NCAA and Habitat for Humanity Score Big

From the NCAA's official website:

Last November, Pensacola, Florida opened its doors to the NCAA Division II Fall Championships Festival with more than 800 student-athletes competing for six national championships. Approximately 400 of those student-athletes, coaches and administrators returned the favor to the hurricane-affected city by volunteering to help construct six new homes with local residents. They did this as part of the NCAA Home Team, a partnership between the NCAA and Habitat for Humanity International. Another 100 volunteers from local Division II institution University of West Florida also contributed to the build.

Over a three-day period during the festival, volunteers worked to complete the exteriors for three homes on their slab foundations at the intersection of Idlewood Drive and Larkfield Circle and framed another three homes at Brosnaham Park, one of the championship venues. Those house frames were later moved to their permanent locations for completion.

In the past eight months since the conclusion of the Festival, the Pensacola Habitat for Humanity staff and volunteers worked with area high school volunteers and Habitat partner families to complete the homes. Now living in the completed homes, the six families could not be more pleased.

It's great that a bunch of athletes that aren't likely to see the big time in sports still made such an impact in what's truly important, people's lives.

Click here to read the rest of the story.

No Problems Being in Their Brothers' Shadows

There are plenty of cases in both entertainment and sports where younger siblings in the same line of work are unable to move beyond the shadows cast by their more successful elder. Unfortunately, that situation often results in tension and bitterness, but not in the case of Bill Ripken and Chris Gwynn.

You are probably much more familiar with their older brothers, Cal Ripken and Tony Gwynn, who were both enshrined in the baseball Hall of Fame yeseterday. Nobody was happier for them than their younger brothers.

Jerry Crasnick wrote a column about the brothers for ESPN.com. Both come across with a deep pride in their older brothers' accomplishments and no regrets about their careers.

Click here to read Crasnick's column.

Tyler Breaks Amazing Streak to Honor Iron Man Ripken

Newly enshrined baseball Hall of Famer Cal Ripken is known for his streak of playing in 2,632 consecutive major league games, but ironically his induction is also responsible for ending what is perhaps a more amazing streak, certainly a longer one.

Ernie Tyler, a legend among Baltimore Orioles fans, first assumed his position as umpire attendant at old Memorial Stadium on opening day 1960. He had not missed a game since than, covering 3,769 games over 47 1/2 seasons. His streak ended Saturday night because he had travelled up to Cooperstown, at Ripken's personal invitation, to witness Cal's induction ceremony.

"I saw him was he was 12 years old. I knew his father well," Tyler said Thursday. "What better time to do it than to go now? When I heard he wanted me to go to Cooperstown, how could I say no? The streak doesn't mean that much when you're thinking about your relationship with the Ripken family."

That kind of loyalty is what you would expect from someone who doesn't miss a day of work in 47 years.

Click here to read the Yahoo Sports story on Ernie Tyler.

Albert Pujols Stays Humble

Humility seems to be a rare quality in star athletes these days, but St. Louis Cardinals slugger Albert Pujols has a good healthy dose of it.

“Just because I’ve got God in my heart and I’m a great baseball player, that doesn’t mean that I’m perfect. I’m just a human person just like everybody else here, and I make mistakes. Only God was perfect. He’s obviously using me by giving me this platform so I can honor Him and get to know more people and just share the gospel with those who need.”

Pujols and his wife Deidre have three children, the oldest of which has Down's Syndrome. In 2005, he established the Pujols Family Foundation, dedicated to "faith, family, others" to help support families dealing with Down's Syndrome along with impoverished families and children in his native country, the Dominican Republic.

Yes, Pujols had a brief public snit about not playing in the All-Star game, but his body of work indicates he doesn't spend much time dwelling on such things.

Click here to read more about how Albert Pujols stays grounded at Crosswalk.com.

"Good News Is All Around Us In The Sports World"

That's the title of Gene Wojciechowski's column on ESPN.com today. Like me, he's tired of hearing about Michael Vick, Barry Bonds et al, so he sniffed out a few good news stories:

Notre Dame football coach Charlie Weis establishing a facility to house adults with special needs.

Chicago Cubs pither Kerry Wood hosting a bowling charity event that raised over $300k.

Houston Rockets' center Dikembe Mutombo's efforts to raise $15 million toward the construction of a hospital in his native Democratic Republic of Congo.

These are only a few highlights of the many good news stories Wojciechowski covers. Click here to read his column for a deep breath of fresh air.

Brett Butler Perseveres With Class

Brett Butler, who had a 17-year career in the major leagues with the Atlanta Braves and Los Angeles Dodgers, is trying to work his way back to the show as a manager.

We take you to an evening early in Butler's latest assignment, shepherding the Class AA Mobile BayBears of the Southern League.

"There was a point he got into an argument with the umpire and he was really going off," begins BayBears team president and part owner Bill Shanahan.

"I called up [to the press box] on the walkie-talkie and told them to turn off the music. Turn off everything. I knew he wasn't going to swear, and I wanted to hear what was going on.

"Another manager in the past, I would have turned the music up."

He had retired as a player in 1997, took some time to help finish raising the kids, did a little speaking, then began looking for someone else's kids to raise. In the meantime, he moved from Atlanta to the Phoenix area.

His wife suggested it might be time to get out of the house. Especially after beating back episodes of throat (1996) and prostate (2004) cancer. His health is sound now, Butler insists, the only lasting effect being an inability to put on weight as a result of the radiation treatments. He's 10 pounds lighter than during his playing days.

"I count it as a blessing," he said with a smile. "Most guys my age are trying to shed pounds. I'm trying to put 10 or 15 back on. I can eat anything I want, anytime."

"There are three things I love: I love the Lord, I love my family and I love baseball."

Butler is a classic example of nice guys finishing first. Don't be surprised if he winds up running a major league team in the near future.

Here's the article "Former Brave Butler shows class" from the Atlanta Journal Constitution via BPSports.net

A Death In the Family

I'll be posting her sporadically, if at all, over the next few days. My brother passed away suddenly yesterday, and I'm heading up to Rochester, NY to wrap up his affairs. I would appreciate any prayers and good thoughts you are willing to offer during this time.

A Volleyball Player With a Heart for Africa

From NCAASports.com

Sometimes, just a short time spent with those in desperate need can profoundly change your life. Brigham Young University women’s volleyball Amy Schlauder had that type of experience this summer when she toured Zambia for three weeks to work with orphaned children.

Schlauder, a setter from Las Vegas, Nev., had traveled to several places, including Argentina and Russia, while she played volleyball for various U.S. regional teams growing up, and the experiences developed a desire to help others.

“I saw some things, especially kids that really touched my heart,” said Schlauder. “I wanted to go somewhere that I would be able to dedicate my time to them.”

Schlauder joined a group of 30 people of various ages from throughout the United States, including BYU women’s soccer player Amanda Draeger, in Zambia for the Mothers Without Borders project. She funded her own travel expenses with some greatly appreciated support from her parents.

Click here to read more about Schlauder's trip and what she learned from it on the NCAA's official website.

In a country ravaged by HIV/AIDS, the group focused on working with children orphaned by the disease.

Classic Good News: Baseball Pioneer Larry Doby

Larry Doby wasn't a good ballplayer, or a very good ballplayer.


He was a great one.


This is where we start, at recognizing the man for what he achieved, not only as a symbol.


Eleven weeks after Jackie Robinson began blazing his trail in Brooklyn, Doby did the same hard, necessary work. The leagues were different, but the games -- and the cultural trials and tribulations -- were identical.


Just as Robinson never had it made, Doby had to endure untold indignities to achieve his goal. He became a great player, and that is how he should be remembered, along with his social pioneering.


His Indians will be honoring Doby by acknowledging his retired No. 14 in an Aug. 10 ceremony commemorating Doby's 1947 debut. He deserves to stand alongside Robinson, a man he admired, in our hearts and minds.


"I went through everything Jackie did," Doby confided one night. "It just didn't get as much attention, mainly because Jack was first but also because of where he was, in New York.
"That was OK by me. I just wanted to play the game. That's all I ever cared about."



Click here to read more about Larry Doby on the Major League Baseball official website.

A Benefit For One of My Favorite Causes

I'm linking to this in part because my wife has recently become a breast cancer survivor and we participated in The Race For The Cure in Washington, DC. If your favorite team is having an event benefitting an important charity, please let me know and I'll be happy to post it here.



From the Minor League Baseball official website:



The Rancho Cucamonga Quakes and the Susan G. Komen Foundation are excited to announce that they will be having a Breast Cancer Awareness Night at The Epicenter on Friday, July 27th. July 27th's game is a 7:05 PM contest against the Stockton Ports, the California League affiliate of the Oakland Athletics.


The Quakes have a number of things in store to support those who are fighting breast cancer. Survivors will be recognized on-field pre-game by taking the field alongside the Quakes for the National Anthem. Select members of the front-office staff of the Quakes will also be up for bid in a bachelor auction to be held during the game.


The Quakes will also show support for Breast Cancer victims and survivors by wearing special pink uniforms that will be auctioned off via silent auction during the game. Proceeds from the silent auction along with the front-office bachelor auction will benefit the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation. In addition, Friday, July 27th game features a visit by the national traveling mascot act Zooperstars! Presented by Charter Communications, Zooperstars are well-known nationally for providing superior entertainment with skits and sports-themed inflatable mascots, such as "Clammy Sosa," "Snail Ernhart," and "Roger Clammens."

Lance Allred Working to Make His Own Noise

Lance Allred’s resume looks like that of a lot of players in the NBA Summer League. There are overseas stops mixed in with a stint in the minors stateside . . . your basic stuff.

Until you get to the part about competing for the United States at the 2002 World Deaf Basketball Championships in Greece.

For even the most ardent observer of the Celts summer league games, if you didn’t read about it in his bio you wouldn’t know Allred, a 6-foot-11 center out of Weber State, is 75 percent hearing impaired. The tiny inner-ear hearing aids go unnoticed.

Allred plays hard and smart, and has a nice touch around the hoop. He’s the kind of player you could see sticking with an NBA club or certainly being a strong addition to an overseas club. In the case of the latter possibility, the stint at the World Deaf Championships gets people thinking - and not always in a positive manner.

Click here to read more about Allred in the Boston Herald.

Jim Tressel Goes Old School

Ohio State football coach Jim Tressel was recently part of a $1 million donation to the Youngstown State (OH) football program, helping to fund a new indoor practice facility. Tressel coached at YSU for 15 years before accepting the Ohio State job in 2001.

“YSU will always hold a special place in my heart,” said Jim Tressel, who spent 15 successful seasons as head coach of the YSU Penguins football team before taking the helm of the Ohio State Buckeyes in 2001. “We believe in paying forward, and it is our pleasure to be able to give back to a university that has meant so much to us and to help a project that will serve students for years to come.”

Click here to read more about it on Youngstown State's official website.

Jonathon Blum Will Inspire Nashville

It's been a tough summer to be a Nashville Predator fan. Rumors persist of their imminent sale and relocation and they've suffered heavy losses in free agency.



Stuff like that wouldn't make Jonathon Blum blink. The Preds first round draft pick has dealt with a lot worse than that, like losing a sister and dealing with his mother fighting a life-and-death battle with cancer.



Click here to read about how Blum, the first native Californian to be picked in the first round of the NHL draft, has navigated this difficult path on the NHL's official website.

Campbellsville Womens Hoops Team Traveled A Long Way From Home

From BP Sports:



Four members of the Campbellsville (KY) University Lady Tigers basketball team -- Kristi Ensminger of Kingstown Springs, Tenn., Juliana Brown of Antioch, Tenn., Maranda Wilkinson of Belvidere, Tenn. and Shabree Hunter of Lake Worth, Fla. -- along with former Lady Tigers coach Donna Wise and her husband George, Joanna Turpin, a Campbellsville native and student at the University of Kentucky, and Connie Alden of Titusville, Fla., spent May 5-19 in Zambia and South Africa.



Wise, who is chair of the university’s department of human performance and assistant professor of physical education and athletics, organized and coordinated the trip with Lonnie and Fran Turner, who have worked in Zambia since 1976.



The Turners are associated with Partners in Development, a non-profit, non-governmental organization dedicated to assisting rural African communities in their efforts to improve their quality of life in areas of clean water, health care and education.



The women’s basketball program at Campbellsville University has supported PID with uniforms and equipment for several years, Wise said. She took a group to Brazil several years ago, and the Turners encouraged her to do the same in Zambia.



“This trip gave these students actual hands-on servant leadership opportunities,” Wise said. “It was a life-changing experience in many ways for all of us. Most of the people in this area live on 50 cents a day.”



Click here to read more about this trip on BPSports.net

A-10 Golf Champion Mincer Walking Appalachian Trail

From the University of Charlotte website:

A recent graduate of UNC Charlotte, former 49ers golfer Matt Mincer is finding a way to enjoy more of the great outdoors than he would ever see on a golf course -- and in doing so, raise money and awareness for a great cause. Mincer and his good friend Taylor Yoakley have embarked on a summer hike of the Appalachian Trail, in part, to benefit Blood: Water Mission.

The duo started their trek on June 15th in Maine and will be walking the historic footpath that leads all the way to Georgia. The 2,159 mile hike through 14 states is expected to take five months.

"Each person seeking to thru-hike the Appalachian Trail does so for different reasons -- for fun or exercise, self-discovery or a change of pace, make new friends, to change oneself, etc," said Mincer and Yoakley in a prepared solicitation for pledges. "While all of these in part are motivation for us, we are seeking a greater motivation, one which WILL not only change but also save lives. It is for this reason that we are going to hike in order to raise money for Africa and specifically the Blood: Water Mission's 1000 Wells project. Blood: Water Mission is a truly non-profit organization founded by the members of the Grammy Award-winning band, Jars of Clay, and is committed to clean blood and clean water to fight the HIV/AIDS pandemic, to build clean wells in Africa, to support medical facilities for caring for the sick, and to make a lasting impact in the fight against poverty, injustice and oppression in Africa."

Mincer and Yoakley go on to explain that one dollar can provide one African with fresh water for a year and that a "penny-per-mile" pledge can provide nearly 22 people with fresh water for a year. $1,000 will build a freshwater well for a village of 10,000 for a lifetime.

Mincer, the 2007 Atlantic 10 individual golf champion, led Charlotte to its second straight A-10 title, this year. He also keyed the 49ers run at the NCAA Championship, where Charlotte placed tied for third behind Stanford and Georgia, matching the 49ers' best-ever NCAA finish in any sport. He retired with 49ers' school records for 18-hole score (-8, 64 at the 2007 A-10 Championships) and 54-hole tournament score (-14, 202 at the 2007 A-10 Championships and the 2004 49er Collegiate).

Click on the link above to download a plede form so you can support Mincer's effort.

Seattle Mariners Raising Funds For the Homeless

From the Seattle Mariners official website:

The Seattle Mariners are employing some "mystery" to raise money for First Place, an organization that provides education and stabilization services for homeless children and families.

On Saturday, July 14, fans have the chance to buy, for $50 each, grab bags containing baseballs autographed by Mariners players, the manager and coaches. Each has signed 24 baseballs. The individual baseballs are sealed in brown paper bags. The mystery is which autograph the buyer will get. It could be All-Star Game MVP Ichiro Suzuki, pitcher Felix Hernandez, or a member of the coaching staff. It's luck of the draw.

The proceeds from the sales will benefit First Place. Now in its 18th year, Seattle's First Place enrolls students from kindergarten through the sixth grade whose families are in crisis due to domestic violence, drug and alcohol dependency, or any number of issues that lead to instability and homelessness. In addition to education, First Place offers a Family Stabilization Program that includes housing and case management services for families with children enrolled at the school.

The "Mystery Mariners" grab bags fundraiser is sponsored by the Mariners Wives and Mariners Care, the team's non-profit foundation. The baseballs will be available at Safeco Field on Saturday, July 14, when the Mariners take on the Detroit Tigers. They will be available on the Main Concourse near Section 125, at the skybrige entrance to the Terrace Club, on the Suite Level and the Diamond Club. Game time Saturday is 7:05 p.m. Gates open at 5:05 p.m.

Over the past few years, the Mariners Wives and Mariners Care have raised over $300,000 for First Place through various fundraising efforts.

What a cool idea. No one said fund raising couldn't be fun. So what if some of those baseball's will invariably wind up on Ebay, the homeless in Seattle will still received a much needed benefit.

How Sports Can Build a Bridge

Passionate sports fans can get carried away with the games, sometimes acting like they're life and death events.

There are times, however, when sports can have a real impact among people who are truly dealing with life and death situations as a normal part of their lives.

That's the type of story ESPN's Tom Friend tells about how an organization called Peace Players International used basketball to find some common ground for Catholics and Protestants, usually enemies from birth, in Northern Ireland.

Click here to read "Hate Is a Waste of Time."

A Humble John Dutton Now Enjoying Success

John Dutton thought he had it all going on. He led the University of Nevada to it's first football bowl win in 28 years and was projected as high as a first-round pick in the NFL Draft.

That's when the road to humility began.

Dutton fell to the sixth round, eventually being drafted by the Miami Dolphins. Eventually three NFL teams cut Dutton, leading him to the Arena Football League. Despite a broken ankle and broken arm, he persevered to lead two different teams (San Jose in 2002 and Colorado in 2005) to Arena Bowl titles.

Along the way, Dutton has gained a strong sense of perspective:

“He’s )G0d)taken me up, and He has taken me down, but He has always been faithful,” Dutton said. “Now, I tell everyone about my three F’s: faith, family and football. I give 100 percent and let Him figure out the wins and losses.”

Click here to read more about John Dutton's path to on-the-field success and off-the-field balance (including many charitable activities) in this article from Sharing the Victory.

The NCAA's official website continues it series on student-athletes and their humanitarian work during the summer. This installment features a swimmer who had much more than her sport in mind when she enrolled in college.

Lauren Ackerman, a swimmer at the College of Notre Dame of Maryland, turned her passion for travel into a humanitarian effort this summer as she researched how the once war-torn country of Guatemala is achieving peace since ending its 36-year civil war in 1996.

Ackerman, a rising senior from Gettysburg, Pa., and three of her classmates were recipients of a $10,000 grant from the 100 Projects for Peace program to research the topic “Perceptions of Civil War and Peace in Two Western Highland Towns of Guatemala.” The program, which was created by philanthropist Kathryn Wasserman Davis in celebration of her 100th birthday, funds grassroots efforts with a global reach.

The group visited the city of San Lucas Tolimán in Guatemala, a more peaceful place than other cities during the long civil conflict.

“We wanted to talk with the people and learn from them in hopes to apply their situations to other situations of inner-country conflict throughout the world,” said Ackerman.
Ackerman gained a better understanding of the country’s history during the trip, and how it has progressed since the end of the civil war.

“You can read a lot of books and articles, but when you talk with people who were involved, you gain a whole new understanding and that was our goal,” said Ackerman. “We learned that peace is a utopian idea and has a lot to do with having basic needs."

The epitome of a student-athlete, Ackerman was named the Atlantic Women’s Colleges Conference Scholar-Athlete of the year in 2007 after posted a 3.947 grade point average and winning the 100 and 200 yard backstroke and 100 yard butterfly events at the league championship.

“One of the reasons why I chose the College of Notre Dame was because it is Division III school and I had the opportunity to take on amazing study abroad experiences and have a coach who understands that I have a passion for swimming, but that I also have a passion for travel,” said Ackerman.

Click here to read more about Ackerman's travels, including where she is heading next, on the NCAA's official website.

Cindy Timchal Is All About Her Players

Cindy Timchal, women's lacrosse coach at the Naval Academy, shared her basic coaching philosophy with ESPNU:

"Winning championships is really a byproduct of getting the players to believe in themselves, getting them to put it all on the line and play unselfishly," Tinchal said. "And when it all comes together, it's magical.

"Too much credit is given to the coach. My job is just to give the players the courage and the confidence to compete. That's what is most satisfying: giving the players the tools they need to go out and compete."

It obviously works since she is the winningest coach in the history of the sport. She won eight national championships at the University of Maryland (including seven straight), but left in 2006 to to make her mark and build her own program at Navy.

Two things you can expect there; they will win, and it will be all about the players.

Click here to read the ESPNU article.

KC Royals Investing Well in the Community

The Kansas City Royals have not enjoyed much success on the field in recent years, but they are helping other organizations in their community succeed.

From the official Kansas City Royals website:

Royals Charities, the charitable arm of the Kansas City Royals, is pleased to announce a donation of $158,000 to five non-profit organizations during the 2007 spring/summer grant cycle.

With this contribution, Royals Charities has donated over $2.6 million to Kansas City area charities since 2001. "We are pleased to contribute to these organizations and assist in their efforts to make Kansas City a better place," said Royals President Dan Glass. "These grants reflect the continued commitment of our players and their wives, our associates, our family and our fans to this community."

Agencies receiving grants in the 2007 spring/summer cycle include:

American Liver Foundation
Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Kansas City
Harvesters - The Community Food Network
Heart to Heart International
Prostate Cancer Foundation

Derek Fisher Has His Priorities Right

There are times, very rare ones, when you meet someone and immediately recognize them as a person of quality.

Someone grounded and sincere. Someone without pretense. Who you can almost instantly sense is a good person.

You don't see this written about an NBA player nearly often enough, but columnist Steve Dilbeck of the Los Angeles Daily News wrote those words about Derek Fisher, whom he met when Fisher was playing with the Los Angeles Lakers.

Fisher has been a solid player in the league for a number of years, but his biggest move came this week, when he asked to be released from a contract that guaranteed him $20.6 million over the next three years.

He wants to spend more time in one of the handful of NBA cities that offer the appropriate medical care for his 1-year-old daughter, who has a rare form of eye cancer.

So he asked the Utah Jazz to release him from the final three years of his contract, and to owner Larry Miller's great credit, he did.

"Life for me has always outweighed the game of basketball," Fisher said.

Normally when you hear a player talk about "taking care of his family" he is in the process of selling his services to the highest bidder. When Derek Fisher says that, he means it literally.

Click here to read the rest of Dilbeck's column in the LA Daily News.

Jacoby Jones No Longer Too Small For Football

Jacoby Jones heard "you're too small" for many years, mainly because when he showed up at LSU wanting to walk on to the football team, he stood only 5' 7" and weighed 160 pounds.



Then a growth spurt kicked in.



Now standing 6' 2" and weighing over 200 pounds, Jones became a star at Division II Lane College as a receiver and kick returner and was drafted in the third round by the Houston Texans.



That's a long way from wearing an Archie Manning (for you younguns, that's Peyton and Eli's dad) uniform to church as a three-year old.



He'll have his own uniform to wear when camp starts in a few weeks.



Click here to read more about Jacoby Jones' winding path to the NFL in this article from the Houston Chronicle.

Drew Brees Is Truly a Saint

Fortunately, there are a lot of athletes who embrace the communities of the teams they play for, but Drew Brees is taking it to another level. The New Orleans Saint quarterback signed with the team only a few months after Hurricane Katrina destroyed much of the city and he has become an integral part of the rebuilding, both symbolically and by rolling up his sleeves and working side-by-side with those who lost so much from the disaster.



Part of the Breeses' initiative will finance a $670,000 multi-use football-baseball-soccer field on the divot-filled Lusher grounds that will benefit four schools and recreational leagues. Brees suggested a distinctive Fenway Park-style Green Monster for the new facility.


"We have the blessing of an NFL superstar who has taken us under his personal wing," says Lusher football coach Gian Smith, 29. "Before he even really knew how this city was going to embrace him, he came down, and the first thing Drew Brees did was bought a house here. The second thing he did was say, 'Let me see what I can do to help.'


"Drew Brees is one of us."


Brees, 28, is embraced here as the patron "Saint" of hope in a place where so much is still needed.



"Drew is the hope guy," says Rick Larsen, president of national charity Operation Kids, which partnered with Brees' foundation. "Drew has this attraction to areas where hope is fading. He wants to give people in those situations reason to hope again.


"He's one of those rare guys who doesn't think he's entitled to be a famous athlete. He feels like he has this responsibility to do something with that privilege."



Amazingly enough, Brees got started with this while rehabilitating his surgically repaired throwing shoulder, learning a new offense, and becoming acclimated for the first time to what was left of New Orleans.



Click here to read more about his efforts in this USA Today story.

Now THAT's a Field Trip

When I was in school, it was not uncommon to undertake a class project where some field work was required. Usually a short drive or bus trip was involved. Sweet Briar College lacrosse player Meredith Newman had a more challenging journey for her class project--a visit to Guatemala.

Learning concepts in a classroom is how most students are taught about their course of study, but when they are able to put that knowledge to real world use, the information instantly becomes more meaningful.

Sweet Briar College women’s lacrosse player Meredith Newman was able to experience that kind of hands-on learning earlier this summer during a journey to Guatemala which was a culmination of the course Technology and Society: A Global Perspective taught by Dr. Jim Durand.

The course melded the teachings of sociology --Newman’s major -- and engineering, where students designed and built a solution for a rural school’s water system.

“I thought it was really neat you could actually design a trip and a project, and then actually go to complete it,” said Newman.

The class worked to design a water storage tank and spring box at the school in Xix, Chajul, El Quiché– a Mayan community in Guatemala, and then completed their project by traveling to the third-world country and installing it in May.

Click here to read more about Meredith Newman's efforts in this story on the NCAA's official website.

Saintsations Visit Troops in the Middle East

At the risk of sounding sexist, I doubt few things could cheer up a soldier stationed far away from home more than a visit from a group of NFL cheerleaders. Nine members of the New Orleans Saints' squad, the Saintsations, did just that recently, traveling to military bases in both Iraq and Kuwait. Last week, the Louisiana State House of Representatives honored them for their 12-day trip.



Click here to read about the Saintsations' journey to the Middle East on the Saints' official website.

Former Army Ranger Walks On to U of Florida Football Team

Derek Baldry did not have a position, did not know where to line up, and wasn't quite sure how to get into a proper stance.

"I just wanted to make sure the coaches didn't know I hadn't played high school football," he said. "I was basically playing copycat, watching the guy in front of me and trying to emulate him."

So, what was this 24-year-old former Army Ranger and football novice doing at an open walk-on tryout at the University of Florida in the spring of 2006?

The answer is on his left wrist.

SPC Ryan P. Long USA RangerA CO 3/75 KIA 03 April 2003 Iraq.

This is the inscription on a metal bracelet that Baldry wears on his left wrist to honor a fallen friend. This is the inspiration that sent him chasing after a dream that many thought was uncatchable.

Click here to read the rest of the story in the Gainesville Sun.

So What Did You Do On Summer Vacation, Coach Richt?

University of Georgia football coach Mark Richt is one of the great character guys in all of sports, so it's not surprising he took part of his precious time off to reach out and help others.

Richt, his wife and all four of their children recently spent a week on a missionary trip to Honduras.

Not only are the Richts planning to go back, but one day the coach would like to take his Georgia players with him.

"I think I may try to get some guys to go," Richt said. "I would have to find out the [NCAA] compliance issue on that. I would be sad to think it would not be allowed.

"There are 28 bunks for the guys, and if no girls came you could have 28 guys on the other side," Richt continued. "I'd love to fill those bunks with those guys and let them see it."

What they would see is a country gripped by poverty but rich in beauty, spirit and community. What they would experience is a feeling of giving to a cause greater than Georgia football, if only for a week.

Click here to read the Atlanta Journal-Constitution's story about the Richt's mission trip and the impact it had on them and those they ministered to.

How a Ten-Dollar Bill Got Dwayne Allen On Track to Become a High School All-American

Sometimes it's the small but genuine gestures that make a difference in someone's life. Wayne Inman, the varsity football coach at Terry Sanford high in Fayetteville, NC, gave Dwayne Allen the encouragement, and the $10 he needed for a physical exam, to commit himself to becoming a football player. He also expected Allen to stay out of trouble off the field, and he did so. The payoff was a scholarship offer to Georgia for the fall of 2008.

Click here to read the ESPNU story on Dwayne Allen and his coach and mentor, Wayne Inman.