37 Student-athletes swear into lending their voices during the preseason sports banquet

By Hannah Carr – Shavings Editor-in-Chief

WHITING, IN – Calumet College of St. Joseph’s athletic department started the 2018-2019 school year by inducting selected student athletes into a leadership team. Two representatives from their respected sport attends monthly meetings to discuss issues.

Saint Gasper’s Society Leadership Team adapts values from the school’s mission statement. Coaches chooses two players and recites the statement. Athletes decide to accept or reject the honor.

The mastermind behind the program belongs to CCSJ’s athletic director, Rick Torres. “Members will serve as a voice for athletics for us, but they will also serve as a voice for their teammates and for other team,” Torres says.

Giving athletes a voice is the Leadership Team’s sole purpose. “We start empowering the athletes instead of us being in charge of it,” Torres says. “All of it is intended for students, not only to help move Calumet College forward, but hopefully, it will create a spark in them that maybe they kind of weren’t aware of.”

Torres wishes to see members host opposing teams and encourage their teammates to strive for better. Last year, CCSJ landed seven teams on the scholar list. The institute also received bronze level for the Champions of Character Five-Start Institution Award. “If everybody jumps on board, we could blow the roof off this thing,” Torres says.

Junior Kellyn Vale represents the women’s cross-country team and she feels honored to be chosen. “We talked a little bit about the team last year, so I wasn’t sure whatever happened to it” Vale says.  “I was just really excited that it was becoming a thing again, that they didn’t give up on it.” Vale says he can’t wait to provide a positive attitude and good ideas.

Overseeing of this program now belongs to head men’s and women’s soccer coach Mis’ Mrak. Even though Torres isn’t in charge anymore, he looks forward to everyone’s ideas on what could be accomplished. He also believes that it will become a great thing once it gets off the ground with the monthly meetings. Future plans to keep members for 2-year terms and start having officers with a president and vice president.

Athletes officially swore into duty during the preseason sports banquet right before fall classes began. The first meeting took place on October 29, but a November meeting hasn’t been set yet.