Following through on an initiative to do something special for the community this spring, the Colorado College Student Athlete Advisory Committee celebrated National Student-Athlete Day in a most constructive way.   

More than a dozen members of CC varsity teams went out and visited seven local elementary and middle schools on Wednesday, April 6, in an SAAC-directed effort to teach youth about leadership and the role of academics in their lives.

Student-athletes representing men's and women's soccer, women's volleyball team and men's swimming and diving were among the Tigers who visited the area schools. 

Some read books to the children while others talked about the importance of staying academically driven, how they manage their time and why they decided to be a college athlete. Even Prowler, Colorado College's mascot, made several classroom appearances to the delight of the kids, as the outreach effort resulted in interaction with more than 200 younger students.

It's not the first time, of course, that the Tigers have used sport as an avenue to reach out to the community. In addition to conducting summer clinics on campus, a number of CC?teams offer in-season youth days encouraging kids to come out and experience a college game. Many engage in community service projects throughout the year, and the SAAC itself selects an annual community service project in which to participate.  

National Student-Athlete Day recognizes the accomplishments of student-athletes across the country who excel in the classroom, on the playing fields and in their communities. Established in 1987 by the National Consortium for Academics and Sports and Northeastern University's Center for the Study of Sport in Society, it is one of the strongest endeavors to increase positive virtues of sport and the recognition of student-athletes nationwide.