The WVU Tech athletic department has been busy this fall. After naming a new Director of Athletics in July, the Golden Bear athletic department has been busily preparing for next season, renovating Martin Field, competing and getting more involved with the community. Recently, Tech ventured down the road to Valley High School and Elementary where current Golden Bear student athletes got involved in the classroom, and in the gym, with Valley students.

For the second year in a row, members of the WVU Tech football team visited Valley Elementary School for “Read to Me Day”. Six Golden Bears who prowled the gridiron for Tech this season traded in their pads for a book and met with a Valley Elementary student who escorted David West (FR- Louisville, KY), Chris Hastings (FR- Sissonville, WV), Cody Sneed (FR- Nitro, WB), Justin Hundley (FR- St. Albans, WV), and Jon Johnson (FR- Atlanta, GA) into the classroom where they took the time to read to the class.

“It was a great experience for our students to get out and be role models for the kids at Valley, and I think that the elementary students really liked it as well” said Assistant Football Coach, John Pennington.

Other teams from WVU Tech have been getting involved too. Members from Cross Country, Basketball, Baseball and Wrestling have also gotten involved with the community this fall as a part of a community out reach initiative in the Athletic Department.

The Golden Bears worked in conjunction with Valley Principal Lee Loy and his “Get up and Go” program to motivate students to “get up and go” in physical education class and recess periods. Tech athletes interacted and played with Valley students twice a week during the month of November in games like basketball, corn-hole, touch football and dodge ball. Tech athletes also demonstrated and taught skills to the students specific to their respective sports like throwing and also discussed what it took physically to be a collegiate athlete.

“We are happy to have coordinated efforts with Principal Loy and Valley to get our student athletes out in the community” said Lindsey Peltier, Senior Woman Administrator and SAAC Advisor. “This was such a great opportunity for our young men and women to reach out and give back to the community and the “Get up and Go” program was a perfect venue for us to get the ball rolling. In fact, I’m not sure who enjoyed the experience more, our student athletes, or the students at Valley”.

WVU Tech plans to resume and expand their outreach efforts second semester.