By Harry Minium
Old Dominion University's athletes usually spread across the city of Norfolk to 13 elementary schools in early February to mentor young people. Dozens read to students and counsel them about how a good education can enrich their lives. Others read the morning announcements and at some schools, hold pep rallies.
Hundreds would also line up with President John R. Broderick for Walk a Mile in Her Shoes, an annual event held to bring awareness to sexual assault and domestic abuse of females. And that's just the start of a long list of good deeds athletes usually carry out.
Learning how to be good citizens is a part of the creed when you become an ODU athlete. You make time from your busy schedule to help others less fortunate. You learn that lending a helping hand is the compassionate thing to do, regardless of your religious beliefs, race or politics.
It was one of the delightful things I learned about ODU when I was hired nearly three years ago. The athletes at ODU are good kids and, to use a cliché, they give back a lot to the community.
Alas, the pandemic has put an end to most of that for now. Norfolk's public schools aren't open, walks aren't being held and ODU's athletes are largely social distancing with their teammates as most prepare for their seasons to begin in February.
So instead of literally reaching out to good causes, the ODU's Student Athletic Advisory Committee is selling t-shirts and fleece hoodies online to raise money for charity.
The online store opened last week and closes on Feb. 3, so you'd better hurry and click the link below.
Link to #MonarchsUnited online store
They're reasonably priced and with each shirt sold, $1 goes to the Susan G. Komen Foundation for breast cancer, $1 to the Old Dominion Athletic Foundation and $1 to the Shriners Hospitals for Children.
For you longtime ODU fans, many come in Columbia blue.
And you'll be buying more than just a quality shirt and supporting good causes. You'll also support a message of love and togetherness.
#MonarchsUnited, a slogan adopted by ODU's SAAC organization, is on the back of every shirt.
During a time when so many are suffering from COVID, when the country is split politically, jobs are being lost and there's so much racial unrest, it's a welcome message.
"To me, Monarchs United means we're no longer by ourselves or alone in this world," said Emma Terefenko, a junior soccer player from Center Valley, Pennsylvania.
"Everyone is suffering in a different way. We have to come together. This is our way of showing that the athletes at Old Dominion have come together."
Ali Wahab, a former ODU wrestler who now serves as director of operations for the women's tennis team, says ODU's diversity is reflected in the SAAC organization. To him, the message means unity between races.
"ODU is such a diverse school," he said. "We felt like this was a message the entire student body would embrace."
ODU's SAAC, if you don't know, is a student organization that's required by the NCAA to be on every college campus that has varsity sports.
As defined by the NCAA, the organizations are composed of athletes who provide feedback to administrators on the issues affecting athletes. SAAC members also have input on rules, regulations and policies that affect athletics.
ODU is fortunate to have a very active and vocal SAAC organization. It has more than 50 members, with at least two from every ODU athletic team.
Ali Wahab
It's Wahab's fifth year at ODU and he said the SAAC has grown and become more vital every year.
"We've come a long way in building SAAC," he said. "We're able to voice our opinions from the perspective of every team, to bring things to light that affect us."
One of his favorite projects sponsored by SAAC was called the "Championship Effort," in which members of one athletic team would turn out to a game or match to support another team. Because only a handful of teams have had home games this year, and because there is strict social distancing between students, and even athletic teams, he and other seniors won't get to participate in that effort in their final year.
For now, at least, they are limited to supporting each other virtually on Zoom meetings. And social distancing with your teammates 24-7, a must if a team is to avoid COVID infections, can get old, no matter how much you love your teammates, Terefenko said.
"We're down to just hanging out with the team," she said. "That's not a bad thing, but when you see the same people every day, even on weekends and when you go home, it gets stressful. It's hard, but that's what we have to do if we want to play."
Terefenko and her women's soccer teammates finally get a chance to play Thursday when the Monarchs host East Carolina at 6 p.m. at the ODU Soccer Stadium. After fall sports were postponed because of the pandemic, every sport except football will play this winter and spring, and the football team will hold spring practice.
Emma Terefenko
"It's been a year since we've played a game," Terefenko said. "We can't wait."
Amy Lynch, an athletic academic advisor and director of community engagement, and Kristin Eden, director of student-athlete academic services, have helped guide the students organizing the fundraiser.
Lynch said Eden began brainstorming about projects like this last fall. "It just kind of took off and we're so excited about it," Lynch said. "This isn't our project. This is a project the students have taken on and are running."
Eden said Terefenko, Wahab and others have done the social media marketing the online store on Twitter and Instagram. Check them at @ODUSAAC. The students have put together some pretty entertaining videos.
"We want people to know this just isn't for athletes," Eden said. "Monarchs United is for everybody on campus, faculty, students, everyone."
As I said earlier, the shirts are well-priced and the money goes to a good cause.
Go ahead and click here and check it out.
Contact Minium: hminium@odu.edu
Minium: ODU Athletes Selling Some Cool Monarch Attire That Includes a Message of Unity: #MonarchsUnited
