Team Spirit Team Service

The University of Notre Dame is on fall break this week.  Campus is quiet, and many students have gone home for the week, missing the first snow of the season.  Most student-athletes, however, have stayed on campus as practices and games continue.  As there are no classes this week, several teams have taken some time to serve the community.

On Monday, the Notre Dame Football team had spent the evening at South Bend's Center for the Homeless. In an event that was spearheaded by tight-end Troy Niklas, the players were able to spend a few hours with the guests, having dinner and getting to know the guests at the Center.  As Niklas said at the end of the event "“I hate to say it, but we’ve almost gotten more out of this than (the guests). Sometimes you don’t know how much you have until you see someone who doesn’t have anything. Being here at Notre Dame, we’re so blessed".  Over dinner, the football players and the guests exchanged stories--and inspiration.  As part of the team's preparation for the evening, the players committed to fundraising $2000 to give to the Center, a goal which they surpassed when Niklas presented Steve Camilleri with a gift of $4700.  

Troy Niklas talks to a young guest at the Center for the Homeless

The Notre Dame Women's Soccer Team plays its final home game of the season this evening, and will be auctioning off jerseys as a fundraiser for the SEGway Project, a non-profit founded by a former Notre Dame soccer player that uses soccer to empower girls worldwide.  Proceed's from Thursday's auction will be used by the Project at the Kibera Girls Soccer Academy in Kenya. The Men's Soccer Team also took some time this week to work with local children.  On Tuesday, members of the team spent a few hours with a local youth soccer club--with coaches and players leading drills, demonstrating skills, and mentoring the young athletes.  

Play Like a Champion Today teaches that a key to character development is the transformation of the team into a moral community whose members are committed to certain values e.g. caring, fairness, and trust.  By learning the virtues of community on a team, team members are then able to become leaders in larger communities later in life.  Community service done as a team is an excellent way to build a moral community and Play Like Champions.