Seven Pepperdine sports teams join community service effort for annual Step Forward Day.
JANELLE STRAWSBURG
Staff Writer
Pepperdine athletic teams took a step off the court and into the service field Saturday morning by taking part in Step Forward Day. In front of nearly 1,300 fellow students down at Eddy D. Field Stadium, the men’s baseball team gathered to lead the crowd in the symbolic first step.
“It was fun,” junior pitcher Barry Enright said. “It’s good to go down on our field and be that symbol to everyone and to see people get excited to take that step with us.”
The baseball team was one of seven Pepperdine athletic teams to participate in the annual service day. Some of the teams stayed local, such as the men’s and women’s basketball teams which volunteered at Webster Elementary and the women’s golf team which served at the City of Malibu Parks and Recreation, while others stepped a tad farther out of their comfort zone, like the men’s volleyball team which traveled to help out at Crenshaw Community Garden.
The baseball team spent its day of service at Venice High School, helping the horticulture department by raking and hoeing the school’s garden.
“Even though it was just manual labor it was really satisfying to see the end result,” junior Daniel Lee said. “It is a really good charity event and volunteer time that gives you an opportunity to bond as a team.”
Enright agreed, saying the time spent with his team is definitely valuable.
“It makes it a lot more comfortable when you are working alongside your team,” he said. “You find a way with your buddies to have fun, even if it is manual labor, and it is a great chance to get closer with the new guys on the team.”
The women’s swim and dive team had a farther drive as they stepped outside the Malibu bubble into downtown Los Angeles at the Solano Community Garden. The team spent the day raking, trimming and picking up trash to bring beauty to the neighborhood.
Although at times tiresome, simply the act of serving made junior Loriann Mark want to give back more to her community in the future.
“It was hard for me because I wish we could have been helping people instead of just doing manual labor,” she said. “But at the same time that day inspired me to start serving more. Basically I just want to help. I’ve already started contacting hospitals about serving as a candy striper.”
09-14-2006
