Student-athletes don’t just play games they often engage with their communities through service projects and outreach efforts. Many teams have found ways to give back to the local community that supports them.

For example, the swim and dive team participated in a toy drive to support local families.

“The community projects we’re involved in not only benefit the community around us but also help us build our team,” senior Ashley Petrollese said. “They teach us the importance of selflessness and also strengthen our bonds as teammates.”

For Petrollese, serving the community instills a sense of responsibility that extends beyond the pool.

“I believe it’s very important for student athletes to engage with their community because it fosters a culture of support and collaboration, and it allows us to help others in meaningful ways,” Ashley Petrollese said.

This sense of community involvement impacts younger generations as well. Earlier this year, the varsity football team visited a local elementary school to open car doors for students.

“We got to see the kids get out of the car with a smile on their face,” senior Sean Carver said. “We got to encourage them and say a couple of positive things. That was just important because as a kid I never had that, and I think it’s important, and we should keep doing that.”

The softball team also engages with young students. In February, the team hosted a Diamond Camp for aspiring softball players.

“The community sees our kids wanting to give back, and I always think that impacts because the community pours a lot into the schools, into the athletics programs in various different ways,” softball coach Porscha Albert said. “It’s always refreshing to see groups of athletes who are willing to give back because they have been given to.”

During Diamond Camp, the softball team talked with young students and guided them through drills.

“Both kids, the older kids, and the younger kids, were having a blast because at that point, it’s not about fundamentals, it’s not about skill set,” Albert said. “Yes, we are teaching, and we’re coaching, but at the same time, I think it’s just an avenue to establish those relationships. When you’re little, you look up to those older athletes.”