Physical Education and Athletics: Special Events
March Madness Comes to SLC
March 10, 2008
On Monday night, the ballers came out for a night of madness. Fresh out of mothballs, Eric brought his “A” game. We saw former madness champs and a host of newcomers all wanting to wear this year’s crown. Eric, Max, Akash and Pedro set the tone that they were the team to beat. Rich, Tristan and Aaron each had their teams focused and playing hard. Very quietly, Jason, Mike and Andrew showed they came to play and were up for a challenge.
The tournament was a round-robin format with best record and differential taking it all. At the end of the night the two best teams had yet to play each other, creating an intense showdown. Jason and his crew won the final game leaving both teams with a 3–1 record. In a twist of fate, after calculating the differential, Eric’s team had actually captured the 2008 Championship.. So the old adage still stands “Offense wins fans, but Defense wins championships.” Thanks to all for a night of MADNESS.
Athletic Service Day
March 8, 2008
On a day overrun by wind and fierce rain, the Gryphons participated in their annual service project. The weather didn’t stop 20 SLC coaches and athletes from heading up to Food Patch in Millwood, NY for a day of giving. The group’s mission was to sort through pallets of food and categorize them. The donations were from food drives run throughout Westchester by various organizations and corporations. After 3 hours and 5 pallets, (2 more than expected) the group completed its mission. Food Patch was very grateful for the time and effort that our athletes gave. Thanks to all who braved the elements for a day of service. See you next year.
Winter Carnival
February 21, 2008
Ice skating in the gym. That's right, you heard me. The Physical Education department and Student Affairs co-sponsored the first Winter Carnival in the Campbell Sports Center. A synthetic ice rink was laid out and students spun and glided under the twinkle of the ice lights that hung from the rafters. In addition, students enjoyed jousting gladiator style and the bungee run. All the while, the party kept pumping with the DJ mixing beats for all to enjoy. This event was a HUGE success; thanks to all who attended.
Sweatheart Challenge
February 11-17, 2008
The Annual Sweatheart Challenge once again saw a large group of determined participants. The goal of the week is to complete 26.2 miles on the pieces of equipment in the fitness center. This challenge is designed for each individual to compete within themselves. As participants filled the room throughout the week, the goal drew closer. In the end, only the persistent stood tall to collect their infamous Sweatheart t-shirts. This year's competition saw the most participants turn out to take the challenge. Congratulations to all who "Took the Challenge."
Gryphon Cereal Drive
February 2008
In conjunction with Gryphon Service Day, the student-athletes run a cereal drive. All cereal that is collected is dropped off at the Service Day site, FoodPatch of Westchester. This drive received donations from faculty, staff, students, and community members, making it a successful community-wide effort. Cereal is an in demand food product, and FoodPatch was grateful for the generosity of this donation.
Squash Tournament
February 28, 2008
The spring semester Squash Tournament brought our the usual suspects and cast of new characters. This double elimination was fast and furious, with some of the new blood falling early. As the brackets began to narrow down, standing tall were the familiar faces once again. Racquets were broken, bodies were battered, and egos were crushed as the competition became fierce. In the end, Roland "squashed" all the competition. Thanks to all for coming out and making this a great evening of squash.
Annual Employee Winter BBQ
January 23, 2008
Closing the doors early to show appreciation for the student employees, the staff of the Campbell Sports Center gathered for the Annual BBQ. It may have been cold outside, but the BBQ was smoking. Employees helped themselves to an all you can eat menu of vegetable platters to double cheeseburgers. The evening would not have been complete without the group gathering around the toasty grill for the infamous S'mores. Thank you to all employees for all you do at the Sports Center! See you next year!
Climb into the New Year
January 2008
The Annual Faculty/Staff Fitness event had a new name and goal this year. Participants were encouraged to climb the mileage of 14 of the most prominent mountains in the world, totaling over 40 miles. Miles were accumulated on all pieces of equipment in the Caspar Whitney Fitness Center. Congratulations to all who CLIMBED INTO THE NEW YEAR!
Night of Meditation
December 2007
An intimate group of students came together to relieve some end of semester stress at the Night of Meditation co-sponsored by Health Services and Physical Education. By utilizing guided imagery and deep relaxation, the participants experienced some much needed relief during this usually hectic and stressful time of year. One student commented on the highlight of the evening, "The incorporation of aromatherapy into the workshop was the key to reaching a state of relaxation I rarely experience."
Squash Anyone
The Fall Squash Tournament drew the best players Sarah Lawrence had to offer, and they did not disappoint. The tournament followed a double elimination format, and preliminary matches saw players fall quickly. As the night went on, the squash got heated and the competition became fierce, for only one player got to stand tall with the trophy. In the semi-final, newcomer Sterling played Justin who is a SLC tournament veteran. The experienced player won out which set the stage for the final match. Roland, who was at the top of his game, was ready for the challenge. The match went back and forth as Roland kept Justin on the move. This match saw perfectly placed drop-shots and intense rallies. In the end, Roland was the victor and took home the trophy.
Thanks to all participants for a fun evening.
It's Turkey Time
A group of enthusiastic bowlers took part in this year's Turkey Shoot, a special event put together by the Department of Physical Education during this fall season. The group was shooting for a "Turkey" (3 consecutive strikes), but no birds were to be had on this day. Despite that, all participants gave it their best as they competed for bragging rights and the prestigious SLC bowling shirt. In addition, some official pins were thrown into the mix prizes. Each bowler was focused and determined not to go home empty-handed. Along with the laughter and camaraderie, you could hear the "oohs" and "aahs" echo in the alleys as each ball was thrown.
The Turkey will live to see another day...Gobble, Gobble!
Congratulations and Thank You to all Participants!
Self-Defense Class
By Allison Grande
In today’s world it is more important than ever to be properly prepared for attacks from strangers as well as acquaintances. As 35 Sarah Lawrence College students learned on a Thursday night in the Sports Center, no one, not even a self-defense instructor with a black belt, is safe from an attack.
In a one and a half hour interactive class, lead instructor Al Medina, a retired NYPD police officer, showed the class how to properly and effectively protect themselves from unexpected attacks and unwanted attention. The main message? Always try to avoid conflict and physical contact, but if that proves impossible, get ready to defend yourself.
Demonstrating a variety of kicks, hits, and maneuvers to force an attacker to recoil and release a victim, Medina stressed that it is always important to make as much noise as possible and to run away from an attacker at the first possible moment instead of sticking around and trying to match the attacker’s aggression.
By the end of this brief overview on self-defense, all the students had a better idea about how to protect themselves. Not only did they all leave with better self-defense skills, but they all also received free whistles which were distributed by Larry Hoffman, Director of Public Safety. The class was a success, and a full six-week physical education class on self-defense is up for consideration.
East versus West
On a sunny and warm September day, the East and West faced off on the volleyball court. It appeared from the onset that the West would rule. The trash talking found its way onto the court and the match was on. The West ran over the East in the first game. The scrappy East team fought back to tie the match in game two. After a few ice tea and lemonade breaks, the teams faced off at two games all. Although players were cordial at the cooler, on the field of battle was another story. Both teams knew the winner of the fifth game would claim bragging rights for the year. The west took an early lead, but the East got on a roll and never looked back. "EAST 2007 CHAMPS."
