Community engagement is a pillar for the NCAA, its member schools and student-athletes who serve others in several ways during their college careers. While the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted this connection between athletics and communities, much of it returned in the 2021-22 academic year across college sports.
Below are some highlights of how the NCAA, schools and student-athletes gave back to various communities in the 2021-22 academic year.
NCAA Team Works Award
North Dakota, Arkansas Tech and Saint Mary’s (Minnesota) earned the NCAA Team Works Award for Divisions I, II and III, respectively. Each year, NCAA Team Works sponsors a competition between member athletics departments recognizing the departments that complete the most service hours and have the most impactful community programs in all three divisions during a designated time frame. More than 80,000 student-athletes participate in this competition annually.
Police Athletics for Community Engagement
As part of the Men’s College World Series, the NCAA, Rawlings and CWS of Omaha Inc. have partnered to support the Police Athletics for Community Engagement group to seed and grow a youth baseball league in the Omaha, Nebraska, area. Grants for field restorations, equipment and uniforms have been provided over the past five years. The children also participate in opening ceremonies and Youth Day during the Men’s College World Series. Over 500 children are participating in the PACE youth baseball league, which has grown from six teams to 30 in five years.
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