GSU Sports Teams Give Back
Governors State University (GSU) student-athletes and coaches engaged in several community service projects last school year.
In addition to helping local communities, the volunteer projects aligned with the NAIA Champions of Character program and its five core values of integrity, respect, responsibility, sportsmanship, and servant leadership.
The GSU women's and men's basketball teams took part in a community project in Monee, assisting an elderly homeowner with outdoor maintenance and cleaning. Team members spent several hours raking and bagging leaves, trimming shrubs and cleaning gutters.
The improvements drew the attention of a community member who said: "Wow! No words-speechless. Thanks to you and the teams."
Women's basketball players also collected clothing and goods to assist a teammate and her family who lost all their possessions in a house fire.
The women's and men's cross country teams assisted with the 2nd Annual Jaguar 5K held during Homecoming Week. Team captains from both teams greeted the GSU community and offered support to runners during the Sunday morning event held on campus.
The men's soccer team participated in two mobile food market events that were hosted by the Second Place Church in Monee with support from the Northern Illinois Food Bank. Players and coaches spent more than five hours unloading, sorting, packaging and distributing food to families in Monee and Beecher.
Gaetana Davis of the women's basketball team spoke to students at her high school in Bourbonnais. The second-year forward covered several important topics.
"I let them know that we are students first before anything and it's important to get our job done in the classroom before getting on the court and field. I talked about what a leader looks like and how a leader can be portrayed in multiple different ways and went in depth about the importance of mental health," she said.
Tonishea Mack, who oversees GSU's community service initiatives, said community service is vital.
“Especially for our student-athletes who are learning under our programs that it is better to give,” she said.