy, their role in the community, and how to discover their philanthropic passions.

Over the summer AFH student-athletes went above and beyond the call of service as they made a positive impact in their hometowns and university neighborhoods.

Athletes from Howard, Georgetown, Davidson, Southern, Clark Atlanta, and LSU visited children’s hospitals, engaged in community events, and more!

May 2023

Children’s Wisconsin

Howard University football player, Gerone Hamilton Jr. participated in a virtual hospital visit with Children’s Wisconsin Hospital. In honor of Mental Health Awareness Month, the activity included BINGO with coping skills.

Gerone was very personable and caring in his interaction with the kids and shared his own experiences as well as asked the kids great questions.

LA Key Academy & Arc of Baton Rouge

On Thursday, May 25th Athletes for Hope facilitated our second inclusive 9/11 emergency preparedness event at Louisiana Key Academy. Our annual field day brought out over 30 volunteers consisting of student-athletes, SU Volunteers, the Southern University chapter of The NAACP, and The Arc of Baton Rouge.

Volunteers assisted with inflatables, various sports stations, and fire safety activities. Students were excited to tour a fire truck, honk the truck horn, and learn about the firefighter uniform and tools with the Baton Rouge Fire Department.

The Mayor’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency team shared tips on how to prepare and evacuate in the case of an emergency. The MOHSE team brought a firehouse simulation which prompted students to put their new skills to use.

Participants from LA Key Academy smiling for a photo together.

Baton Rouge Fire Department crew member stands in front of the Ready Rangers mobile as he speaks to field day participants.

June 2023

Boys and Girls Club of Arizona

Clark Atlanta University basketball player Zion Walters smiles with other volunteers in front of a Main Event sign.

Clark Atlanta women’s basketball player Zion Walters accompanied all of the Boys and Girls Clubs in the West Valley on a field trip to Main Event in Avondale for the day.

“When we arrived, I began helping with lunch. Me and other volunteers served pizza to all of the kids from 9:45 until 12:45. We served over 240 slices of pizza, and still had more for seconds and thirds. I met some amazing people and made great memories.”
-Zion Walters, Clark Atlanta Women’s Basketball

Our Lady of the Lake Children’s Hospital

Southern University football players made a visit to Our Lady of the Lake Children’s Hospital and facilitated a spin-the-wheel trivia game for hospital patients.

“It was an amazing and fun experience. I was able to learn some new things while having a great day of trivia with the kids. I can’t wait to come back.”
-Robens Beauplan, Southern Football Punter

Southern football players smile for a photo before they began a game of spin-the-wheel trivia at Our Lady of the Lake Children's Hospital.

July 2023

Voice in Sports Foundation

Female student-athletes from Georgetown University smile for a photo with Senator Chris Murphy.

Student-athletes from Georgetown University, along with other female student-athletes and administrators from across the country, met at Capitol Hill and partnered with the Voice in Sport Foundation to receive educational Title IX training, learn about the Fair Play Act, and meet with the sponsor of the bill, Senator Chris Murphy.

Women were able to hear from the senator and ask him questions on how we can better advocate and make change as female athletes.

Boys & Girls Club of Greater Charlotte

Davidson college football put on a two-hour football clinic with the kids of the Boys and Girls Club of Greater Charlotte. They spent their time teaching the kids new skills and the importance of teamwork and leadership.

Members of the Davison football team pose for a photo with participants of the football clinic.

Geaux Day

Teams from Southern and LSU volunteered at Geaux Day on Wednesday, July 26th. This annual collaborative field day attracted over 200 kids for a day of modified sports on LSU’s campus.

The youth had the opportunity to visit sports stations, learn more about LSU and Southern Athletics, and observe a football practice followed by a meet & greet.

“I served today because I really enjoy being around the kids as a college athlete. I feel like it gives them the idea that they also can do the same thing. Seeing their faces light up when they accomplish something makes me happy”.
– Paris Washington, Southern Tennis

photo of LSU student-athlete high-fiving one of the Beaux Day participants after a drill. — Photos by Dylan Boral and Sean Cripple.

Student-athletes and Beaux Day participants line up on the LSU football field before breaking into their groups. — Photos by Dylan Boral and Sean Cripple.

Boys & Girls Club of Greater Phoenix

Clark Atlanta basketball player Zion Walters poses with peace signs in the dance studio with clinic participants from the Boys and Girls Club of Greater Phoenix.

Zion Walters from Clark Atlanta Women’s Basketball spent a week running a dance clinic at the Boys & Girls Club.

At the end of the clinic, the children performed the dance they learned for the faculty and other kids at the club.

As the summer months come to an end and our student-athletes gear up for another great semester, we couldn’t be more proud of their continued dedication to serving their communities and are excited to see all of the good they accomplish together this fall.

What We’re Reading

Posted: April 14, 2023 Updated: April 14, 2023 by jbelinkie

Week of April 3, 2023

Every day, athletes all over the world are doing incredible work in their communities by giving back, creating opportunities for those less fortunate, and making connections that will last a lifetime. Here are four articles the AFH team has read that you may have missed.

“After the confetti fell this year in Houston and Dallas, the champions received their trophies and the madness of March concluded, but here are some ways the NCAA has left the host cities better than they were before. “

Read the full article on NCAA.org.

“If we truly wish to meet the realities of our current moment and provide the experience all students need to thrive, centering whole-student well-being in the campus experience is foundational.”

Read the full article at Inquirer.com.

“It’s OK to ask for help. It’s OK to feel. It’s OK to be emotional. We’re all men, but we have to be OK with having feelings.”

Read the full article at NBCsports.com.

“Countless times Black women are being scrutinized for their talents. Fast forward to today, that same treatment is being placed upon our girls. While this conversation is ongoing, girls like Angel Reese and Flau’jae Johnson are unapologetically speaking up for themselves and refusing to conform to historical societal torture.”

Read the full article at GirlsUnited.com.

Athletes In Action

Posted: March 31, 2023 Updated: March 31, 2023 by jbelinkie

March 2023 AFH University Roundup

Each month our AFH University student-athletes are able to make a positive impact in their communities as our campus liasions dilligently pair athletes and teams to causes they care about.

During March, AFH Athletes from Georgetown, Davidson, Southern, and LSU visited schools and children’s hospitals, engaged in community events, and more!

Georgetown University

Georgetown Qatar

Georgetown women’s rowing spent 2 hours answering questions and talking about female leadership in athletics and talking about what it means to be a female student-athlete on campus with women visiting from Georgetown Qatar.

Night To Shine

Georgetown Athletics attended the Night to Shine, a prom night experience for those with special needs. During the event, each student-athlete was paired with a buddy for the duration of the evening. Everyone had a fantastic time spreading kindness all evening!

Davidson University

Ada Jenkins Center

Members of the Davidson football team attended an open gym at the newly remodeled Ada Jenkins Center basketball court. During their visit they were able to play a pickup game with a few kids. Everyone had fun learning new skills together!

Southern University

Our Lady of the Lake Children’s Hospital

Southern Football student-athletes facilitated a game of bingo in the activity room and visited the rooms of game-winners. During this visit, new friendships were made, secret handshakes were shared, and there were lots of smiles all around!

Ryan Elementary

This month, Southern University track & field kicked off Southern Athletics’ biweekly school visits to Ryan Elementary! Student-athletes plan to read books to classes, assist with physical education classes, and support school events at each of their visits.

Today was a great day! Changing lives one book at a time!
Karanay Alexander, Southern Track & Field

Read Across America Day

Student-athletes from Southern football, soccer and baseball visited Buchanan Elementary School for Read Across America Day. They visited multiple classes to read their favorite children’s books to students and received Dr. Suess-inspired certificates of participation on behalf of the school.

Louisiana State University (LSU)

Our Lady of the Lake Children’s Hospital

LSU track & field and beach volleyball continued our biweekly visits to Our Lady of the Lake Children’s Hospital. The student-athletes were able to visit patients’ rooms and shared insight into their student-athlete experience. During their visit they made new friends, shared a lot of laughs, and raised the spirits of patients.

Read Across America Day

Student-athletes from LSU track & field visited Wildwood Elementary for Read Across America Day. During their visit, they were able to read their favorite children’s books to 2nd and 4th grade classrooms and asked kids how they can use reading as their superpower.

Baton Rouge

Special Olympics

LSU Gymnastics, Southern Volleyball, Southern Soccer, and Southern Football volunteered at The Special Olympics State Bowling Tournament. Student-athletes checked in participants, led stretches before the games, served as lane volunteers, and assisted with the awards ceremony.

I’d just like to put it out there that I just witnessed the most amazing bowling tournament ever. It was a fun and heartwarming experience and I’d love to do it again.
Joshua Griffin, Southern Football

Bettering their communities is something all of our AFH Athletes are passionate about. While the month of March is coming to an end, we cannot wait to see the impact they make in April!

Athletes In Action

Posted: January 27, 2023 Updated: February 9, 2023 by jbelinkie

Honoring The Legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

On the third Monday of each new year, we celebrate the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. by engaging in service projects throughout our communities nationwide. To many, Dr. King was a visionary. Uplifting his community through systemic change and encouraging others to take an active role in improving their communities.

His example is our call to action.

Our AFH University student-athletes from LSU, Southern, and Howard answered that call through eight (8) service projects in their own communities ranging from mural painting, planting shrubs, walking dogs, providing food and clothing for the less fortunate, and more.

Serve D.C.

The Howard University women’s and men’s golf teams kicked off volunteering on Saturday, January 14, with Serve DC. Together they packaged meals, created go kits, and learned critical CPR training.

Life’s most persistant and urgent questions is, “what are you doing for others?”
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Peace Walk & Parade

On MLK Day, the Howard Swim & Dive team and the tennis team participated in the Peace Walk and Parade in the morning- a tradition that started over 40 years ago. The Peace Walk and Parade symbolizes the need to continue Dr. King’s work and reinforces the idea that every individual has a role to play in human progress and justice.

If you can’t fly, run; if you can’t run, walk; if you can’t walk, crawl; but by all means keep moving.
Martin Luther King Jr.

Louisiana Key Academy

Monday, LSU Athletics hosted a “Live the Dream” Field Day at Louisiana Key Academy. Over 50 kids participated in the interactive service initiative with various stations facilitated by student-athletes highlighting their perspective sports.

MLK Day is special to me because I love giving back to my community. God has blessed me all my life and being able to give back to these kids and see them happy and smiling means the world to me.
Aristotle Abraham II, LSU Football

Forest Community Park

On Monday, Southern Volleyball, LSU Men’s Basketball, and LSU Volleyball assisted in forest restoration by planting shrubs and trees at Forest Community Park. Student-athletes moved plants from the parking lot to the restoration area, dug holes, and planted and watered plants.

Everybody can be great…because anybody can serve.
Martin Luther King

So What Else

On Monday afternoon, Howard women’s basketball, football, and lacrosse took various shifts at So What Else – whose mission is to improve the lives of children and families living in underserved communities in the Baltimore-Washington Metro Area- where they distributed meals and clothes to those less fortunate in the D.C. area.

Doing community service on MLK Day is important to me because he [Dr. King] dedicated his entire life to service in the Black community. It’s only right that on this day we pay tribute and serve those around us.
Kaniyah Harris, Howard Women’s Basketball

The Walls Project

Southern Baseball, Southern Soccer, LSU Golf, and LSU Soccer joined The Walls Project for their annual mural painting. Student-athletes painted a mural design sketched by a local artist and assisted with clean up at Jewel J. Newman Community Center.

All labor that uplifts humanity has dignity and importance and should be undertaken with painstaking excellence.
Martin Luther King Jr.

St. Vincent de Paul

LSU student-athletes from various sports served in the dining hall at St. Vincent de Paul which provides hot meals to Baton Rouge’s homeless community daily.

Friends of the Animals

At the final service project on Monday, student-athletes from various LSU sports teams engaged with a new partner, Friends of the Animals Baton Rouge Shelter. They walked dogs and assisted shelter staff with general cleaning.

The life and legacy of Dr. King lives on through people like our student-athletes, who continue to dedicate themselves to bettering their community. While MLK Day has passed, you can still honor his legacy by taking the AFH MLK Service Day Pledge.

Community Partner Highlight

Posted: November 28, 2022 Updated: November 28, 2022 by jbelinkie

Miracle Moments at Cyprus Mounds

As we built new relationships with local nonprofits in Baton Rouge, one stood out as a student-athlete favorite – The Miracle League. For those unfamiliar, The Miracle League gives children with any type of disability the opportunity to play the game of baseball.

Since 2016, Athletes for Hope student-athletes have looked forward to Tuesday and Thursday evenings at Cypress Mounds.

This is a great opportunity to give back to the culture around us and we enjoy every second of it.
Gavin Dugas, LSU Baseball

Our involvement has not only brought joy to the young Miracle League athletes but to LSU and Southern University student-athletes as well. Serving as buddies, protecting players during the game, and cheering them on has been a rewarding experience while contributing to a positive environment for all participants. Our 2019 & 2022 AFH Partner of the Year participant stated, “It’s been unbelievable. The Miracle League players love it when athletes come out to join them.”- Charlene Lauman, Miracle League- Volunteer Coordinator for the 2022 fall season.

Everyone should go watch or volunteer at the Miracle League! It’s truly a blast to be out there with those kids because all they want to do is have fun! That’s what the game is all about. Each and every single one of them puts a smile on my face. I’m already looking forward to my next game because they are so much fun!
McKenzie Odgen, Southern University Softball.

AFH Baton Rouge teams made weekly visits to their friends over at Cypress Mounds- never missing a game during the entirety of the fall 2022 season. It wasn’t long until their dedication and commitment to their community started getting noticed on a larger scale. Local news station WBRZ made a trip out to Cypress Mounds to watch our student-athletes from LSU in action.

Following LSU Baseball’s visit in October, they posted to their social media platforms “Thank you to the Miracle League at Cypress Mounds for having us and we can’t wait to see y’all at Alex Box this season!”

We are looking forward to returning for the spring season to support our buddies at The Miracle League.

Athletes in Action

Posted: August 19, 2022 Updated: August 19, 2022 by jbelinkie

Diabetes As A Superpower

In recognition of International Youth Day, AFH had the pleasure of coordinating an opportunity for athletes with Type 1 Diabetes to come together to share their “origin stories” and diabetes journeys with the Children at Children’s Diabetes Foundation Colorado. Having a chronic illness can take its toll on a young person’s mental health.

Children with diabetes battle with depression and thoughts of suicide longer than medically healthy children their age.
Jaser, SS

Despite the mental and physical toll diabetes takes on children, much like the AFH athletes, the children at the Children’s Diabetes Foundation have learned to view their diabetes as a superpower.

Whether diagnosed as a child, teenager, or adult our athletes shared similar experiences when it came to their management of Type 1 diabetes. As we know, practice and exercise are very important tools for athletes’ success. For athletes with Type 1 diabetes practice is not just on the field, practice includes finding a routine that works for their insulin management; what and when to eat before a game; how much and how often to take their insulin during games, and of course what their go-to pre-game snack is so their blood sugar doesn’t get too low.

Ultimately Type 1 diabetics practice listening closely to their body and this is where their ‘superpower’ comes from- being disciplined and consistent with taking care of their bodies. AFH athletes encouraged kids to continue to exercise as it has become a positive tool in their mental health battle against Type 1 diabetes. Above all, our athletes could not stress enough how important loving yourself and having a support system is to one’s mental health battle with diabetes.

“In any 18-month period, 33% to 50% of people with diabetes have diabetes distress.”
CDC (2022).

Every superhero, like every athlete, needs a team. In addition to working closely with their doctors and healthcare professionals, the athletes recognized that they needed to include their teammates, coaches and friends in their journey. Having the patience and courage to talk about their diabetes and educate their friends and team made it easier for those around them to support them in their journeys. Raising awareness and deconstructing misconceptions through education on diabetes not only helped these athletes gain the trust and support of their sports leagues, but has also made it easier for more athletes with diabetes to join professional sport teams.

Based on the amazing session we had with Children’s Diabetes Foundation, AFH has put together a superhero profile for the amazing athletes that took the time out to join the session and inspire others like them.

Andy Rose

Seattle Sounders Assistant Coach

Origin Story: Diagnosed at 26 years old in the prime of his professional soccer career in England

Super powers: Discipline, professionalism

Favorite pre-game snack: Gummy Bears

Motto: Be your own best friend!

Mental health hack: You have to be able to talk through things

Anissa Gamble

Former hockey player, Dental student

Origin Story: A former professional Hockey player and currently a qualifying dentist and diabetes researcher, Anissa was diagnosed when she was 8 years old.

Super powers: Gratitude and Being Purposeful

Favorite pre-game snack: Peanut butter

Motto: Smooth seas don’t make good sailors, so give yourself a pat on the back!

Mental health hack: Exercise, loving yourself, and checking into yourself regularly

Chad Muma

Jacksonville Jaguars linebacker

Origin Story: Diagnosed at 13 years old while going through puberty

Super powers: Positivity, discipline, and consistency

Favorite pre-game snack: Fruit snack

Motto: I’m still going to do what I said I’m going to do!

Mental health hack: Educating those around you so they know how to support you

As Diabetes Day (November, 11, 2022) approaches, AFH looks forward to sharing all the work these athletes and other athletes with Type 1 Diabetes are doing to advocate and raise awareness for children and athletes with diabetes.

References:

CDC.gov (2022), Managing mental health. retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/managing/mental-health.html

Jaser SS. Psychological problems in adolescents with diabetes. Adolesc Med State Art Rev. 2010 Apr;21(1):138-51, x-xi. PMID: 20568561; PMCID: PMC3721971.