Kevin Davies
Staff Writer

The University of La Verne’s Student Athlete Advisory Committee teamed up with other Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference schools committees and Nike to take part in the company’s “Reuse-A-Shoe” program.

SAAC is made up of two selected representatives from each campus sport and is advised by women’s basketball coach Julie Kline.

“I believe this event can be used as an important lesson to our athletes and all people that it is important to remember and appreciate where you started and to give back to those that might not have the same opportunities that you did,” Kline said.

The group is used to promote leadership among the athletes and give them an opportunity to voice concerns and opinions about athletics on campus and within the National Collegiate Athletic Association.

Nike’s “Reuse-A-Shoe” program is taking nationwide donations of old rubber-soled shoes for the purpose of making new sport and playground surfaces in an effort to promote an active lifestyle for children.

The athletic shoe company is making an effort to reach out to children and offer them better facilities through melting the rubber soles of old shoes and re-using it to build inexpensive playground, tracks, gym floors and other necessary athletic surfaces.

This is the first year that SAAC has elected to take part in the Nike Program and that the committees from all SCIAC schools have teamed up together. The group is expected to take part in at least one community event each year.

Last year, the group visited to Oak Mesa Elementary School in La Verne for a day of sports activities that gave the children an opportunity to interact with the University’s athletes. SAAC has also spent much of this year developing a handbook to guide student athletes at ULV in their careers and will be used next year.

SCIAC competition now is going beyond athletics as conference rival schools do not want to be outdone by one another. The competition for which school can produce the most shoes will never lead to a fight or poor sportsmanship, but will allow more children the best possible sports experience.

“As athletes, we have been given many opportunities throughout our years in school and now we have an opportunity to help other kids have those same opportunities,” SAAC President and women’s volleyball representative Allison Dahlgreen said.

“It is great that we were able to team up with Nike and other schools in our conference for this event because it will help to unite us as student athletes and will provide friendly competition to produce more shoes for the children,” Dahlgreen added.

The event started at ULV on April 3 and will run through May 5. There is loads of student support, as the boxes located in the athletic office are already overflowing with shoes. This event has given athletes and students at the University of La Verne an opportunity to come together for a much needed and worthy cause.

“Being an athlete throughout my life has given me many opportunities and I owe everything to my experiences with sports,” said junior political science major Brent Rawson. “I definitely see the importance of SAAC putting on this event for ULV and will definitely be donating my old shoes if it allows more kids to have the opportunities I did.”

Kevin Davies can be reached at kdavies@ulv.edu.