Your connection to ut intramurals

education through recreation

40 Years of outdoor recreation activities

f e a t u r e a r t i c l e

vol. 14, no. 1 fall/Winter 2014

40 years OutdOOr recreatiOn Page 6

team Of the decade

Navy ROTC Intramural Sports in the 60s Page 2

Winner’s circle

The eliTe Let’s have fun AND win! Page 10

of

lOOKinG BacK

The MeaN SQUaReS The Spike Doctors’ Success Page 4

“While the Division’s past is important, it’s the future of RecSports that is of utmost significance as we strive to meet the needs of today’s students.”

Inside RecSports is published twice a year by The University of Texas at Austin, Division of Recreational Sports. For more information, log on to friends.utrecsports.org.

Cover Image:2014 Recreational Sports Guide School Trip toBig Bend National Park.

REPEAT QUIDDITCH CHAMPSTexas Quidditch expected 2013–14 to be a rebuilding year because so many members of the varsity squad had graduated the year before. Instead the club brought home its second consecutive championship title by defeating Texas State University at the 2014 World Cup VII Tournament held in North Myrtle Beach, S.C. With an estimated 80 schools competing internationally in the sport, it was significant to see two Texas schools compete against one another in the finals. An exciting dive for the snitch won the game for Texas 130–70. Quidditch Co-Captain Augustine Monroe says the new team “put in time and sweat to claw our way to the top. As leader of this team...I could not be any prouder of my teammates whom I call family.”

QUIDDITCh ChAMPS

Powerlifting ChamPs

POWERLIFTING ON TOP AGAINMen’s Powerlifting earned a second consecutive year of bragging rights when it placed first at the 2014 USAPL Collegiate Meet in Orlando, Fla., last spring. Team members Charles Okpoko, Ian Bell and Preston Turner also broke Collegiate division records in three different categories during the competition.

The women’s team delivered an impressive performance as well and placed third overall. Club President Mario Leos says while the team will lose two of its most decorated powerlifters next year (both of whom are four-time national champions), he predicts another national championship next year, noting, “We have some younger guys on our team who are solid lifters and I think they’ll step up!”

ROCk CLIMBING ChAMPS

THREE-PEAT FOR ROCK CLIMBINGTexas Rock Climbing achieved its third consecutive national title in April at the 2014 USA Climbing CCS National Championship in Colorado. The team competed against 33 schools and scored the highest overall in the competition. Two climbers placed first in their individual disciplines while a number of other team members made it in the top 10 with their disciplines. Team President Will Butcher says he felt proud to see that the team’s hard work paid off, noting the difficulty of finding the time to train. “When you’re tired from classes and homework you have to find the time to go to the gym to practice and push through,” he noted.

Dear Friends:

The start of a new school year always brings a contagious excitement to campus with the influx of new and returning students. New faces. New experiences. New opportunities. New routines, too, including a daily visit to the gym for exercise and finding new ways to get involved on campus. For these eager students, Recreational Sports becomes their home away from home where they can make friends in a game of pick up basketball, enjoy a relaxing swim, form an intramural team, join a club or find a quiet place to study.

Recreational Sports began its 98th year on campus in August and remains committed to its long-held tradition of excellence that students and other patrons have come to enjoy and expect. For example, when students arrived back on campus on Aug. 27, they were greeted with a newly renovated Recreational Sports Center weight room, new opportunities through the Civic Engagement Program and a new online store to make their registration process even easier.

The Division reached another significant milestone this year. Forty years ago, Betty A. Thompson, then director of Recreational Sports, introduced the Outdoor Recreation Program. What started as a few canoe trips has developed into a multifaceted program that now includes the new Civic Engagement Program. Learn more about the Outdoor Recreation Program on page 6. Over the next few years, RecSports will celebrate other notable milestones, including the 20th anniversary of the Gregory Gym renovation, the 25th anniversary of the Recreational Sports Center and the 100th anniversary of the Division itself.

While the Division’s past is important, it’s the future of RecSports that is of utmost significance as we strive to meet the needs of today’s students. For this reason, RecSports is committed to the renovation of Whitaker Fields. As many of you know, Whitaker Fields is home to UT intramurals and sport club practices and contests. however, heavy use over the years has taken its toll on the fields resulting in the need for a major renovation project. A fundraising campaign is underway to raise $10 million to match the $10 million committed by students. We need your help to make this goal attainable. Learn more about this campaign at friends.utrecsports.org/whitaker and please consider donating today.

As always, we hope this newsletter helps you stay connected with Recreational Sports and allows you to reflect on your own experiences with our programs and activities. Please continue to stay in touch and be sure to stop by Gregory Gym the next time you’re on campus.

With Warmest Wishes,

Thomas W. DisonSenior Associate Vice President and Director

Inside RecSports Fall/Winter 2014

SpOTlighT

Recognizing

national champions

from the

DirectorwelCOMe

1968–69 Water Basketball – Champion – Navy Front (L-R): F. Moon, H. Stewart, J. Frisbie, T. Caldbeck

Back (L-R): D. Scholler, D. Bleckley, J. McCoy, J. Baldwin

(L-R):J. Justice, R. Koenig, T. Mickelson, D. Fisher

1962–63 Basketball – Class “A” Runner-up – Navy Front (L-R): C. Key, L. Spradlin, J. Beidel

Back (L-R): H. Lutz, S. Follett, J. Mason, T. Broad

1958–59 Class A Football Champions(L-R Back): R. Henderson, R. Looney, J.W. Pieper, A. Bachofen, R. Carnes.

(L-R Front): M. Harris, G. Paules, B. Lain, D. Phillips, L. Sanders

John Michael Beidel, ’63, ’69, was named Best Athlete in the Club division in 1960–61 and 1962–63. He earned a third place finish in tennis singles and a championship in tennis doubles. Beidel also won the Arno Nowotny Sportsmanship Award in 1962–63. charles Key, ’65, was a leading player on the 1962–63 Class A runner-up water basketball team, named first team All-Intramural and finished second in the Best Athlete standings. Charlie also made the first team All-Intramural water basketball team the following year.

doug fisher, ’70, was the overall Best Athlete in the Club division in 1967 and 1969. He says of Navy’s success, “We were a group of men with decent physical skills who worked together as a team in all aspects of intramural sports.”

don TorTorice, ’64, played defense for All-Intramural water basketball in 1963–64 and was tasked with organizing a swim team so that Navy could stay ahead of Army in points. John JusTice, ’67, was named Outstanding Intramural Official in 1966–67 and served as the NROTC team manager the same year. fred Moon, ’70, played water basketball and helped the 1968–69 team defeat the Delta Theta Delta fraternity, which had been champions since 1962. He says, “Intramurals was a character developer and it probably kept me on the right path.”

*SENIOR MANAGERS

From 1927 to 1979 becoming an intramural senior manager represented a prestigious achievement. Seven NROTC members earned this title and received a varsity T sweater after completing three years of dedicated participation: Rodney Koenig, Grant Bigelow, Roger Marien, Dan Phillips, Tom Mickelson, R. Wade Kniseley and L.E. Spradlin.

Intramural game play at Whitaker Fields in the early 1960s when the fields were located on campus at Speedway and MLK Blvd.

In the 60s, the Navy ROTC (NROTC) intramural team finished first in the All-Year Trophy Point System competition every year but one. The group credits its success to two factors– the Navy residence co-op known as the Crow’s Nest and an underlying passion to pull for a cause larger than themselves, the Navy. Led by J.W. Pieper and Granville Paules who were first team All-Intramural football players, the 1958–59 football champions set the tone for the decade to come.

J.W. PiePer ’59, can be credited with starting the Navy’s decade of excellence when he led them to the Class A football championship in 1957–58 and a second place finish the following year. He created a team reputation for having strong participation and quality athletes.

glenn looney, ’61, was a player, team manager, NROTC athletics manager and intramural department manager, and referee during 1956–61. Under his leadership the NROTC ended the Oak Grove Co-op’s 18-year reign as Club division champion in 1960–61.

l.e. sPradlin, ’63, recruited Navy midshipmen living at the Crow’s Nest and elsewhere and distributed leadership duties to those willing to assume the task. Spradlin earned a senior manager* letter sweater in 1961–62 and won the Berry M. Whitaker Leadership Award in 1962–63.

rodney Koenig, ’62, ’69, served as a senior manager* in 1960–61. He says, “We put in many joyous (occasionally boring) hours working and organizing matters for intramural sports. Many of us made lifelong friends in the program.”

ToM MicKelson, ’64, contributed to Navy’s successful intramural program through the managerial program. With Koenig as his mentor, he served as senior manager* in 1962–63.

harold luTz, ’63, was second team All-Intramural basketball as a member of the Class A runner-up group in 1962–63 and was fourth in the Best Athlete standings.

John Mason, ’64, was first team All-Intramural basketball in 1960–61 and 1961–62 and was an All-Intramural softball player in 1962–63 and 1963–64. He was also the NROTC team manager in 1963–64.

Inside RecSports Fall/Winter 2014PaGe 2

navy Rotc: intRamuRal spoRts in the 60s

Heritage • Camaraderie • LeadersHip • sCHoLarsHip

TeAM oF THe DeCaDe

FP

1978–79 Law-Grad Volleyball Champion Front (L-R): J. Alford Jr., Pam Holley-Wilcox, J. Kearney

Back (L-R): R. Diaz-Loving, B. Wilcox, L. McCusker, D. Steinman

dr. rolando diaz-loving has been a professor and researcher for over 30 years in the Psychology

Department at the National Autonomous

University of Mexico. He conducts research on couples, culture and personality, and health. In 2002 he was awarded the Distinguished Alumnus Award from UT. He has been married for 36 years to his wife, Maricela, an elementary school principal. They have two children–Mariana, an industrial designer, and Daniel, a journalist.

dr. JacK alford earned his Ph.D. in psychology in 1980 but began working in the field of technology.

Today he is a user experience designer for

IBM’s power systems in Austin.He discovered the volleyball group while working out with the Aikido club in Bellmont Hall. He and his wife of 40 years, Barbara, have two children and two grandchildren. Though Jack no longer plays volleyball, he stays active gardening, sailing, and restoring and riding motor scooters.

dr. lex MccusKer is retired and living in Washington, D.C., with his wife, Susan

Buchwald McCusker. The two

met at UT and married while attending graduate school. He says, “None of us would ever have been good enough to play varsity sports at UT but the intramural program offered lots of opportunities to compete and we relished them all.” After receiving his doctorate from UT, Lex went to the University of Chicago as a post-doctoral fellow before taking a job at Bell Laboratories in New Jersey. He later served as dean of the business school at Stevens Institute of Technology. Lex and Susan have two grown daughters.

Over the years, the group gained and lost players but their weekly routine stayed the same. Player Brian Wilcox recalls those Fridays consisting of “volleyball, some beer, dinner and then a late night trip to the lab to design experiments and test them on one another.”

dr. Brian Wilcox received his Ph.D. at UT then began teaching at the University of Virginia where he

and his wife, Pam, continued playing

intramural volleyball. The couple also played in a recreational Coed league and Brian played on a club team. Today Brian is a professor of psychology at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and serves as director for the Center on Children, Families and the Law. These days his recreational sport of choice is surfing and he tries to catch as many waves as possible when he travels. This winter he and Pam will move to California where Brian can pursue his passion for surfing.

dr. PaM holley- Wilcox earned her B.A. in English and French at California Lutheran University in 1974

where she and her husband, Brian, met as

undergrads. They married in 1974 and have one son who is about to begin the MBA program at the University of Minnesota. Today Pam is the director for Information Technology Support at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

dr. david sTeinMan earned his bachelor’s degree in psychology from the University

of California, Berkeley in 1973

and a Ph.D. in clinical psychology at UT in 1979. He practiced as a clinical neuropsychologist at Austin

Neurological Clinic for 27 years before retiring in 2006. His wife, Lydia Steinman, is currently a distinguished senior lecturer in the UT Department of Nutritional Sciences. David and Lydia raised two sons, both of whom earned their degrees from UT. David is currently working on a how-to book for teaching relaxation.

dr. JosePh Kearney earned his master’s in psychology from Texas in 1979

then entered the University of Minnesota

where he earned a Ph.D. in computer science in 1983. Today he is the associate dean for research and infrastructure in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences at the University of Iowa. Joseph, whose wife Julie also participated in those weekly volleyball games, says, “I looked forward to Friday night volleyball all week. It was a release from the studying and a great time with friends.”

In the early 1970s a group of psychology graduate students began playing volleyball as a way of relaxing and recharging. They met nearly every Friday afternoon, first in Anna Hiss Gym and later in Bellmont Hall, and by their own admission were not very good players in the early years. One day a fellow graduate student stumbled upon their game and offered them some basic instruction. With a little bit of coaching the players refined their skills and in 1978 signed up for intramural volleyball as the Mean Squares (a statistical term used by many mathematicians and scientists). That year the team won the Law-Graduate division and by the next year all of them had earned their doctorates. The Mean Squares was referenced in the acknowledgement section of several dissertations as an important part of their university experience. Thirty-five years later the group stays in touch and meets up whenever possible.

“Winning the championship was great, but we had many hours of fun and camaraderie from intramurals that were probably more valuable than our one moment of glory!”-dr. lex Mccusker

Inside RecSports Fall/Winter 2014PaGe 4

meet the

mean squaRes

LooKinG BaCK

developed. They were trained to take groups of their peers into wilderness areas, putting into practice the skills they had learned. Leadership traits such as group facilitation, conflict resolution, crisis and risk management were honed over the course of an academic year, establishing a unique experiential education opportunity for the UT campus that continues to exist today.

The 1980s saw a rise in the popularity of a number of outdoor recreation activities, including hiking and kayaking, and there were continued efforts to formalize many of the risk management and travel procedures that had been established early on in the program’s existence. It seemed that there was no shortage of trips to offer, or guides to lead them. It wasn’t until the early 1990s that the popularity of the adventure trips began to decline, entering in a new era for offering experiential education to students and the UT campus.

The renovation of Gregory Gym in 1997 brought with it a dedicated equipment rental and resource area, along with 1,600 square feet of indoor rock climbing space. The Climbing Wall was a great way to incorporate an activity typically offered outdoors into the traditional activity spaces of an indoor recreation center. This provided the Outdoor Recreation Program with the ability to introduce the physical, emotional and social benefits of rock climbing to a new population of participants. It also

provided an exciting visual component to the program that hadn’t existed before.

In the early 2000s the additions of Guide School and Wilderness Leadership Training were introduced to the campus community. Guide School formalized the trip leader trainings that had been developed over the years, and wilderness medicine certifications were offered to better prepare guides in the event of a medical emergency, and offer participants a higher level of service while on an adventure trip. Both of these program components helped to continue to establish the Outdoor Recreation Program as one of the premier leadership training programs on campus.

Recently the Outdoor Recreation Program experienced another evolution, adding a civic engagement component that provides students with opportunities focused on community outreach and service learning initiatives. This program creates opportunities for students to serve their community, utilizing experiential education to integrate and engage students in activities that address human, community and environmental needs.

Forty years of hiking, paddling, climbing and riding probably equates to a significant number of miles hiked and rivers paddled, but the effect that this program has had on students’ lives over the years is immeasurable.

It was 40 years ago that the Outdoor Recreation Program set out on a single canoe trip, establishing what today has come to be one of the most unique and exciting program areas offered within the Division of Recreational Sports.

While the Outdoor Recreation Program began small with just eight canoes and a group of students looking for an adventure, it didn’t stay that way for long. By 1976 students were flocking to the many activities and instructional clinics being offered including kayaking, rock climbing and backpacking. As time went on and the program’s popularity grew, offerings expanded to include activities such as snorkeling, rafting, horseback riding and skiing. Additionally, adventure trips expanded to many off-campus destinations such as the Gila National Forest in New Mexico, the Buffalo River in Arkansas and the San Juan Mountains in Colorado. Emphasis was placed on ensuring that the activities being offered were tailored to novice participants, a fundamental philosophy that is still at the core of the adventure trip program today.

By 1979 a plan was in place to expand the program from adventure trips and clinics, to an outdoor equipment rental service and resource area for the campus community. This service would provide students the opportunity to rent outdoor gear at affordable rates and have access to books, maps and reference materials in order to plan their own trips.

Throughout these early years the program owed much of its success to the guides who were hired and trained to lead the activities offered. While many of the staff came to the program with basic skills, it was within formalized staff trainings and workshops that their skills as leaders were further

Inside RecSports Fall/Winter 2014PaGe 6

dirt. Water. roCk. and more.

40 yeaRs of outdoor reCreation

FeATuRe: OUTDOOR

Whitaker FieldS

Artist rendition. Anticipated completion date 2016.

This past August, 13 student employees of the Division of Recreational Sports were awarded a total of $25,500 in scholarship funds for their outstanding work and contributions to the Division. These awards would not be possible without the generous gifts from our alumni and friends. RecSports is incredibly

grateful for all of their support and for the passion they have in helping UT students continue on a path of success through the Division of Recreational Sports.

Front row (L-R):

Mark L. Hart, Jr. Endowed Scholarship larissa zelezniaK, Senior, History, Klein, Texas

Delta Tau Delta Endowed Scholarship shaKell head, Junior, Eastern Asian Studies, Dallas, Texas

DeDe and Joe Bill Watkins Endowed Scholarship KaThryn vasquez, Junior, Advertising, San Antonio, Texas

Acacia Fraternity Endowed Scholarship saManTha rivera, Senior, Journalism, Brownsville, Texas

Thomas W. Dison Endowed Scholarship KrisTa seaMan, Senior, Architectural Engineering, Lawrence, Kan.

Back row (L-R):

Bill Patman Endowed Scholarship Paden Pace, Senior, Government, La Vernia, Texas

Charles & Carolyn Spence, James & Kathryn (Spence) Nance, and William (Spence) & Edith Nance Endowed Scholarship Honoring Michael Monsoor

dusTin sPeighT, Senior, Pubic Relations & Radio-Television-Film, Dayton, Ohio

Division of Recreational Sports Endowed Scholarship ashlyn loPez, Senior, Actuarial Science, Orange, Texas

Mark L. Hart, Jr. Endowed Scholarship saManTha gonzales, Senior, Corporate Communications, Sinton, Texas

Sylvie and Gary Crum Endowed Scholarship sofia Mora, Senior, Human Biology/Pre-med, Dallas, Texas

Thomas W. Dison Endowed Scholarship lJ Jones, Senior, Accounting, Denver, Colo.

Phi Gamma Delta Endowed Scholarship yuriy dovzhansKy, Senior, Finance and Russian Studies, Dallas, Texas

Kenneth Ford Family Endowed Scholarship ausTin faJKus, Senior, Nutrition/Pre-med, Tomball, Texas

A Message from

Joe Bill Watkins’65, ’68, Chair, RecSports Leadership Team

Dear Friends:

With every visit to campus, I am reminded of the impact Recreational Sports is making in the lives of today’s students. Thanks to the support of members like you RecSports recently awarded scholarships to 13 outstanding student employees for their achievements both in and out of the classroom. The students had the opportunity to meet their benefactors, who in turn were able to learn first-hand the value of their contributions in the lives of deserving students. See adjacent page for pictures and details.

RecSports’ programs, services and facilities also impact students by providing them with ways to stay active and make some of their best college memories. The renovation of the Whitaker Fields Complex is necessary to keep this tradition alive. Though there is still time to give, contributions by individuals, groups and organizations are needed sooner, rather than later, in order to complete this project. Read details about the renovation on this page.

Our goal is to open the renovated Whitaker Fields Complex during RecSports’ Centennial Celebration in 2016–17. A yearlong celebration will take place and we hope you can join us to mark this milestone. Please contact Bob Childress at bobc@austin.utexas.edu or me at jwatkins@vlaw.com for additional information. Please help us “Continue the Tradition” that has been part of this great University for nearly 100 years.

Thank you for your continued support.

Campaign isUnderway!

hOW YOU CAN HELPUT students, through RecSports, have already funded $10 million toward the renovation of the Whitaker Fields Complex infrastructure. It’s only through the generous donations of alumni, staff and faculty like you that the proposed enhancements of the Whitaker Fields Complex will be completed.

Why givE?In a word, tradition. By helping match the students’ contribution, your donation means that the Whitaker Fields Complex will be around for future generations to enjoy. Donors who contribute to a naming opportunity will receive prominent recognition specific to that gift, as well as find their name on our general recognition plaques.

Ways tO givEPlay a part in continuing the legacy of the Whitaker Fields Complex by giving back to your alma mater today. Making a gift is easy and is tax deductible!

Give Online: friends.utrecsports.org/whitaker

Give By mail: The University of Texas at AustinDivision of Recreational Sports2101 Speedway Stop D7500Austin, TX 78712

cOntact recsPOrts: Bob Childress 512.475.7180or bobc@austin.utexas.edu

our goal is To raise The reMaining $10 Million in PrivaTe funds.

Inside RecSports Fall/Winter 2014PaGe 8

2014

scholaRship Recipients

DeveLoPMenT

JeanneTTe (haTch) Michael, ’84,

won a basketball championship with the Elite team following her football

national championships with the Bombers

intramural group. Jeannette lives in Austin and has taught physical education at Eanes Elementary School for over 20 years.

laurie (hundl) griffiTh, ’84, a self-confessed gym rat, won volleyball with the Elite team and married her Coed basketball teammate, John Griffith. She’s now an executive vice president at Texas Capital Bank. Laurie, John and their two sons live in Boerne, Texas.

BecKy (BarTon) carTier, ’83, played both Women’s and Coed football with the Elite team. After a career that included retail sales management and professional counseling, she is now a legal

operations senior advisor at Dell Inc. Becky has completed five marathons and five triathlons and recently became a certified health coach. She lives in Round Rock, Texas, with her partner, Gary.

Mary gay von dohlen, ’84, a 6’2” center who Coach Vance knew from high school basketball, was the first Elite recruit. In addition to her championships with the Elite teams, she won Coed volleyball with the Pars intramural team. Mary completed her education at Southwest Texas State University and has worked in accounting. She enjoys practicing yoga daily.

Mary hagler, ’83, played basketball and football for Elite and also worked as a supervisor for intramurals. She lives in Boulder, Colo., and enjoys ultimate frisbee, hiking, biking and yoga.

Jena (fischer) lucroy, ’84, who came to UT from a small town, found her niche playing intramural basketball and volleyball. She taught school for nearly 15 years before taking 10 years off to be a mom. Both kids attend Georgetown High School where she teaches chemistry.

fran (TeeTer) flory, ’84, was a varsity

volleyball player at UT and contributed her considerable athletic talents to

the Elite basketball team. Fran, married

with four kids, begins her 17th year as head volleyball coach at Louisiana State University.

Elite AlumniWe’d love to hear from more of you. Please contact Bob Childress at bobc@austin.utexas.edu

Among the teams dominating intramural sports in the 1970s and 1980s was a group of women called The Elite. Coached by RecSports referee Gene Vance, the team won titles in both Coed and Women’s sports including football, basketball and volleyball. When recruiting, Coach Vance looked for team-focused players and motivated them with his motto, “Let’s have fun AND win.” And win they did.

PaM (giBson) eaves, ’83, won her championship with the Elite Coed basketball team. She also played football, softball and women’s basketball. Pam is the finance director for the City of Lake Jackson, Texas.

Julie (McKnighT) dorseTT, ’84, played volleyball and basketball for the Elite team. She says, “All the girls were very talented, aggressive players. I remember working hard for Coach Gene Vance and laughing a lot.” Julie worked as a nurse in San Antonio for 15 years and now lives in Goliad, Texas, with her husband and three sons.

KiM (hendrix) sKoneKi, ’84, failed to make the UT basketball team as a walk-on and was recruited to play with the Elite teams. “Intramurals... provided some of the best memories of my four years at UT,” she says. After 26 years in TV news in Montgomery, Ala., she now hosts a segment on FAITH radio. Kim has a 13-year-old daughter.

PaTTy KirchMeyer, ’81, an All-State high

school basketball star, played one year at Baylor University before transferring to

UT. She was another of Coach Vance’s

recruits. A three-week post-graduation trip to Hawaii turned into a year’s stay and a runner-up finish in the Miss Hawaii contest. She lives in Austin with her son, a future lacrosse player for UT, and has worked for American Airlines for 32 years.

Julie gillesPie, ’85, recalls Elite Coach Vance with great admiration. “He had us running plays and using special defenses like a real (athletic) coach.” Julie recently retired as a captain after a 28-year career with The University of Texas at Austin Police Department. She now teaches classes for UT’s Human Resources Department.

connie fox, ’82, played on three Elite teams winning Coed basketball and finishing as runner-up in Women’s basketball and football. Formerly the senior vice president for finance with the University of Houston Alumni Association, she now works at UT–Arlington.

sTacie (rosello) JaKle, ’81, ’86, played on the

Elite Coed basketball championship team, noting, “I loved the teamwork and high

level of competition.” She worked for Dell for

10 years then left to raise four children. Stacie now teaches math to middle school students.

KiM valz-reaTh, ’82, won a championship in track and played for the Elite runner-up basketball team. She says, “Everything I loved about college can be found in those happy days as an intramural player.” Kim now lives and works in California.

1981–82 Women’s Volleyball ChampionsFront (L-r): S. McDonald, J. Gillespie, J. Mcknight, M. Garza,

Back (L-r): L. hundl, a. Potter, G. Vance (Coach), M. G. Von Dohlen, J. Fischer

1980–81 Women’s Basketball Elite A – ChampionFront (L-r): C. Fox, P. Gibson, k. Valz, S. Dybdahl, J. Mcknight

Back (L-r): L. Davidson, P. kirchmeyer, G. Vance (Coach), M. G. Von Dohlen, k. hendrix

1980–81 Women’s Football Elite – Runner-upFront (L-r): B. Barton, M. hagler, t. Swanzy, L. Gerrie

Back (L-r): M. Brown, C. Fox, G. Vance (Coach), B. Devito, r. kasling

Inside RecSports Fall/Winter 2014PaGe 10

the elite

“Let’s Have Fun and Win.”

WinneR’S CiRCle

laura Mafrige, ’86, had an exemplary intramural

career at UT, winning four softball championships, the homerun derby,

one volleyball championship and a

runner-up in Women’s football. Her association with RecSports included serving on the RecSports Committee, the Students for Intramural/Recreational Sports Facilities and the Project Analysis Committee for the Construction of the Recreational Sports Center. After graduation, Laura attended law school in Houston and later married. Today she practices law and lives in Houston with her three sons.

2000s »JonaThan douglas,

’01, kept busy with RecSports as an intramural official, supervisor and participant.

He believes his involvement helped

him learn about time management, teamwork and leadership. After UT he began teaching special education math at Westwood High School in Round Rock, Texas, where he still teaches today. He is also the assistant tennis coach and credits his involvement with intramural sports for helping him excel in his coaching career.

ellioTT reed, ’02, officiated intramural

games and competed in flag football and Coed basketball. He says

his involvement

with RecSports led him to start officiating at the high school and collegiate level and even led him to serve as president of the North Texas Basketball Officials Association. Elliott lives in Pflugerville, Texas, with his wife and two children, and is the director of account management for Buzz Points.

colin Kiernen, 02’, ’09, was an activity

supervisor and intramural soccer and basketball referee. He played several intramural

sports, winning seven championships

between 1997 and 2009. Colin says playing intramurals showed him how to strive for excellence and how to communicate in a constructive manner. He works at Hess Corporation in Houston as a reservoir engineer and is married with two children.

KenneTh norris, ’04, worked as a facility

activity supervisor and building coordinator for the Recreational Sports Center. He

was also an active participant in a variety

of intramural sports including flag football, Coed volleyball and table tennis. After graduating Kenneth continued to establish a place for himself at other RecSports programs. Today, he is the associate director for campus recreation at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro.

sTePhanie Weaver, ’06, was an intramural

official, supervisor and program assistant. She also found time to play intramural

basketball, softball, flag football and indoor

and outdoor soccer. Stephanie says playing intramural sports helped her realize that her true career passion was to work in sports. Today, she is the marketing and public relations manager for the Harris County Houston Sports Authority where she helps promote national and international sporting events in the Houston area.

BeTh Johnson, ‘08, worked as a program

assistant for Facility Operations and Sport Clubs. She believes her time with

RecSports helped her discover herself

and her values and placed her on a career path she truly enjoys after earning a master’s of education degree. She is now the training and development coordinator for Recreational Sports at The Ohio State University where she is able to help students develop and discover themselves.

Lost touch with former intramural teammates or fellow RecSports employees? Want to find out what happened to your old workout buddies? Here’s what some of you are doing now.

1940–50s »WalTer shur, ’49, ’51,

represented Hillel in his intramural days winning table tennis singles twice and badminton singles

once. He also was named Best All-

Around Athlete in the Church division. Walter worked as an actuary for New York Life retiring as an executive vice president and a member of the board. He has also published a number of papers on mathematics. Living in Pittsboro, N.C., he has three children, three great grandchildren and one great-great grandchild.

david herring, ’55, ‘61, stayed active playing water polo and table tennis during the late 1940s but it was his skill in swimming that earned him recognition. Representing Prather Hall, he placed second in the 100-foot backstroke in 1948–49. The next year he placed first in the 100-foot freestyle and third in the 100-foot backstroke. David left UT to serve in the Korea War before returning in 1953 to earn a bachelor of science and master’s of science degree in architectural engineering.

1960s »charlie craven, ’63,

’68, made the Wall of Fame as a member of the Oak Grove B volleyball team. After graduation he

spent a year teaching and coaching in Del

Valle, Texas, before returning to UT for graduate school. During that time he worked as a graduate assistant with UT athletes in the area of rehabilitation and physical conditioning. Charlie retired from his position as an associate professor in physical education in May 2008 but continued to work part-time helping athletes with rehab. He retired last August after 49 years with UT and lives in Georgetown, Texas, with his wife. His three children, seven grandchildren and ranch in Burnet County keep him busy.

Bill MelTon, ‘64, competed in multiple sports for

the Brunette House, eventually leading them to a first place All-Year Trophy in 1959–60 as team

manager. He was also a member of the

1962 runner-up Class B basketball team, the Merchants. Besides playing intramurals, Bill also served as a Longhorn cheerleader, a Texas Cowboy and sports director of KUT-FM radio. After graduating Bill was appointed Dallas County treasurer and served for over 25 years. Throughout that time he also maintained a prominent second career as an announcer covering the Texas Relays, Super Bowls, Olympic games and served as master of ceremonies at governor’s and presidential inaugurations. He and his wife live half of the year in Colorado and he continues to cheer for UT every chance he gets.

PlaTT davis, ’66, ’70, had a multifaceted

undergraduate career at UT as a Plan II Honors student, orientation advisor, Texas Cowboy,

member of the Friar Society and intramural

champion. He won handball doubles as a Deke Fraternity member and was twice named to the All-Intramural volleyball team. While attending UT law school he played for the Legal Eagles headed by Coach Charles Alan Wright. Platt practiced law with Vinson & Elkins for 35 years in Washington, D.C., and Houston, specializing in energy and international arbitration. While in D.C. he played competitive volleyball with teams that won multiple regional titles. Platt retired in 2005 and works as an arbitrator of domestic and international disputes.

1980s »gary duseK, ’80,

was a Coed softball runner-up in 1977–80 and in 1979–80. He lives in La Grange, Texas,

where he works in sales and service for

Hengst Printing. He’s also sports director at KBUK Radio where he gives play-by-play. His family includes two grown daughters.

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