May 28, 2008

GREELEY, Colo. - This past year, Head Coach Jaime White and her women's basketball staff showed they want their players to be dedicated not only on the court and in the classroom, but also in the community as well.

Recently, Northern Colorado athletics announced women's basketball as the winner of the Bears' Life Skills Team Competition. The Bears' Life Skills Team Competition is a contest among all 19 sports at Northern Colorado to encourage student-athletes to take an active role in the community of Greeley. Points are awarded based on community outreach, academic achievement, team enhancement, and Bear Pride (attendance at other sporting events). Women's basketball was a close winner this season over football, thanks in large part to their community service.

This past year, women's basketball players and coaches logged over 400 individual hours of community service throughout Greeley. Not only did the Bears adopt a two mile stretch of highway to keep clean, they also participated in such services as Tailgate the Safety Way, Habitat for Humanity, A Woman's Place, Greeley Elks Lodge Annual Hoop Shoot, National Girls and Women in Sports Day, Greeley Boys and Girls Clubs, and the Greeley Recreation Department Girls Youth Basketball.

This season the Bears also took pride in participating in the Women's Basketball Coaches Association "Think Pink" Breast Cancer Awareness Initiative. The WBCA "Think Pink" Initiative is a global, unified effort for the WBCA nation of coaches to assist in raising breast cancer awareness on the court, across campuses, in communities and beyond.

On Feb. 9, 2008, the Bears hosted Idaho State and participated in "Think Pink" by warming up in Pink warm ups and encouraging all fans to dress in pink, the color associated with the Susan G. Komen Foundation. All proceeds from the game were donated to the fight against breast cancer.

Coach White and her staff hope to build on the success of this season, and continue to make a difference in the lives around us.