SOUTH HADLEY, Mass. (Apr. 6, 2011) –
Hundreds of Mount Holyoke athletes gathered on Skinner Green this
afternoon for a flash mob to celebrate National Student-Athlete
Day. Members of both varsity and club sports participated in the
event, which was designed to showcase the unity that exists among
athletes across campus. It was organized by the Captains Forum.
After congregating in Blanchard Hall, the athletes froze in unison
at the sound of a vuvuzela at 12:15 p.m. They then proceeded to
Skinner Green, where they danced for approximately 10 minutes. In
addition to their flash mob, the student-athletes also demonstrated
their unity by wearing matching t-shirts today. The blue shirts
featured the National Student-Athlete Day logo on the front and the
slogan “Work Hard and Play Harder” on the back.
Approximately 500 women participate on athletic teams at Mount
Holyoke each year.
National Student-Athlete Day recognizes the accomplishments of
student-athletes nationwide who excel in the classroom, on the
playing fields and in their communities. It has been celebrated
annually on April 6 since 1987. The program was created by the
National Consortium for Academics and Sports NCAS and the
Northeastern University Center for the Study of Sport in Society,
with partnership from the NCAA and the National Federation of State
High School Associations. NCAA involvement began in 1994.
The day was developed to honor student-athletes and the network of
parents, coaches, teachers and school systems that make it possible
for young people to strike a balance between academic and athletic
achievement and who use sport as a vehicle for positive social
change.
