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:

• Entertained more than 20,000 students at the 17TH ANNUAL PARTY ON THE PLAZA on Sept. 3, featuring a student organization fair, the annual Scholarship Shootout, a benefit pizza lunch, carnival games and much more, raising over $3,300 for the UT Student Emergency Fund.
  
  
• Surpassed ONE MILLION VISITS to www.utrecsports.org, averaging over 2,800 visits per day.
  
• Participated in the campus-wide EXPLORE UT–The Biggest Open House in Texas on March 7 by sponsoring an open house featuring tours of Gregory Gym, sport club demonstrations and free climbing on the indoor Climbing Wall.
  
• Celebrated NATIONAL EMPLOYEE HEALTH AND FITNESS DAY on May 13 by hosting the 18TH ANNUAL POKER WALK for faculty and staff, attracting over 1,200 participants, including 135 teams, who competed for Best Hand, Best Name and Best Costume.
  
• Hosted a FRIENDS OF RECSPORTS OPEN HOUSE on Nov. 8 featuring a breakfast buffet for invited guests, which included past intramural champions who enjoyed reminiscing with their peers.
  
• Hosted 16,950 graduates and their families May 22 and 23 at seven CONVOCATION CEREMONIES held in Gregory Gym.
  
• Conducted YOUTH CAMPS IN SOCCER, LACROSSE AND ULTIMATE DISC, serving 500 boys and girls from the Austin community.
  
• Co-sponsored DANCE MARATHON on Feb. 21, raising $15,000 for the new Dell Children’s Medical Center of Central Texas.
  
• Provided mentoring to FIVE ALLIANCE STUDENTS, five of whom accepted graduate assistantships at various institutions around the country with the intent to pursue careers in recreational sports.
  
• Contributed MORE THAN $87,000 TO STUDENT ORGANIZATIONS, Student Affairs and Texas Parents projects and events dedicated to improving student life on campus.
  
• Developed a COMPUTERIZED INTRAMURAL SCORING AND SCHEDULING system.
  
  
  
• Hosted the OPENING PLENARY SESSION OF THE CLINTON GLOBAL INITIATIVE UNIVERSITY featuring former President Bill Clinton and attended by over 1,000 college students from throughout the world who were seeking solutions to global problems.
  
  
  
  
• Enhanced CUSTOMER SERVICE with online court reservations, updated towel service and a new point of sale system in the Gym Store.
  
• Overhauled WEB SITE GRAPHICS on www.utrecsports.org.
  
• Celebrated the end of the academic year on May 6 at the 4TH ANNUAL SPLASH BASH where students and RecSports members relaxed and enjoyed lunch and live music provided by local bands.
  
• Received FOUR GRAPHIC DESIGN AWARDS from the National Intramural-Recreational Sports Association (NIRSA) including two first-place awards: one for large format signage and one for an Intramural T-shirt. Second-place awards were presented for an Outdoor Recreation T-shirt and the Poker Walk T-shirt.
  
• Raised more than $91,000 IN DONATIONS through the Texas Parents Calling Program.
  
• Gained national peer recognition as Graduate Assistant Roz Jones was awarded the NIRSA WILLIAM WASSON AWARD, which recognizes top student participants and employees in recreational sports programs.
  
• Hosted approximately 3,500 fifth-graders and their families at the 19TH ANNUAL AISD VOLLEYBALL PLAYDAY in March as a means of introducing them to the University and the value of recreational sports.
  
• Boosted the benefits of fitness and health during NATIONAL RECREATIONAL SPORTS AND FITNESS DAY with free facility admission, fitness classes and indoor climbing.
  
• Created ROTATING ADS on the home page of the Web site.
  
• Established presence on the UNIVERSITY’S ANNUAL GIVING WEB SITE.
  
• Implemented ELECTRONIC FINANCIAL REPORTING and an ONLINE TIME SHEET SYSTEM for part-time student employees.
  
• Expanded WIRELESS ACCESS in Gregory Gym and the Recreational Sports Center.
  
• Processed over 5,500 INDIVIDUAL RESERVATIONS of RecSports facilities for 250 different campus organizations.

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2007-2008