#UniteToFight: Jim & Catherine Gainey

We would like you to meet Jim and Catherine Gainey. They met at Edgewood College, fell in love and got married. They have two beautiful children.

And they have a story to tell about their journey on their life touched by cancer. Hear their story and then make the decision that you will #UniteToFight with Jim, Catherine and Edgewood College at Jam the Gym on February 8.

Denay Hering: "I came back a different person"

This article appeared originally on Edgewood.edu and is reproduced for our Eagle fans here. Enjoy!

Denay Hering, a senior Education major from Lake Mills, Wis., had a winter break that was decidedly short on snow. She travelled with a group from UW-Madison to Kenya, to work with the Jirani Project, a nonprofit organization designed to support and provide education for vulnerable Kenyan children. 

“On this trip, something that truly amazed me was how at home I felt in a place that I had never been before,” she says.  “I have never felt happier and more invested in my days than I did while in Kenya. This trip has had such an effect on me that I intend to return in order to pursue my dream of teaching in a different country.”

The group’s work consisted of facilitating a camp for children – much like summer camps anywhere around the globe. “Our job was to create activities from morning until night for the group of nineteen children for about 5 days,” she says. “We provided an array of activities for everyone throughout the camp which included both educational activities and physical games. Everyone had a great time with each other and no one was afraid to act goofy which made it all the more fun.”

Even half a world away, the track and cross country student-athlete felt right at home. “One thing the kids LOVED to do was to play capture the flag. They could have played that all day long. You think us student-athletes are competitive? Play capture the flag with these kids and you’ve never seen people at each others’ throats over a simple game. I was in my element to say the least.”

“At the camp, we all felt comfortable around each other very quickly. This allowed us to form deeper relationships with one another that I’m confident will remain strong for the rest of our lives,” she says. “The kids I met at this camp have left a permanent mark on me. I have never met such resilient and loving people in all of my life. All of the adults and children associated with the Jirani Project were such warm and kind-hearted people who helped to make it a life-changing experience for me.” 

“This experience has taught me so much about myself and has changed my perspective on life. I didn’t expect such drastic changes in the way I think, the way I reflect, and the way I view our society. To see people coming from virtually nothing, yet having such joy in their everyday lives puts the way we live here in perspective. It is astounding what the human spirit can do even in the most heart-wrenching of circumstances. It was truly inspiring for me to recognize that and it has caused me to sit down and think about the way I live my life here.  It is a lesson that everyone can and should learn from. Although I’ve been back for almost a week now, I’m confident that this trip will continue to have me reflecting on my life here and what I can do to make it more joyful like what I experienced in Kenya. I was very fortunate to have the opportunity to have such an incredible experience in which I came back a different person that I am proud of.”

Summer of the Eagles: Coaches vs. Cancer

MADISON, Wis. - Edgewood College men's basketball head coach Justin Meyer, along with four other collegiate basketball coaches from Wisconsin teamed up to beat cancer last May. Coach Meyer was joined at the Coaches vs. Cancer Wisconsin Gala by UW-Madison coach Bo Ryan, UW-Milwaukee coach Rob Jeter, UW-Parkside coach Luke Reigel and UW-Platteville coach Jeff Gard.

Now in its sixth year, the Coaches vs. Cancer Gala, held at the University of Wisconsin's Kohl Center raised $690,000 to support the American Cancer Society's mission to save lives. The 2013 gala included both a silent and live auction including memorabilia, sporting events tickets, gift certificates to local business and luxury vacation getaways.

This year's total made the Coaches vs. Cancer Wisconsin Gala the number one fundraising Coaches vs. Cancer fundraising event in the nation this year.

Summer of the Eagles: Ben Pratscher

No more classes, no more books, no more teachers' dirty looks, right? (Well, not our Edgewood College professors. We love you!).

Summer is certainly meant to be a time for our Edgewood College student-athletes to take a break from their academics, recharge their batteries and without question, have some fun. For many Eagles, like Ben Pratscher, summer is a chance to give to others who could use a helping hand.

This summer Ben, an Edgewood College men's tennis player, was hired to the staff of the Appalachia Service Project (ASP). ASP recruits volunteers to work with low-income families in Kentucky, West Virginia, Tennessee and Virginia to renovate sub-standard housing and provide a warm, dry and safe place to live.

You can read all about Ben and his work with ASP on his blog "The Life of a Staffer." Follow the link and read about Ben and his volunteer teams working to put families in need in homes they can depend on.

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Dave Pallone's visit to Edgewood College

On Friday, April 26, former Major League Baseball umpire Dave Pallone visited Edgewood College to talk to Eagle student-athletes on sexual orientation in life and athletics. Both WISC-TV 3 and WMTV NBC 15 covered his lecture in Anderson Auditorium....

Openly gay umpire talks sports, sexuality barriers (Courtesy of WISC-TV 3)



Here's the story from Hobie Artigue from WMTV NBC-15. (Direct link)

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WISC-TV3: Coaches react to Rutgers basketball video

Edgewood College head men's basketball coach Justin Meyer was featured in a WISC-TV3 piece by Mary Jo Ola about the incident regarding the Rutgers coaching situation.

Original link to WISC-TV3: http://www.channel3000.com/news/Coaches-react-to-Rutgers-basketball-video/-/1648/19602520/-/lfk1nwz/-/index.html
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WISC-TV3: Ostrowski & Camp Earth raise money for Huntington's Disease

Courtesy of WISC-TV3, a feature on Edgewood College baseball student-athlete Marc Ostrowski and his work for Camp Earth, an grass roots organization dedicated to raising awareness and money to fight Huntington's Disease.


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O'Dell, Cordova give back on Miracle Field

Edgewood College baseball player Ryan O'Dell is serving children with disabilities this summer by managing Miracle Field in Roselle, Ill. He and 20-30 volunteers, including Eagle women's soccer player Zenaida Cordova, meet every Monday night in the summer to help kids with disabilities learn the joys of baseball, teammwork and inclusion. Read Ryan's summary of Miracle Field below... 




O'Dell (in green shirt) cheers on a Miracle Field player

 "The program I have been in charge of is called Miracle Field. Throughout the early spring I was in charge of spreading the word about the program as well as finding 20-30 volunteers. The 20 volunteers include ex-baseball players from my high school, St. Charles East, as well as others who found out about the program and just wanted to help. Zenaida Cordova who plays on the Edgewood College Women's soccer team also helps volunteer.

For eight Monday nights this summer we meet at Miracle Field in Roselle, Ill. and for two hours help teach/play baseball with children who have disabilities. Their ages are from 5-13 and their disabilities range from down syndrome to mentally challenged. Every player is paired with a "buddy" or volunteer and they stay together through out the eight weeks. When we get to the field, we meet for 10 minutes with our buddy and ask them how their week was, etc. Then we'll gather on the field and stretch. Next we try and work on basic fundamentals that can improve their overall flexibility and hand-eye coordination. These include fielding a soft ball that is rolled to them, throwing the ball back to a buddy, or running the bases. After that, it is time to play ball.

Cordova instructs her Miracle Field buddy

The players are separated into two teams and while one team is hitting the other are at their positions in the field. The team who is hitting walks one-by-one up to the plate and hits a soft ball off a tee and run to first base while the other team fields it. Base runners may only move up a base at a time and there are no outs. Often times before the ball is hit we will call out to the fielders what base the ball should be thrown to, which also helps with their concentration. The last batter to hit runs all the way around the bases for "home run". Then the teams flip from field to hitting. The games usually last 3 full innings.

Miracle Field itself is something special. Donated by the Chicago White Sox, it is a scaled down replica of their stadium. Complete with lights, a soft rubber coating turf, and dugouts, not only does it offer the players a special night game but is also safe for everyone and is wheelchair proof.

Currently, Miracle Field has been a great thing with a great turnout as well as the volunteers who have worked with the kids. My next job will be to meet with several sponsors/marketers in hopes of spreading the word and taking the program to more places for next summer. On July 25th there will be an open house, anyone who is interested can come stop by and see the program in action."

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Edgewood College Magazine: Summer 2011

The latest edition of the Edgewood College Magazine is released. There's a fantastic feature on Edgewood College men's basketball alum Mark Lowry. Also, see if you can find pictures of these student-athletes: Jeff Barczak, Jessi Ditzler, Josh Williams, Shae Beckwith, Brittany Storhoff, Brittany Drewiske, Emily Daniels, Amanda Bliske, Mallory Palmer, Max Divelbiss, Ben Wisniewski and Andrew Garvey.

Wait, is that Dr. Goll in one of those pictures?

Open publication - Free publishing - More magazine

Eagles and Wildcats present donation to Breast Cancer Recovery

Edgewood College head baseball coach Al Brisack and Verona Area High School head baseball coach presented the Breast Cancer Recovery Foundation with their proceeds from their "Strike Out Cancer" game. The Eagles and Wildcats sold T-shirts and collected donations at home games this season to raise money to support those affected by breast cancer.

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Nova concert raises money for Breast Cancer Recovery

Edgewood College baseball players James Bertakis and Jake Zadra spearheaded a hip-hop benefit concert for the Breast Cancer Recovery Foundation. Bertakis, under his stage name Nova, performed with local artists IAmEnglish and Nick Venturella (himself a former Eagle baseball player). Zadra creates the music and handled all the concert publicity, under his record label Prinz Records. All proceeds from the event were presented to Deb Ray and Renee Schlosser of the Breast Cancer Recovery Foundation on February 10, 2011.

Photo Gallery

Video clips of set-up, sound check and performance of Nova on January 30, 2011

Nova in concert: Sunday, January 30

Two Edgewood College baseball players Jake Zadra and James Bertakis are showing how well-rounded a Division III student-athlete can be.

James’s hobby is remixing hip-hop and techno music and adding his own lyrics to it. Jake has experience in the music production business. Jake started to create his own beats and James provided the lyrics and vocals under the stage name Nova. Using Jake’s knowledge of the music industry and marketing skill under his own label Prinz Records, he has been able to get publicity for Nova on the internet. Their single “After Midnight” has reached #5 on ReverbNation.com’s local Madison pop chart.

Their next endeavor is their first public performance which will be held in Edgewood College’s Todd Wehr Edgedome on Sunday, January 30 at 8:00 p.m. The concert is free, but they are requesting a donation to raise money for the Breast Cancer Recovery foundation in support of breast cancer research. Edgewood College alum Nick Venturella and local hip-hop artist IAmEnglish will open for Nova. The Edgewood College Campus Activities Board (CAB), Vital Signs of Verona and Dental Health Associates of Madison are sponsors of the event.

Nova Concert on Facebook

Prinz Records on Facebook

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Krueger making a name Down Under

Former Edgewood College baseball player Matt Krueger is off to a strong start as a member of the Wanneroo Giants. Krueger has started eight games for the Giants, going the distance three times. On November 15 he threw a complete game, six-hit shutout of Victoria Park.

Wanneroo Giants season statistics

At the beginning of the season, Krueger pitched for the USA All-Stars in a preseason three-game series against the Perth Heat of the ABL (Australia's highest level of baseball). Krueger won a 3-2 decision to give the USA All-Stars their only win in the series.

Game story: USA All-Stars prevent sweep (courtesy of Ben Cameron, Perth Heat and Baseball Western Australia)

Krueger has also been working as coach for the North Coast Ball Club, an organization of more than 30 youth baseball teams. Krueger has been training young players as they transition from T-ball to baseball. The NCBC is sponsoring their first official Little League team this season.

Giant steps for NCBC (courtesy of Emma Brennan, North Coast Times)

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Softball team raffle!

Get your tickets now for the Edgewood College softball program raffle. The Eagles have four fantastic prizes to win...

- Panasonic Viera 50" 3D Plasma HDTV w/ Model SC-BTT350 3D Home Theater System

- Apple iPad (Model MB292LL/A)

- Microsoft Xbox 360 with Kinect

- Amazon Kindle

Tickets are $10 apiece and can be purchased from any Eagle softball player or coach. The final drawing will take place on February 5, 2011 at Jam the Gym. Winners need not be present.

(License # R0023008A-02011)

(Linked images are representative and not intended to show the exact item)

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Edgewood College Magazine: Winter 2010

Open publication - Free publishing - More wisconsin

NAC Volleyball Tournament - White Out! Food Drive!

It's a huge night for the Eagles. The Edgewood College volleyball team is hosting their first postseason match since 1995 and you have the chance to make a difference to the team, your community and yourself!

NAC Volleyball Tournament - White Out Night!

For the team: It's a White Out! Dress in as much white as you can to show your unified support of the Eagle volleyball team.

For the community: Particiapte in the NAC's "Cans Across the Conference" food drive by bringing non-perishable food items to the match. Help stock local food pantries and show the Edgewood College cares about their community.

For yourself: The Edgewood College student who brings the MOST Non-Perishable food items will WIN FREE TOPPER STIX courtesy of Toppers Pizza on Regent Street. You bring food, you win food. That simple.

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Eddy and the Eagles at the FitKids Fun Run

For the fourth consecutive year, Eddy the Eagle and large group of Edgewood College student-athletes were on hand for the FitKids Fun Run. The run is part of the festivities surrounding the Ford Ironman Wisconsin race. After Eddy led the kids in a warmup, the student-athletes sent them off from the start line and encouraged them home to the finish.

Brewster lends hand to National Transplant Games

Beginning Saturday, the Madison are will be the host for a very different kind of athletic event. The U.S. Transplant Games are sponsored by the National Kidney Foundation is a national, Olympic-style event presented every two years. The Games unite thousands of people across the country who have been touched by the organ donation and transplant process.

Edgewood College head track and cross country coach Bethany Brewster will serve as the meet director for the track and field competition which takes place on Monday morning at the University of Wisconsin McClimon Track and Soccer Complex. Competitiors will compete in a variety of events in age groups ranging from four to over 70.

Sports Information Director David Petroff will also be on hand serving as the public address announcer.

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Edgewood College Magazine: Summer 2010

Open publication - Free publishing - More wisconsin

"Strike Out Cancer" raises nearly $700

"Strike Out Cancer" Awareness Day, a joint charity event sponsored by the Edgewood College baseball team and the Verona Area High School baseball team raised $697 for the Breast Cancer Recovery Foundation.

Baseball: "Strike Out Cancer" event raises $697 (from Madison.com)

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