A regular column by Athletic Director Bill Husak.
The year has begun for LMU and there is much excitement. Coaches are in new offices and the construction trend continues with plans for the Athletics Annex. We moved our soccer field and added new bleachers. And with these changes, the greatest is an influx of new student-athletes who excite us all about the Lions athletics future.
We annually hold a Welcome Back BBQ for our student-athletes. At the barbecue, Tim Heafner, a senior water polo player and President of the Student Athlete Advisory Council (SAAC) spoke to all of our student athletes. I thought in this column I would provide you with his remarks. Please enjoy reading Tim's comments and I look forward to seeing you support the Lions this year.
Go Lions! Bill
Welcome back. First, I would like to introduce your SAAC Executive Board for next year. As Matt said, I am Tim Heafner and I am your Student Athlete president for next year. Ahnie Draper of CC and track is the Vice President. Emily Day from the Volleyball Team is Secretary. Kim Feeney from the Women's Soccer Team is our WCC representative, and Leslie Grady is our Community Service representative. Finally, Andrew Morris from Men's soccer is our Lion's Cup Coordinator. Together we are your Student Athlete Advisory Committee Executive Board, and we are committed to serving your interests as student athletes.
Today, I just wanted to tell all of you how excited I am. Not only am I excited because my last "hell week" for water polo is over and that I am starting off my senior year, but I am simply excited to be here at LMU as all of you should be because LMU is changing. We are growing, improving, and rising and all to new heights that those before us could not imagine, and change is exciting. I have seen them redo our gym and our weight room, improvements that help us grow and perform better as athletes. It is exciting. I have now seen the university break ground on a new library that will aid all students in their studies, exciting. I have seen the plans for what the future holds for LMU athletics, and let me tell you, they are exciting. And finally, as I look out on all the faces out there, while they may not show it now, I can feel energy, and there is only one word...exciting.
Now in the midst of all this excitement, it is easy to get lost. Lost in our plans, lost in the future, lost in the excitement that comes with change, and that is why now, more than ever, it is important that we look internally and make sure that we are moving in the right direction. I think the first step to our self-examination is to see why we are all here today. It is easy to look around and say, we are all here because we are athletes, but in my opinion, simply the word athlete does not do us justice. Yes, we have to attend countless hour of practice and weights, perform at the highest level possible, and deal with all of our coaches breathing down our necks, and in that sense yes, we are athletes, but to me, simply being an athlete is not good enough, we are more than that. We are not just student-athletes either. While, we are all forced to juggle a rigorous course load on top of our practices and games, we are not just student athletes. As I said, we are not athletes, we are not student-athletes, we are L-M-U student-athletes, and with that LMU prefix comes certain responsibilities and expectations.
Besides our duty to hold ourselves and our competition with the highest respect, by taking on the title of LMU student-athlete, we are all accepting the terms of the LMU mission statement and we are taking on the responsibilities set forth by our Jesuit founders of being men and women for others. Simply being a student and an athlete, cannot be enough and by wearing those LMU letters across our chests, heads, and suits, we are proudly stating that we strive to be more. With that spirit in mind, the student athlete advisory committee is expanding its role. This year, it is the goal of the SAAC that the LMU student athletes will band together to make a difference in the community. We have been working hard to find opportunities for our student athletes to earn those letters on their chest, and with it a renewed since of pride of what being a part of Loyola Marymount is. We are adopting an LMU student athlete Beach, which we are responsible for cleaning and beautifying for the greater community to share. We have been working with local schools to set up programs where our athletes can help enrich the lives of our neighborhood children and families. Finally, we will work with local charities and soup kitchens, giving our time and raised money to serve the greater LA area. We have set up and will continue to organize these programs, but it is on your shoulders to make the difference and earn those letters on your chest.
In this time of change, where LMU is growing, expanding, and reaching new heights, it is essential that we bring our roots with us. Look around you, as your teams compete this year, your faces will become THE face that represents our university to the greater community. And it is all of your responsibilities that they understand what that LMU across our uniform really means.
