April 8, 2009

In an effort to highlight good sportsmanship around the conference, every two weeks, theACC.com will highlight a specific example of sportsmanship from a different school. This week we look at the efforts of Georgia Tech's SAAB to lead by example.

"In the end, it's extra effort that separates a winner from second place. But winning takes a lot more that that, too. It starts with complete command of the fundamentals. Then it takes desire, determination, discipline and self-sacrifice. And finally, it takes a great deal of love, fairness and respect for your fellow man. Put all these together, and even if you don't win, how can you lose?" -Jesse Owens
• Georgia Tech's SAAC Web Site Special to theACC.com by Alana Clooten, Women's Track & Field Student-Athlete and President of Georgia Tech's Student-Athlet Advisory Board. Sportsmanship has always been an integral part of Georgia Tech's longstanding traditions. As Jesse Owens pointed out in the above quote, sportsmanship encompasses several concepts. Love, fairness and respect for your fellow man is something that the Georgia Tech Student-Athlete Advisory Board (SAAB) along with their fellow student-athletes wanted to put a greater emphasis on. It was with this in mind that the Code Gold initiative began in the fall of 2007. The SAAB representatives desired to see greater camaraderie develop between student-athletes across the board. Not only that, but the ultimate goal would be to increase attendance at all sporting events by all students across campus. Rather than relying on the Athletic Association to be the sole promoter of various home events throughout the year, SAAB representatives decided to take it upon themselves to promote each other's events. SAAB representatives ask their respective teammates to identify up to two significant home events each year at which they want strong support from fellow student-athletes. These events are designated as "Code Gold" events, where two SAAB representatives do all they can to rally support throughout the whole athletics department. At least 2 SAAB reps sign up to "work" the event so that as student-athletes arrive, they can sign in with the appointed SAAB reps so that we have a record of how many student-athletes were in attendance. At this point, the goal is simply to come together as an athletics department and show support across the board for all sports. It is the hopes of SAAB representatives that this display of sportsmanship and passion for Georgia Tech athletics demonstrated by student-athletes, spreads throughout the entire student body. As the Code Gold initiative continues to grow, so does the appreciation and understanding of the discipline and sacrifices made by all student-athletes to better Georgia Tech athletics as a whole.