St. John's University Athletics
Athletics Department Holds First Annual Faculty Coach Luncheon
5/4/2007 12:00:00 AM | General
On May 2, the St. John???s Department of Athletics held its first annual ???Faculty Coach Luncheon??? at Red Storm Field.
The luncheon honored St. John???s University faculty members who took part in this year???s ???Faculty Coach of the Day Program.???
This year???s luncheon featured opening remarks by Dr. Robert Mangione, St. John???s University???s Faculty-Athletic Representative and Dean of the School of Pharmacy and Allied Health, and Chris Monasch, Director of Athletics. Otoja Abit, a junior forward on the men???s basketball team, also spoke on the unique balance of being a student-athlete and the importance of faculty support.
Dr. Nancy Kaplan, Associate Vice President for Academic Support Services and Student Development for Athletes, closed the program with a short speech on the future of the Faculty Coach for the Day Program.
The Faculty Coach of the Day Program was reintroduced by the Academic Development Department in fall 2005 as a way for faculty to develop a better understanding of the student-athlete experience. As a participant in the program, faculty members served as a coach for the day during a men???s or women???s basketball home game.
As the Faculty Coach of the Day, faculty members participated in all of the pregame activities including: team shoot-around, pregame meal, watching game film with the team, greeting guests in the hospitality room before tip-off, sitting with the team on the bench and attending the post-game press conference. Each college was invited to recommend three members of their respective faculty to serve as honorary coaches. During each game, the honorary coach was announced over the public address system.
In the 2006-2007 academic year, 13 faculty members participated in the Coach of the Day program.
Next year, the Faculty Coach program looks to expand to include men and women???s soccer, baseball and softball home competitions.
For the most up-to-date information and statistics on St. John???s athletics please visit www.RedStormSports.com or call our hotline at 1-888-GO-STORM.
-- Red Storm --