Once a year, 91短视频 gets all of its student-athletes together in one place.聽 Royals Night, as it is called, was on August 31 this year, as this year鈥檚 Royals and Lady Royals got an introduction for what it means to be a student-athlete at 91短视频.
Athletic Director Dave King led the evening.
鈥淭his has become a tradition聽that helps us get the school year off to a good start,鈥� said King.聽 鈥淚t is really exciting to have all the athletes together and sense the anticipation and hope of a new year.聽 It provides freshmen athletes an opportunity to understand that they are part of something much larger than their own team.聽 It also gives us an opportunity to connect the athletic department to the rest of the university.鈥�
Ron Stoltzfus, the Faculty Athletics Representative, was one of the speakers to the approximately 200 student-athletes.聽 91短视频 President Loren Swartzendruber also spoke.
鈥淚t is a humbling experience to recognize how many lives we, as athletic staff and an entire campus community, will have the opportunity to impact through our relationships with them on and off the field,鈥� King said afterwards.聽 鈥淕athering together helps build a bond between players on each team as well as between other sports teams.鈥�
King introduced each coach and staff person to the students after recognizing the players by team.聽 As part of his talk, he helped student-athletes understand the expectations the school has for them, and he also introduced a brief set of guidelines for 91短视频 athletes.
Daniel Leake from Special Olympics Virginia also talked to the gathering.聽 The NCAA and D-III are making specific efforts to join with Special Olympics around the country, and Leake pointed out that 91短视频 and the rest of the Old Dominion Athletic Conference have been leading the way in building those relationships already.
鈥淚t was great to have Daniel, the local coordinator, with us to represent their programming and talk about ways in which our athletes can become involved,鈥� King said.聽聽鈥淲hile the men’s basketball teams have been involved in the past, I am excited about聽getting additional聽athletes and teams involved locally.鈥�
Andy Richter (Perkasie, PA/Christopher Dock), a senior of the baseball team, spoke to his peers about 91短视频鈥檚 chapter of Fellowship of Christian Athletes and then also closed the program with a prayer of dedication for the year.
After the students were each given an 91短视频 t-shirt, a group photo was taken with President Swartzendruber and everyone enjoyed pizza.
King said the photo was a fitting way to end the night.
鈥淲e hope that the photo will be a constant reminder to athletes, parents, faculty and staff of the great potential these students bring to the school year,鈥� he said.