A Commitment to Excellence

Philanthropy helps Recreational Sports create environments and opportunities that foster community, form lasting memories and instill a sense of belonging. Throughout they year, we carry out a wide variety of programs, activities, and special events...not all of which are related to sports and recreation. The Division supports and complements the institution’s academic and public service objectives, and makes significant contributions to The University’s disciplined culture of excellence.

During the past academic year, the Division of Recreational Sports:

• Exceeded 3.5 million hours of participation by students, faculty, staff and other RecSports members.
• Registered 77,000 participants in weekly Fitness/Wellness classes and services, including fitness, mind/body, aqua and specialty classes and Personal Training, which experienced a 94 percent increase in participants.
  
  
  
• Entertained 19,500 students at the 16th Annual Party on the Plaza on Sept. 5, featuring a student organization fair, the annual Scholarship Shootout, a benefit BBQ lunch, a big screen movie, games and much more, raising $2,800 for the UT Student Emergency Fund.
  
  
  
• Formed a Leadership Team of supporters and former participants to assist with the Division’s development program, which launched in fall 2008.
• Welcomed over one million visitors to www.utrecsports.org, the RecSports public Web site and launched www.utrecsportsstaff.org, a Web site exclusively for RecSports part-time employees.
• Contributed more than $80,000 to student organizations, Student Affairs and Texas Parents projects and events dedicated to improving student life on campus.
• Completed a major overhaul of the Division’s online registration system and began offering online court reservations and equipment checkout systems.
• Sponsored a successful Intramural Sports Program for approximately 22,000 individual participants, as well as 500 basketball teams, 400 flag football teams, 300 softball teams, 190 soccer teams and 190 volleyball teams.
• Completed the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) assessment project and fully implemented the Division’s assessment plan.
  
  
  
  Commemorated the 10th anniversary of the Gregory Gym renovation with a special ceremony on Nov. 9 recognizing the many students who over the years worked diligently to complete the renovation project.
  
  
  
  
  
• Raised more than $150,000 in donations through the Texas Parents Calling Program and $15,500 in donations through the Advisory Board matching funds initiative.
• Conducted youth camps in soccer, lacrosse and Ultimate disc, serving 500 boys and girls from the Austin community.
• Hosted the 2008 National Intramural-Recreational Sports Association (NIRSA) Annual Conference and Exposition April 2-5 that attracted 2,500 individuals who participated in educational sessions, poster presentations, exhibits, an awards banquet and various evening events that showcased live music by local artists.
• Processed over 5,500 individual reservations of RecSports facilities for 250 different campus organizations, including such student-sponsored events as Texas Cowboys Alumni Reunion, Campus Fusion, the Orange Santa Store, Student Government workshops, the Orange Jackets Tap-in Ceremony, the Orange and White Ball, Freshmen Admissions Lock-in and more.
• Launched Group Cycling as part of the Fitness/Wellness Program, attracting over 560 pass-holders during its first semester.
• Co-sponsored Dance Marathon on Feb. 17, raising over $35,700 for the new Dell Children’s Medical Center of Central Texas.
  
  
  
• Hosted the Democratic Presidential Primary Debate between Senator Hillary Clinton and Senator Barack Obama on Feb. 21, which aired live on CNN and Univision from the Recreational Sports Center in front of a select audience, including students.
  
  
• Provided mentoring to 10 ALLIANCE students, four of whom accepted graduate assistantships at various institutions around the country with the intent to pursue careers in recreational sports.
• Celebrated National Employee Health and Fitness Day on May 7 by hosting the 17th Annual Poker Walk for faculty and staff, attracting over 1,000 participants who competed for Best Hand, Best Name and Best Contests.
• Earned five first-place Creative Excellence Awards from the National Intramural-Recreational Sports Association in the categories of programming publication, student brochure, Web site and comprehensive brochure (two).
• Hosted 29,550 graduates and their families May 16 and 17 at 14 convocation ceremonies held in Gregory Gym and the Recreational Sports Center, which was added as a venue for the first time.
• Celebrated the National Championship titles of two sport clubs: the Texas Men’s Gymnastics Club was crowned National Champions at the 2008 National Association of Intercollegiate Gymnastic Clubs’ National Championships event in Cincinnati, Ohio, the team’s third consecutive championship. The Tennis Club was crowned National Champions at the 2008 U.S. Tennis Association National Campus Championships held in Cary, N.C.




 

• Boosted the benefits of fitness and health during National Recreational Sports and Fitness Day with free facility admission, fitness classes and try climbing.
• Hosted approximately 3,500 fifth-graders and their families at the Annual AISD Volleyball Playday in March as a means of introducing them to the university and the value of recreational sports.
• Developed and conducted the 13th biannual student survey, assessing students’ recreational patterns, attitudes and preferences.
• Celebrated the end of the year on April 30 at the 3rd Annual Splash Bash where students and RecSports members relaxed, enjoyed lunch and games.
• Certified approximately 380 participants in over 70 American Red Cross courses.