Newsletter-Spring 2015
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partan entnel Michigan State University Varsity ‘S’ Club NEWSLETTER VOL. 58 ISSUE 2 2ndVarsity ‘S’ Club 100th Anniversary Issue BIG NEWS ON CAMPUS! - 1948 Above is a small fraction of the 5000 students who swarmed onto Grand River Avenue on December 12th, 1948 when it was announced that a conference committee in Chicago had accepted Michigan State College into the Big Ten. The jubilation followed nearly three years of resistance from an established Big Ten Conference school, one located in Ann Arbor, Michigan. (More on pages 6 - 8) S P R I N G 2 0 1 5 Michigan State University Varsity ‘S’ Club 535 Chestnut Rd. - Rm 276 East Lansing, MI 48824 Phone: (517) 355-8523 Fax: (517) 355-7708 Executive Committee Email: [email protected] Executive Director Alan Haller ’92! Website: www.msuvarsitysclub.org President R. Paul Vance ’01 1st Vice President Lauren Aitch ’09 2nd Vice President Tim Bograkos ’04 We value your opinion and want to know what Secretary Mike Vorkapich ’94 you think about the Varsity ‘S’ Club Newsletter. Director Emeritus David Brogan ’56 Past President ! Cheryl Gilliam ’81 Send us an e-mail, call or fax with items or Board of Directors topics you would like to see included in future Ian Clutten ’07 Wally Dobler ’58 newsletters. If you have suggestions on how to Sue Selke ’76 Dave Thomas ’01 improve the publication, let us know. David W. Thomas ’75 Don Weatherspoon ’67! Young Alumni Elections for the Board of Directors of the Varsity ‘S’ Kristen Henn ’13 Travis Key ’07 Erica Mann ’11 Club are held each spring. If you would like to serve on the Board, simply visit our website, click on the Office Staff: Marilyn Bria (Office Hours: M-Th, 12-4; F, 12-3) application tab, print the form, complete, and mail to Newsletter Editor: Ron Berby the the club office. Spring 2015 Graduates Baseball - Jeffrey Kinley, Ryan Richardson Men’s Basketball - Branden Dawson, Travis Trice Crew - Joanna Beaton, Amelia Clary, Elinor Hannum, Sarah Kovacs, Erin McGarry Field Hockey - Alexis Ahern, Michelle Graham, Jennifer Smith, Rebecca Stiles Football - James Bodanis, Adam Brown, Darien Harris, Damon Knox, Tony Lippett, Matthew Rea, Patrick Rhomberg, Andre Sims. Aaron Troup, Phillip-Michael Williams, Roger Williamson Men’s Golf - Carson Castellani Gymnastics - Carson Tabiolo Hockey - Ronald Boyd, Zachary Cisek, Brent Darnell Men’s Soccer - Joshua Barens, Brent McIntosh, Adam Montague Women’s Soccer - Courtney Clem, Gabrielle Gauruder, Courtney Hammer Softball - Sarah Hendricks, Stephanie Sanders, Ellie Stoffer Men’s Swimming - David Zoltowski, Nicholas Grider Women’s Swimming - Rebecca Berman, Kelly Delorme, Taylor Folkertsma, Marcella Kaprasezwicz, Shelby Lacy, Alison Menzies, Hannah Pugh Men’s Tennis - Andrew Lied Women’s Tennis - Marina Bohrer Men’s Track - Ryan Haag, Antonio James Women’s Track - Sarah Birkmeier Men’s Track & Cross Country - Benjamin Carruthers, Ryan Konen, Drake Veitenheimer, Alex Wilson Women’s Track & Cross Country - Emma Drenth, Sarah Kroll, Jaclyn Magness, Leah O’Connor, Julia Otwell, Sarah Stassen Volleyball - Kelsey Kuipers, Kori Moster, Jazmine White, Lauren Wicinski Wrestling - Luke Jones, Nicholas McDairmid, Kevin Nash, Nicholas Proctor, Ryan Watts S P R I N G 2 0 1 5 2 President’s Message: This summer will mark the conclusion of my first year as President of the Varsity ‘S’ Club. As I sit and reflect back on my first year in office, I am proud of what the Club has accomplished, but there is still much more to be done. I would like to personally thank our Executive Director, Alan Haller, our Administrative Assistant and Office Manager, Marilyn Bria, and past President Cheryl Gilliam in helping guide me through the first year of my Presidency. I would also like to thank each member of the Board of Directors for continuing to donate their time and efforts to the Club. Lastly, I would like to acknowledge our Graduate Assistants, Ali Grant and Denzel Drone, for their tireless work in assisting the Club. When I think of our Board of Directors and those who have donated so much of their time to the Club in the past, I think of a quote from NFL Hall of Fame coach Joe Gibbs, who once said, “People who enjoy what they are doing invariably do it well.” Although it has been two years since our Club merged with the Athletic Department, the amalgamation process is still ongoing. It is our goal to be recognized as one of the top letterwinners clubs in the country. I believe we have taken some steps in this direction during the first year of my tenure, and I am confident we will continue to serve our current student athletes and former letterwinners to the best of our ability and beyond. The Varsity ‘S’ Club is no longer just about staying connected with former teammates, but also about giving back to current student athletes and celebrating and supporting all former letterwinners. In this regard, I am reminded of the motto of the National Letterwinners Association: “Athletes helping athletes.” As we move forward in the upcoming year, the Club will be implementing some changes to our membership structure. Similar to the MSU Alumni Association, membership in the Varsity ‘S’ Club will no longer be fee based and will be replaced by a tiered structure. All individuals who have earned a varsity letter while attending MSU and who have either graduated or exhausted their athletic eligibility will be considered members of the Club - free of charge. We believe this will be a more inclusive approach to servicing all letterwinners. More details on the new membership structure will be provided within the upcoming months. I would also like to take this opportunity to once again remind you to save the date of: Friday, September 18, 2015 for our 100 Year Celebration of the MSU Varsity ‘S’ Club. The 100 year anniversary celebration will be a black tie optional event and co-hosted by MSU Athletic Director, Mark Hollis and MSU Alumni Association Executive Director, Scott Westerman. If you have not attended a Varsity ‘S’ Club reunion in the past, I sincerely encourage you to attend the 100 Year Celebration as it will surely be a memorable event. If you have attended a reunion banquet, I hope you decide to join us again for the 100 Year Celebration as it promises to be unlike any other banquet we have ever hosted. In closing, I will leave you with a quote from my former coach, the legendary Joe Baum: “It’s a great day to be a Spartan.” #S2S4 #Celebrate100 ---- Paul Vance S P R I N G 2 0 1 5 3 VARSITY ‘S’ CLUB ANNUAL AWARD WINNERS The2015 JACK BRESLIN LIFE ACHIEVEMENT AWARD is presented to the Spartan varsity alumnus whose post- college career has brought honor to him and to Michigan State University and its sports program. WALLY DOBLER - began his swimming career at seven years old at the Flint YMCA. At Flint Central High School he set records in the freestyle and backstroke. After high school he served in the Army’s 82nd Airborne Division where he would discover the butterfly stroke, to which he’d later attribute much of his success. At MSU in the ‘50s Wally was Big Ten champ and All-American in swims and diving. He coached at Flint Central and Florida State and then worked for years in pharmaceutical sales..At age 39 became a masters swimmer, winning 19 national titles! He’s often found smiling and telling mostly true stories about his experiences. The NELL JACKSON OUTSTANDING ALUMNA AWARD is presented to a Spartan varsity alumna whose post-graduation career has been distinguished by both outstanding professional accomplishment and a record of exceptional community service. TAMMY FARNUM - played soccer and served as captain at MSU, her teams racking up a 50-22-3 record. She went on to serve as Women’s Soccer Head Coach and Women’s Athletic Director at Alma College from 1994 to 1997. A 20-year Michigan Girls Olympic Development Coach, her teams reached six ODP Championship games. The 2015 season marks the 19th for Tammy as an MSU soccer coach, serving nine seasons as Assistant Coach and ten promoted to Associate Coach. She and husband James sponsor a youth soccer camp honoring daughter Adalin, who died of cancer at age nine, with proceeds going to cancer patients. The HENRY C. BULLOUGH VARSITY ‘S’ SERVICE AWARD - Presented to an MSU varsity letter winner who demonstrates outstanding volunteer service and devotion to MSU athletics; and possesses high standards of character, positively reflecting on the prestige of MSU. CON DEMOS - After visiting the Michigan State football locker room with a family member at age eleven, Con knew that MSU was the school for him. Loving Spartan football, he arrived at State in 1961 and became a football manager. The Head Manager over his last two years, he enjoyed the most memorable moments of his Spartan career and still cherishes his 1965 National Championship ring. Graduating with a Bachelors in Civil Engineering, he worked for McDonnell Douglas for 3 years and for Shell Oil for 31. He’s done volunteer work for charities, co-authored a book on Spartan football, and has become the ‘S‘ Club’s primary photographer. The VANSPYBROOK RETIRED COACHES AWARD - is presented to the male or female MSU coach whose career has brought great personal honor, and by reflection to MSU and its intercollegiate athletic programs. CHARLES SCHMITTER - received a BA from the University of Detroit in 1930 and coached fencing in their formidable program until taking over at MSU and remaining for 45 years. His teams won 271 dual meets, and several of his fencers won Big Ten and NCAA titles with two, Al Kwarter and Judy Goodrich, competing in the Olympics.