Athletics News - Stanford University's Official Athletic Site

Cardinal Committed to Giving Back to the Community

Outreach program includes coaches, players and staff.

Goals/Objectives

Newsletter (7/99)

STANFORD, Calif. - The Stanford athletic department is committed to an active community outreach program that involves coaches, players and staff with different groups in the Bay Area. Athletics provides a unique opportunity to interact with the community while sharing talents and experiences with both children and adults in the Bay Area.

Ticket donations, clinics and classroom visits highlight the fall activities of the Tom Ford Community Outreach Program.

Former Stanford two-sport athlete Dena Evans and current women's soccer player Carly Smolak participate in Middle School Madness as part of the 1999 Women's Final Four.

The women's volleyball team kicked off the 1998 season with a Kids Clinic on August 29th at Maples. The event included free team posters and spalding mini volleyballs, an autograph session, scrimmage, chalk talk with Coach Shaw and clinics (hitting, serving, and digging) for approximately 400 children from the Bay Area. A few weeks later, the volleyball team hosted the Chular School under 14 squad, who recently captured the Spike-it-up National Beach Volleyball Championship in Florida. Following their successful season, Chular came out and celebrated with the defending NCAA champs!

Although the bye week is supposed to give the Stanford football team a little time to rest and relax, some players spent their free time visiting with local children. A total of 25 players chose to spend their day off at the Ronald McDonald House and the Lucille Packard Children's Hospital. The athletes visited kids that were too sick to leave their rooms and played with children in the recreation rooms. They signed posters, played video games and put smiles on the faces of the children and their families.

The women's basketball team participated in a year-long mentoring program with Bay Area children.

Even with the 1998-99 season underway, the men's and women's basketball teams have found time to participate in community outreach activities. The women's team is active with The Shoot for the Stars program. The basketball team tutors children while serving as positive role models. Peter Sauer, Kyle Logan and assistant men's basketball coach Eric Reveno visited Encinal School in October. They discussed the importance of academics, teamwork and hard work. Later that month, Milena Flores of the women's team and Arthur Lee, the men's point guard visited Edison McNair Elementary in East Palo Alto. As part of the Teach For America Week, they taught a middle school class for an hour. The experience made a lasting impact on the not only the children, but the athletes as well.

Throughout the 1998 season, the men's and women's soccer teams have encouraged children around the Bay Area to get involved with soccer. Players and coaches have put on clinics around the Bay Area while inviting children to come out to home matches. The outreach program has encouraged children and adults to enjoy and follow Stanford soccer.

Holiday activities planned for the upcoming season include the Ronald McDonald House Gift Wrap Booth, Adopt a Family For Christmas, Food Drives benefiting the Second Harvest Food Shelves, East Palo Alto Community Center Toy Hand Out and the Annual Athletic Department Food and Toy Collection.

Through the Tom Ford Community Outreach Program, Stanford athletes and coaches have the opportunity to give back to the community and make a difference in the lives of Bay Area children. For more information on the program, please write to Debra Gore-Mann at d.gore@stanford.edu.