The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
UAB Student-Athletes Among Top in NCAA in Service
12/22/2015 12:00:00 AM | General
Dec. 22, 2015
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - UAB student-athletes amassed over 2,000 hours of service in the local community and were recognized for their efforts on Friday as the Blazers finished ninth in the NCAA Team Works competition.
Blazer student-athletes spread their involvement over 40 different organizations with numerous different causes.
"We've taken an attitude at UAB that we intend to win championships, graduate with honors and make a difference," Mark Ingram, UAB Director of Athletics said. "Making a difference means on our campus, in our community and in the lives of those around us.
"Our Life Skills staff does an outstanding job of identifying ways for our student-athletes to be engaged in a wide variety of activities and I applaud them for doing so," Ingram added. "I know I speak for everyone in saying how truly proud we are of the staff and student-athletes for being recognized for their service."
HelperHelper, which sanctions the NCAA Team Works competition, is an application that serves as a charitable scoreboard, allowing student-athletes around the country to compete amongst their peers while serving surrounding communities and those in need. Users can keep track of their hours served and compare to other teams at their school and refer back to their initiatives at any time.
"HelperHelper has allowed me to become even more involved because I am able to see new opportunities and get out in the community to do things I never thought of before," said Hannah Coffin, a junior on the UAB cross country team. "The student-athlete development staff does a great job of setting up so many opportunities for us to help others."
Coffin is among the Blazers' top contributors in service this semester. Along with Coffin, softball, baseball and women's soccer have been among the teams leading the way for UAB Athletics.
"A dedication to serving others is something we believe in and our student-athletes get involved because they see the impact they are able to have with the organizations we serve," said Justin Mackey, Assistant Athletic Director for Student-Athlete Development. "While the competition is fun and a nice way to showcase what our student-athletes are doing, the goal of what we are doing is to help those in need while exposing our students to different situations from their own."
For more on all Blazer sports teams follow the official social media accounts of UAB Athletics on Twitter (@UABAthletics), on Facebook (Facebook.com/UAB.Blazers), on Instagram (@uabathletics) or on Snapchat (@uabathletics).
