Gamecocks Giving Back on MLK Day
Having a day off from classes for Martin Luther King Jr. Day on Monday created an opportunity for South Carolina student-athletes to give back to local youths in the community. More than 100 Gamecocks from a wide variety of teams participated in the annual community service event with over 175 youngsters at the Jerri and Steve Spurrier Indoor Practice Facility.
“It’s just so special to have the kids in the community come out, and it’s a chance for us to make connections with them,” said Ella Lucas, a junior member of the track and field team, who is also president of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee. “It’s a fun day and a fun way to give back to the community. We have a station for each sport, and they travel around to each one. Most of them get super-excited about football, so they’ll run some routes and things like that. It’s fun for them to see the other sports and interact with those student-athletes as well. With track, we had some little wickets for them to jump over, and we brought a little turbo javelin for them to throw. It’s fun for them to see different sports and see if maybe that’s something they want to do when they’re older, too.”
Each of the children had the opportunity to participate in activities related to a variety of sports, including football, baseball/softball, track, equestrian, tennis, volleyball, and more, with a chance to learn something new from the student-athletes.
“It’s a chance for the little kids to all be an athlete for a day and do events,” said Ellis Neighbors, a sophomore on the track and field team, who is the vice president of S.A.A.C. “We teach them a little bit about our sport and get them hyped for Gamecock sports.”
While the young ones enjoyed playing the different sports, the student-athletes also found it rewarding.
“It’s fun seeing little kids enjoy themselves,” Neighbors said. “I used to be one of those kids who looked up to athletes. I always wanted to be a Carolina athlete. I grew up in South Carolina, and when they get to see the athletes up close, I can only imagine what that’s like for them.”
“It brings out a different energy in all of us,” Lucas said. “We’re all very enthusiastic about our sport, and being able to share it with other kids and be in an environment with all of our student-athlete friends is really fun. We’re all about community here at South Carolina. We can’t do anything without our community.”
