Auburn University at Montgomery Lady Senators Basketball Team Gives Back

Posted 12.10.08

Story submitted by Darrell Orand, Auburn University at Montgomery, 334-244-3832

The women’s basketball program at Auburn University at Montgomery has been a staple of consistency in terms of wins and losses since its first season in 1986-87.  Another staple of consistency has been the community work the program has been involved with over the past several years.

The Lady Senators are currently involved in several community programs from visiting the elderly to reading to underprivileged youth and holding free basketball clinics.

Interim head coach Dan Davis is continuing many of the programs former coach, now athletic director Steve Crotz, started and understands what these projects mean to the team and the community.

“These programs are very important not only to the girls, but to the community as well,” Davis said.  “I think it is very important our athletes learn to develop an attitude of giving back that is they learn an attitude of gratitude.”

“We do two or three events during the fall and will try to do two or three in the spring,” Davis said.  “The ones we do early in the fall are good for the team as they promote team chemistry and team bonding.  It is a fun time for everyone.  I know I enjoy it, and the girls enjoy it as well.”

“We see this as an opportunity to not only do things in the community but to also help the student-athletes see something they can do once they complete their degree,” Davis said. “I think the student-athletes get just as much out of the activities as do the people we visit.”

AUM senior and co-captain Brittany Freeman has been involved in the programs for two years and enjoys the reaction of the people they visit.

“I really enjoy seeing the joy the people have when we arrive,” Freeman said.  “You can see they enjoy the times we come by to visit, and it makes me feel good about the opportunity to do things with them.  I think it makes a statement about our program and also makes a statement about us as people.”

“Working with these people makes you value the privilege to be a part of this program and give something back to the community,” Freeman added.  “I will take away from these programs the need to always give something back.”

The Lady Senators are in a co-venture with Nancy Anderson, Associate Professor of English and Director of the Actions Build Community program.  The program comes from the Talbot Initiative and is called Reading Makes A Life-Long Difference.  It involves giving children the opportunity to receive new books to take home with them.

“Most of the children involved in this program are between the ages of seven and nine years old,” Anderson said.  “We believe every household needs their own home library, and the player’s help the children pick out books to take home.”

“The players come to the program in their warm-ups and they make a real impression on the children,” Anderson added.  “They can relate to the children better than older people and the children listen to the players when they tell them how important it is to read.”

Tiffany Hall is a freshman with the Lady Senators and is in her first year working with the programs.  It did not take her long to figure out which was her favorite project.

“The Make A Difference Day is my favorite,” Hall said.  “I enjoy being with the kids and reading with them.  They all get books to take home and they enjoy reading the books with us.  We get to know the kids as we read with them and then we will play games and eat snacks with them.  I really think this is the type of activity I would enjoy doing once I get out of school.”

Some other events the Lady Senators participate in are visiting area elementary schools, holding free basketball clinics for the Girl Scouts and they have a Hoops Club for young girls in the area.  Of course one of the outcomes of all these events is the support the Lady Senators get in return for their service.

“We always get great support at our games from these groups,” Davis said.  “The visibility the community service provides for our girls has brought the community closer to our program.  The players appreciate the support and the great friendships they develop during the course of their career, which usually carries over after their playing days are over.”

Pictures provided by Auburn University at Montgomery

-AUM-