UW-Oshkosh Initiative Creates Support System For Student-Athletes
Student-athletes at UW-Oshkosh are encouraging each other in competitions and with the challenges of juggling school and sports.
The school’s Student Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) is focused this year on pairing teams so its athletes are supported by each other. Pairing two teams (such as softball and men’s swimming & diving) creates a “brother-sister” support system.
Ian Sewell, a member of UW-Oshkosh men’s swimming & diving team and SAAC president, said seeing so many fellow athletes at his first home swim meet pushed him to a new level.
“Just before I got on the blocks for my 200-yard freestyle event,” he said, “I looked over in the stands and saw the whole softball team, most of the gymnasts, some wrestlers, cross country runners and football players all there cheering me on.”
He stated that when he saw everyone there supporting him, he couldn’t help but think to himself, “I have to put on a show for these guys, because I wanted them to come back.”
Sewell won his race and surpassed his personal record, with his fellow student-athletes there.
When Emma Fionda, a member of UW-Oshkosh softball team and a SAAC member, was asked about the brother-sister connection she said the idea doesn’t only provide support for an individual but helps the team as a whole perform.
“The brother-sister teams have proven to strongly impact our teams’ performances, pushing them to reach their fullest potential and striving to do their best as they’re receiving more support,” Fionda said.
The UW-Oshkosh SAAC follows the “19 sports, one team” motto and is made up of two student-athletes from each of the 19 sports.
The group’s mission is “to challenge student-athletes to develop championship character and execute championship performance through excellence in attitude, academics and athletics, while fostering an atmosphere of team unity, community outreach, career development and transition, leadership, sportsmanship and university pride.”
SAAC allows student-athletes to build relationships within the athletic community at UW-Oshkosh.
“Student-athletes have their own challenges that they have to face every day, and being a part of SAAC allows one to conquer challenges together that a fellow athlete may be facing as well,” Fionda said.
SAAC is not only a campus-based group – but it also strives to help within the Oshkosh community and maintains a strong relationship with Special Olympics.
Sewell said that SAAC has given him “the opportunity to impact the athletics community on a larger scale that just my team.”
Since Lauren Karnitz, SAAC adviser and head coach of the UW-Oshkosh women’s gymnastics team, has been involved with the group there has been “more interest from student-athletes to play an active role in the organization and not just attend the meetings.”
Fionda said it is important for people to know SAAC is growing and its purpose is to build a sense of community within the athletics program, promote a positive student-athlete image and “always put others first by paying our time forward to help others.”
Written by Liz Smith, UW-Oshkosh Associate Athletics Marketing Manager