Sioux City welcomes NAIA teams
9:45 AM
By Jenny Welp Journal staff writer | Posted: Wednesday, March 07, 2007
Long after the 2007 NAIA Division II Women's Basketball Tournament is over, it's not going to be how everyone places that the athletes will remember.
No matter whether these 480 women end up working as parents or as business executives, what will remain in their memory about this week will be the people they met in Sioux City and what they did in the community while they were here, said Lori Thomas, director of championships for the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics.
"The number one goal of a national championship in the NAIA is all about the student athlete experience," she said. "So when you have a community that treats our student athletes like family, then you have a great situation."
There are 32 women's basketball teams in Sioux City this week competing in the championship tournament. While several are from the Midwest, there are also teams that hail from Kentucky, New York, Florida, Vermont, Oregon and California.
Sioux City will be creating an experience for these athletes, for one thing, through the honorary coach program. The way that works is businesses adopt one of the teams, and then they do special things for the players -- perhaps taking them all out to dinner or making them gift packages. Besides doing nice things for the athletes, the honorary coaches also sit on the bench with their team and go to practices.
"Those honorary coaches become part of the team," Thomas said.
Also while they are here, the athletes will volunteer with agencies such as the Crittendon Center, Sanford Center and Siouxland Senior Center, reported Anne Westra, local championship administrator.
She said a highlight of the week is the adopt-a-school program, where each team is paired up with a local elementary or middle school. She said the athletes visit the school to interact with the children and be role models, and then the youngsters are given free passes to go cheer on their team at the Tyson Events Center.
Westra said this is all part of an effort to make the athletes a part of the community while they're here -- to help them build relationships year after year so Sioux City becomes sort of a home away from home.
"It speaks volumes as to the hospitality that Sioux City has for people that visit our community," she said. "It shows that Iowans truly care about other people."
Westra said people who want to get involved in creating an experience for the NAIA visitors can contact the Sioux City Convention Center and get on the volunteer list for next year.
"The other way is to come out to the games and cheer on the teams that are out there playing," she said. "The girls that are here from Vermont may not have the fan base that Morningside College has."
Games begin at 8:30 this morning at the Tyson Events Center, when Tabor College from Kansas faces off against Cardinal Stritch University from Wisconsin. Opening ceremonies for the championship tournament will begin today at 7:30 p.m., and all 32 teams will go onto the floor to be recognized.
Today, Thursday and Friday, athletes will compete from morning until late into the evening. Quarterfinals will begin at 1 p.m. Saturday and semifinals will begin at 6 p.m. Monday. The championship game starts at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday.
No matter whether these 480 women end up working as parents or as business executives, what will remain in their memory about this week will be the people they met in Sioux City and what they did in the community while they were here, said Lori Thomas, director of championships for the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics.
"The number one goal of a national championship in the NAIA is all about the student athlete experience," she said. "So when you have a community that treats our student athletes like family, then you have a great situation."
There are 32 women's basketball teams in Sioux City this week competing in the championship tournament. While several are from the Midwest, there are also teams that hail from Kentucky, New York, Florida, Vermont, Oregon and California.
Sioux City will be creating an experience for these athletes, for one thing, through the honorary coach program. The way that works is businesses adopt one of the teams, and then they do special things for the players -- perhaps taking them all out to dinner or making them gift packages. Besides doing nice things for the athletes, the honorary coaches also sit on the bench with their team and go to practices.
"Those honorary coaches become part of the team," Thomas said.
Also while they are here, the athletes will volunteer with agencies such as the Crittendon Center, Sanford Center and Siouxland Senior Center, reported Anne Westra, local championship administrator.
She said a highlight of the week is the adopt-a-school program, where each team is paired up with a local elementary or middle school. She said the athletes visit the school to interact with the children and be role models, and then the youngsters are given free passes to go cheer on their team at the Tyson Events Center.
Westra said this is all part of an effort to make the athletes a part of the community while they're here -- to help them build relationships year after year so Sioux City becomes sort of a home away from home.
"It speaks volumes as to the hospitality that Sioux City has for people that visit our community," she said. "It shows that Iowans truly care about other people."
Westra said people who want to get involved in creating an experience for the NAIA visitors can contact the Sioux City Convention Center and get on the volunteer list for next year.
"The other way is to come out to the games and cheer on the teams that are out there playing," she said. "The girls that are here from Vermont may not have the fan base that Morningside College has."
Games begin at 8:30 this morning at the Tyson Events Center, when Tabor College from Kansas faces off against Cardinal Stritch University from Wisconsin. Opening ceremonies for the championship tournament will begin today at 7:30 p.m., and all 32 teams will go onto the floor to be recognized.
Today, Thursday and Friday, athletes will compete from morning until late into the evening. Quarterfinals will begin at 1 p.m. Saturday and semifinals will begin at 6 p.m. Monday. The championship game starts at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday.
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