Patrick Fergus
@Fergus5Fergus
Girls and Women in Sports Day
This past Sunday morning, a clinic was held in the Field House to celebrate National Girls and Women in Sports Day. Girls from kindergarten through sixth grade were invited to attend and participate in activities with the help of student-athletes from multiple women’s teams. President Cooper spoke to the young girls about the importance of women’s athletics, and they started with games like duck-duck goose. At around 10:30, members of the women’s athletic programs began brief lessons and activities. Field hockey athletes worked with the girls on passing and dribbling, track and field organized a relay race and the tennis team balanced balls on their rackets. Women’s volleyball players went through the basics of setting and bumping, while the soccer team instructed girls in shooting and short dribbling. It was wrapped up with pizza for all the participants, who were also granted free admission to the women’s gymnastics meet in Blake Arena. The clinic, which Springfield has now hosted for many years, aims to recognize female athletes’ accomplishments and their influence on the younger generations’ desire to play.
Black Student Union: Black Hair Exhibition
Also held on Sunday, Feb. 18, the exhibition showcased the history of black hairstyles and accessories. Poster Boards and tables were set up in Judd Gymnasia, with different explanations of the various styles attributed to black culture. Dating back to 1619 and the arrival of enslaved Africans to the US, the compositions showcased the evolution of traditional braids to more revolutionary ideas, like the curl press technique of the 1950s. It also acknowledged how black celebrities profoundly impacted the popular hairstyles of different eras. The iconic Jheri Curl of stars Michael Jackson and Lionel Richie from the early 80s, or Actress Cicely Tyson, who, according to the boards, in 1962, “set a new beauty standard for Black people by rocking her natural braids on mainstream television. The boards also tap into the political and cultural movements that inspired certain hairstyles, where activists such as Angela Davis and the Black Power Movement motivated black people to embrace natural styles and reject the forced assimilation of whiteness. Numerous tables also featured essential accessories like durags, sleep caps, combs, scrunchies, dreadlock cuffs and more for students to interact with.
NSO Retreat 2024
NSO leaders to their annual trip to east campus over the weekend, where they worked on their team bonding and leadership skills. Over 70 orientation leaders attended, and the main goal was to prepare them for the upcoming session in the Fall. Team building activities focused on building connections with other leaders, an essential aspect of any NSO leader, hoping to serve as an excellent example for their students. Introspecitivty was a significant theme of the weekend, as the activities and games focused on exploring their thoughts and feelings. The ability to be introspective is something that leaders want to instill in their students during orientation because understanding their emotions can help them throughout their college journey. Another mission was to define leadership styles for the new and returning leaders. Each activity allowed leaders to take charge and show their unique understanding of situational leadership, an important aspect of the orientation process. The weekend-long event saw every member get to know each other more profoundly and personally, with everyone even sleeping in the same room. Come next Fall, they hope to share this loving community with the next cohort of first-year students.
Photo courtesy of Springfield College