BRISTOL, R.I. – On Tuesday, May 8th, the Roger Williams University Athletic Department took an active role in engaging the local youth, participating in the annual “Fifth Grader Day” with students from the Bristol/Warren Regional School District.
Student-athletes and coaches from many of the sports were on hand to work with the visitors and introduce them to their respective sports. “The interactive sessions with the athletes are always one of the highlights of the fifth graders visit,” according to KC Ferrara, the Director of the Feinstein Center for Service Learning and Community Engagement at Roger Williams University.
The visiting students had the opportunity to choose from a variety sport-specific stations and partake in skills and drills led by coaches and student-athletes. Members from RWU varsity teams such as Baseball, Women's Basketball, Volleyball, Swimming, Men & Women's Lacrosse, Men's and Women's Cross Country, Women's Soccer, Sailing, Softball, Women's Tennis, Men and Women's Track & Field, and Wrestling, introduced their respective sports and gave demonstrations .
This year, the fifth graders ran races with the Track & Field and Cross Country members and learned the basics of sailing a boat from the RWU National Champion' Sailing team. Wrestling team members demonstrated moves on the mat while volleyball coaches and players worked on ball handling drills nearby. Future tennis players volleyed with members of the Men and Women's Tennis team and coaching staff while the Soccer teams created drill and games in their station. Baseball and Softball used a radar gun to engage their observers as they measure the throwing velocity of their participants. Other activities included shooting baskets with student-athletes from the Men's and Women's Basketball team, and learning how to use a lacrosse stick by throwing, catching and shooting with members of the Men's and Women's Lacrosse team.
More than 250 students from four Bristol/Warren schools participated in the activities. After leaving the athletic facilities, the 5th graders learned about academic majors and what it is like to be a student at RWU.
- Additional information courtesy of PDQ@RWU
