Inspire, Summer 2012

A Voice for Student-Athletes holding promise for both the present life and the life to come.” I Timothy 4:8 So begins the constitution for the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC). This student organization represents student-athlete needs and concerns to the University and the athletic department. High among its goals is to nurture a positive student-athlete image to the campus and community, and maintain a testimony that glorifies God. Basketball guard Austin Foote ’13 is this year’s president, and he shared how this organization is shaping his experience as a student-athlete. SAAC’s Role SAAC is a national student organization, required by NCAA bylaws. It acts as a voice for student-athletes to share opinions and vote on NCAA regulations. It also provides an opportunity for members to serve in our community as well as on our campus. SAAC is made up of one or two representatives from each athletic team. Representatives from Cedarville’s SAAC serve on a conference SAAC, and representatives from each conference serve on a national SAAC. Lessons Learned I am beginning to understand how crucial it is to lead by example, delegate responsibility, communicate effectively, balance my time, and surround myself with positive and responsible individuals — these are lessons I can carry into my athletic endeavors, my career, and throughout my life. Leadership Opportunities I had the opportunity to travel to Indianapolis this summer to meet with SAAC members from other institutions from our conference. Our mission was to establish goals, values, bylaws, and a written constitution that would outline the conference SAAC. Meeting with other schools’ SAAC leaders helped me develop ideas and action steps that can benefit Cedarville’s SAAC. Future Vision I hope SAAC will become an organization where athletes can voice their opinions, serve the community, and make a positive impact on the student- athlete experience at Cedarville. Ultimate Purpose What I love most about being an athlete at Cedarville is the platform it gives me to be a witness for Christ and influence the lives of others. We love to win games and succeed on the court, but our main purpose is to play for Christ and represent Him in every game and practice. Austin Foote ’13 is a comprehensive communication major from Castle Rock, Colorado. He plays guard on the men’s varsity basketball team. You may contact him at austinfoote@cedarville.edu . Martin ’76, Coach Kari Flunker ’05, and Coach Stacie Travis ’07 suggested that we visit the IWU team and have a prayer circle with them. We loved the idea, and on the way to our next game, we stopped by IWU, brought them Gatorade, and experienced the most intimate moment I’ve ever shared with a team. Conversations were shared, tears were shed, but most importantly, in that moment, Jesus was glorified. I have come to understand that while we may be rivals on the court, more importantly, we are sisters in Christ. God gives each of us many talents, but all that talent is wasted unless we give our talent back to God. Leah is now in heaven with her gracious Savior, but her life on earth was not wasted. I will never forget Leah’s story and our relationship with her team. God used Leah to show our team what it means to put aside differences, humbly come together, and become one as the body of Christ. Whether we have opportunities to pray with other Christian teams like IWU, or be an example to those who don’t know the Lord, we all have a responsibility, like Buscaglia says, to give our gift back to God. Kayla Jenerette ’14 is an organizational communication major from Greenville, South Carolina, and plays guard with the Lady Jackets basketball team. You may contact Kayla at kjenerette@cedarville.edu . my cedarv i l le Austin Foote ’13 leads the Student- Athlete Advisory Committee. “For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, CEDARVILLE UNIVERSITY 17