Elite WNBA player and four-time Olympic gold medalist Tamika Catchings will be leading a basketball clinic this Saturday in the Kerr-Pegula Field House (KPFH). According to a Houghton College press release, Catchings will also speak at a luncheon following the clinic.
The clinic is open to girls ages 8-18. According to Head Women’s Basketball Coach Alicia Mucher, the women’s basketball team will participate in the clinic. “They will help lead drills, work through skills with different college coaches, high school coaches and Tamika Catchings throughout the 4 hour time period. They will serve as demonstrators as well,” she said. Mucher stated that local high school teams will also participate in the clinic.
The event came into being through Athletic Director Harold Lord’s communication with Catchings at the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) convention in June, Mucher said. “ (KPFH facilities and events coordinator) Marshall Green has put in a ton of work to be sure we found a date to get her on our campus. I foresee Houghton being a hot spot for many stand-out professional athletes, who are faith based, (in various sports) to come and provide Elite Clinics,” she noted.
“I am actively looking for high level athletes who are both at the top of their game and are also outspoken followers of Christ,” Green said.
Lord said inviting elite athletes, such as Catchings and Jenny Finch who ran a clinic last semester, is done with the goal to use the KPFH in the best way possible “in ways that are both missional and also draw prospective students.” This means, he said, bringing in individuals and programs which are not only popular but also “fit” the goals and mission of Houghton College and the Highlander Athletic Department.
Lord called the Jenny Finch softball clinic a “home run”- and said he hopes to continue hosting similar events to fill up programming slots during the off seasons. The clinic is self funded through the entrance fees paid by attendees. “[Revenue from the clinic] is part of our net missional revenue goal” he said.
Lord feels that Catchings fits well with the Athletic Department philosophy. “Tamika spoke at the NCAA inclusion forum as a deaf athlete,” he said, “and she is a very strong believer.” He also acknowledged Catchings’ work with less-privileged youth in Indianapolis.
Lord said the Athletic Department desires to run two to three such clinics each year, featuring high-level athletes across various sports. He said Finch will return in 2017, and also noted possible clinics run by athletes from the US Women’s National Soccer Team. A baseball clinic is also in the early planning stages.
“We are also bringing in two time Olympian and USA record holder of the ½ marathon, Ryan Hall for a running clinic, 5K and dinner/keynote speaking event on June 17,” Green said.
Catchings is slated to speak at a luncheon at 1:30pm following the clinic. She will speak on her journey as a professional Christian athlete, as well as her experience as a hearing-impaired person, according to Lord. A Houghton College press release stated the cost of the luncheon is $40 for those who also attended the clinic, and $50 for those who did not. Mucher said the luncheon is open to the public, who may register online. Space is limited to 100 people.
The deed for the land, which is located near the Field of Dreams, was signed over to the township on July 5. According to a Houghton College press release, a Memo of Understanding was also signed. This will allow Houghton College’s continued, perpetual use of the cross country course, which cuts through the donated land.
The origin of Purple and Gold stems from Houghton’s early history. Before participating in intercollegiate athletics, Houghton students competed against each other for Team Purple or Team Gold. The Campus Activities Board (CAB) intents to bring back Purple and Gold Week’s competitive spirit with a host of new and time-honored activities. Laura Cunningham, Resident director of Gillette, stated “I think Purple and Gold Week has expanded since I started working at Houghton. Powderpuff football was a main event a few years ago, but I like that there are other events that happen throughout the week. I think there is greater momentum leading up to Homecoming Weekend.”
The Guest Professional Dinners have been sponsored by the Vocational Center and Career Advisement Office (VOCA) since the spring of 2014. The events have included speakers from various professions, many of them Houghton graduates. “The goal of the dinners is to expand students’ view of the working world,” said VOCA director Kim Pool. She said, “The [speakers] share the story of their vocational journey exposing students to real-life issues, [and] opportunities.”
City and state officials remained on high alert after confirming the existence of a second “pressure cooker” bomb in the same district, according to CNN. The New York Times reported the device was transported to the New York Police Department (NYPD) firing range at Rodman’s Neck in the Bronx, where it was deactivated. This particular kind of explosive has not garnered national attention since the 2013 Boston Marathon Bombings, which killed eight people and injured dozens.
The Federal work-study program funds eligible students a yearly limit on earned wages. Students may earn less than their limit, but not more. “Due to an increase in per hour pay, a student will have to work less hours to earn the same amount,” stated Interim Vice President of Enrollment Management, Marianne Loper. Even though the wage increase will not go into effect until the last day of the calendar year, work study wage limits cover both the fall and spring semesters. Thus, if hours were not cut in the fall semester, they would face a more dramatic cut in the spring semester.
But on the other hand, people are so, so good. Consider the collective national effort among the people of Denmark to protect their Jewish citizens during the Nazi occupation. And what of those firefighters and police officers who rushed into the burning Twin Towers on September 11th, 2001?