$700 promotion a hit, until half-time

College students are game for anything that involves getting something for free, especially if it’s money.

Finding a way to get more students to Washburn sporting events can be a challenging task. And Summer Harris, sports marketing director, can attest because that is what she has been trying to do for four years.

“We are always trying to find new ways to attract students to come to our athletic events. It’s not the easiest thing to do here,” said Harris.

So during basketball season this year Harris teamed up with Great Clips and came up with a promotion they hoped college students would be lining up for. Great Clips decided they would give away $25 in cash at each home game, both the men’s and women’s games. At each game, Harris would draw one name from the entire student body, but if they weren’t there, the money would go into a jackpot.

“We came close to giving the money away a couple of time. Someone would come up to me and say that is my roommate. But the rules stated you had to pick up the money before the end of half time,” said Harris.

Up until the last game of the season, the promotion didn’t work too well. The people who were drawn at every home game were never at the game. By the last game of the season, the jackpot had totaled $700. Work got around that at half-time of the men’s basketball game against Emporia State University, the money would be given away.

The rules were changed just slightly. When the students came into the game they had to enter their name in a drawing. Without the change, hundreds of names could have been drawn before anybody won it. The student section was packed that night and the name was drawn. Angie Jameson, who happens to be in the pep band, won the money.

“I swear the drawing wasn’t rigged. There were people watching me the whole time, it was just coincidence she happened to be in the pep band,” said Harris.

The promotion worked for half of the game. But after the drawing half the students there left before the second half started. But student support for half of the game is better than for none of the game.

Counseling Services offers help for student-athletes

Practices, games, film sessions, injuries and extensive traveling all we trying to keep up with school can be stressful for anyone. But it is something student-athletes deal with on a daily basis.

Sometimes student-athletes feel like they just need a little extra help, but a lot of them don’t know where to turn. Now there is an answer for those student-athletes. The Counseling Services office at Washburn University offers a service called Student-Athlete Support Services (SASS). It is for any student-athlete on Washburn’s campus, but a lot of them don’t know about it or simply don’t use it.

“There is a stigma that surrounds counseling. Students think that if you go to counseling that must mean you are crazy, but 90% of the people who come in, come in for minor issues,” said counseling director, Marilynn Koelliker.

SASS offers its services for all different kind of problems, not just issues related to sport. There is personal counseling, educational counseling, academic advising, and tutor assistance. All of these services are offered to any student on campus, but SASS directly relates the counseling to student-athlete specific issues.

With time hard to find in a daily athletic schedule, student-athletes need a way to relax. SASS is not for everyone, but sometimes just having someone to talk to can be a good release of stress. And the counselors are never going to judge someone for coming into the office, in fact they encourage it.

“When a student-athlete comes into the office and we have to the opportunity to talk with them and help, we feel like we have accomplished our goals. We would never judge them, no matter the issue at hand,” said Koelliker.

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WU Basketballer Runs for WSGA President

To say Garrett Love is an active member of the Washburn student body would be an understatement.

Love is an expert at the time balancing act. He plays for the Washburn University basketball team, while running for Washburn Student Government Association president. Playing basketball is a full-time job and running a campaign is another full-time job. But these aren’t the only two things Love is involved in on campus. He is also in FAN/Ambassadors, Peer Advising, Student Athlete Advisory Committee, and Christian Challenge, not to mention a full class load.

Love’s running mate is Caley Onek, who is equally involved on the Washburn campus. The two are hoping their platform will be the one that students will think are all about them. The campaign is based on communication, enthusiasm, and commitment, with a slogan “Leadership you can believe in.”

As the end of the basketball season nears and the campaigning effort increases toward voting day, Love thrives. He is a guy who never wants to be sitting still and makes sure to never miss one of his commitments. He doesn’t miss basketball practice and instead decides to campaign into the late hours of the night. It’s all in a days work for Love, who also owns his own business, Love Book Sales.

By the end of the basketball season, Love hopes the team makes the postseason tournament and hopes he is the new president of the WSGA.

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