GUESTS: Mary Ellen Leicht, NJCAA Executive Director and Bryce Roderick, NJCAA President. Honorary member Colby Davis.
FINES: Brad Thompson and Stan Macgirvin provided the entertainment portion of the meeting. Jeff Roberson paid the customary Presidential fine to start things off. Randall Haltom was fined for disrespecting Brad. Darren Wicks was fined for handing out pens promoting his business at the T-shirt booth. All those who had not yet worked a shift at the booth were fined.
ANNOUNCEMENTS: Kathy Hanks announced that The Hutchinson News sponsored Press Run for journalism scholarships will be March 28th. Kathy said you can walk if you choose.
PROGRAM: Kathy Hanks introduced Mary Ellen Leicht, Executive Director of the NJCAA and Bryce Roderick, NJCAA President. Mary Ellen is no stranger to AMBUCS as she was director when the club hosted the womens NJCAA fast-pitch softball tournament held at fun valley for many years. Marry Ellen has been with the NJCAA since 1989 and is just the third director in its history. The NJCAA is the only national governing body of intercollegiate athletics for two-year colleges. Its current membership of 510 institutions is second only to the NCAA. She spoke of the proposed renovations to the Hutchinson Sports Arena. If those renovations become a reality the NJCAA will sign a 25 year commitment to host the mens basketball tournament here. The present contract is good until 2020. The womens tournament will be leaving Salina this year to move to Lubbock, Texas for the next 3 years. The renovation of Gowans Stadium helped to secure the NJCAA National Track and Field Tournament held here.
Bryce Roderick is the 18th president in the organizations 76 year history and the first from Kansas. Bryce lives in Arkansas City. His past position was NJCAA Second Vice President for Women since 2008. Prior to that he was commissioner of the Kansas Jayhawk Community Conference of 19 community colleges across the state since 2003. Bryce spent 12 years as the athletic director at Garden City Community College. He also officiated multiple sports including track and field, football and wrestling.
Each academic year, nearly 60,000 student-athletes compete in 28 different NJCAA sports. Strengthening education in the classroom for those athletes and improving their GPA so they can later transfer, if they choose, is a priority goal for the NJCAA.
Lucky Ace Drawing: Terry Bisbee drew a 6 of hearts and won $5. The pot increases to $224.00.
Newsletter Drawing: Don Grossardt was not present.
Newsletter question: For $20Name both of our guests from the NJCAA.
Calendar: Next meeting March 27.
Editor: Steve Conard