As he settled into his courtside seat on Saturday in Yoder Arena, James DeBoer had a smile on his face.

“I’ve missed seeing our Royals in action, and even though the gym won’t be full of spectators, I’m happy we’re giving our teams the chance to compete,” says EMU’s director of athletics communication. “These young men and women came to EMU to learn and grow, and while they could still do some of that during the fall practices, it’s been 10 long months since they’ve been able to really get out there and prove themselves in their respective sports.”

DeBoer will need your prayers this semester, as all 19 of the Royals athletic teams will be in action during a five-month time period.

His 12th year in the role promises to be a challenge: DeBoer, who was no slacker in normal pre-COVID times, will be hard at work 24-7 managing media relations, collecting stats at home games, writing and publishing game communications, populating the athletics social media accounts, communicating information with the NCAA, nominating student-athletes for awards, and also overseeing the expanded video webstreaming.

Saturday’s Keydet Invitational was the first competition of the semester marking the return of Royals athletes, and in races that included D-1 competition. Junior runner Isaac Alderfer provided a highlight, dropping his best mile time by nine seconds and inching within a few seconds (2.12 seconds, to be specific) of the program record. It was also the top time in the nation from last weekend’s meets.

Director of Athletics Dave King is also ready to see EMU athletes back in action — the result of many meetings and a coordinated effort among his own staff, the ODAC and NCAA over the past several months.

At the same time, he knows many parents and fans will be disappointed with the limitations and restrictions related to spectating (read more specifics below). 

“Everyone who loves sports, and especially those fans who enjoy watching their son or daughter, has a new awareness of what being in the stands means,” King said. “I realize that not being able to watch and cheer in person is disappointing, but it’s a small sacrifice to make so that they and their teammates can continue to compete.”

EMU hosted two home openers for the women’s and men’s basketball team on Saturday. [Follow the link for season previews for the and .] All home games are closed to the public, per ODAC policy.

Check the website for all team schedules and updates related to cancellations or postponements. Video webstreaming is available.

Read on for more information about how to watch competitions this season. 

ODAC Indoor Sports Spectator Policy

The Old Dominion Athletic Conference has announced that prohibits spectators at any conference indoor athletic event this spring. The decision was made by the Presidents Council and announced last week. This decision affects all conference indoor sports including basketball, indoor track & field, swimming, and volleyball.

ODAC officials will continue to monitor the public health situation and are not ruling out the possibility of a change to the policy. 

EMU Outdoor Sports Spectator Policy TBA

A policy for spectators at outdoor sports events will be announced shortly.

“We are exploring what might be possible with the priority being the continued health and safety of our student-athletes,” King said. “One possibility is designated viewing locations marked on the grass or in the bleachers. If this is allowed, we’d also need to minimize interaction, which means spectators would be asked to leave the venue before teams exit the field.”

Because of physical distancing measures, the number of spectators would be limited as well.

Even if spectating in person is permitted, King encourages Royals fans to consider viewing the competitions via video webstream as “a personal contribution to keeping our student-athletes healthy and on the field, reaping the benefits of their hard work and enjoying the sport they love.”

Watch Video Webstreamed Competitions

EMU will offer free video webstreams of all home indoor and outdoor contests, weather permitting.

Road games are subject to the host institution, with most if not all games expected to be streamed. When available, both video and live stats links will be accessible from a team’s schedule page on .

Next Athletics Fireside Gathering: Jan. 27, 7 p.m.

EMU Athletics will host its third “Fireside Gathering” on Jan. 27 at 7 p.m.�� Recently retired MLB player and EMU Hall of Honor member Erik Kratz is the featured speaker.

Kratz, a 2002 alumnus, will recount how EMU helped prepare him for a career in professional baseball. He retired this offseason after 19 years in professional baseball, including 11 seasons in the Major Leagues. Kratz was also a member of Team USA, playing in the Premier 12 tournament and being named to the All-World Baseball Team in 2019. He was ���ѱ�’s Alumnus of the Year that same year.

Here’s coverage of the Nov. 6 event and the Dec. 9.

��ݮ���� has announced the retirement of longtime Head Athletic Trainer��Mike Downey. He is in his 30th year at the school, and will finish his duties on Dec. 31.

Originally contracted through RMH Rehab Services as Eastern Mennonite’s first certified athletic trainer in 1989, Downey said the time was right to step away.

“Collegiate athletic training is demanding with regard to work-life balance,” he said. “Given the current work environment and what COVID-19 brings to the equation with respect to the 2021 Spring athletic schedule, I feel it is in my family’s best interest if I opt-out at this time by retiring. It has been a long journey and quite an experience for me. I am grateful that EMU provided me with an opportunity to share my life’s work with so many student-athletes and athletic training students over the last three decades.”

Director of Athletics Dave King was thankful for Downey’s work with the Royals teams.

“Thirty years of providing support, often behind-the-scenes, for student-athletes, coaches and teams is a significant achievement and I am deeply grateful for all that Mike has done for the athletic department,” said King. “He is very deserving of the personal and family time that retirement brings and I wish him nothing but the best. And there are hundreds, if not thousands of former athletes who would join me in expressing thanks for a job well done.”

After a two-year stint at nearby Spotswood High School, Downey returned to EMU as the full-time head athletic trainer in 2001. He has also taught in the EMU Physical Education Department.

During his time at EMU, Downey has seen and traveled with the Royals teams to many of the biggest athletic moments in school history, including the field hockey team’s trip to the NCAA Final Four in 1995, a tournament trip with the men’s soccer team in 1998, NCAA-qualifying seasons for men’s and women’s basketball, men’s volleyball hosting the Final Four in 2004, and recently retired MLBer Erik Kratz earning back-to-back ODAC Player of the Year awards in 2001 and 2002.

Downey is also a preceptor for the James Madison Athletic Training Education Department.

“I would say one of the most rewarding feelings looking back over all the years is that I had the opportunity to share a D-III athletic training experience with nearly 100 athletic training students from JMU,” he said. “Our preceptor/internship relationship with JMU has gone on for many years and I enjoyed being able to help students learn and experience our unique medical care environment.”

King pointed out that Downey has been a driving force in keeping ���ѱ�’s training room in step with growth in the athletic department and changes in the industry.

“Mike is responsible for the development of the athletic training services that were needed for the expanding athletic program over the past 30 years,” King said. “From a one-person department to a team of three full-time trainers, a team physician, JMU athletic training interns, and work study students, Mike’s leadership has allowed us to maintain the quality care for athletes that he established many years ago.  I often hear appreciation for Mike from former athletes as they reflect on their EMU experience and recognize the value of his care during their athletic pursuits.”

“Providing athletic health care services has been rewarding and I would like to thank the many physicians who helped our AT staff care for the needs of the athletes,” Downey added. “There have been many over the years but most recently the partnership with Sentara Sports Medicine and the work of Dr. Ben Mwanika cannot be overlooked. Dr. Ben has been a pleasure to work with as our team physician.”

King said the search for Downey’s replacement to join Carleen Overacker and Ian Smith in the athletic training room would begin immediately.

Kratz was an All-American in the early 2000s and ODAC Player of the Year in 2001 and 2002. His #14 jersey is retired at EMU.

Kratz appeared in games for nine different MLB teams, including multiple stints with Pittsburgh, Philadelphia and the New York Yankees. He was with the Kansas City Royals during the 2014 World Series, and earned a World Series ring from the Royals in 2015. .

“I want to add my congratulations and thanks to Erik for a career that has represented the true essence of sport, playing for the love of the game,” said Dave King, director of athletics. “He has truly embodied what EMU athletics are all about on a national and international stage. He knows that success isn’t always found in the score or the statistics or a starting role but rather in commitment to the craft, being ready to take advantage of opportunities, and constantly working in and out of the season to improve himself and those around him. Erik’s faith is foundational to his life, work and relationships. I’m grateful for the many opportunities that he’s provided for our athletes to learn from his example.”

Kratz’s final season as a professional player — he made it clear in his announcement he was not closing doors to other roles — was with the Yankees. He played in 16 games, hitting .321 with no homers and four RBI, and was on their American League Wild Card roster and also available for the Division Series.

He was EMU’s 2019 Alumnus of the Year, after contributing to the Milwaukee Brewers’ National League Divisional Series. (At least one media outlet at the time named him the )

Later that fall, he was named to the U.S. Olympic baseball team and earned All-World honors at the first of three qualifying tournaments the team was slated to participate in. (The US team failed to advance there; further tournaments, and the summer Olympics, were cancelled because of the COVID-19 pandemic.)

His skill in building , and teammates in general, has led to murmurs of a coaching career. Here’s the most recent (of many) public pleas, from Fansided (11/9): ” After all, when you play and make an impact nearly everywhere over the course of a decade, you’re going to be highly sought-after,” writes Adam Weinrib in a post titled “.”

Kratz and his wife Sarah Troyer Kratz ’02 have three children — . He had told his daughter they could have a dog only after he played his last game. “We bought the puppy, and we’re enjoying it,” he says in the retirement announcement via video. “It’s time to be home.”

11/12/20:

In lieu of an actual campfire with masked and physically distanced attendees, the event was held virtually and with no mask requirement. Approximately 75 parties viewed the meeting live,  (Note: you do not need a Facebook account to watch the video.)

EMU Director of Athletics Dave King gave the largest presentation. Along with an overview of how the COVID-19 pandemic has affected athletics programming, he noted the resiliency and team-mentality of the Royals student-athletes.

“I just cannot emphasize this enough,” said King, “that the work that our coaches and returning players did is phenomenal.”

Coaches Ashley “Stick” Kishorn (field hockey), Melvin Felix (men’s basketball) and Adam Posey (baseball) spoke on how they continue to foster the values of leadership and teamwork during the pandemic.

Posey mentioned that he regularly focuses his team by challenging them, “How do we stay in this moment? How do we stay present? Don’t take it for granted that you get the opportunity to play baseball here, to be a Royal, to come out every day and get your work in.”

And Zack Newton (men’s soccer) and Bethany Shultz (women’s volleyball) gave a personal look from a student-athlete’s point-of-view.

Shultz said the lack of games has forced a change in what drives her from day-to-day.

“Part of my motivation that usually comes from wins and losses is now completely directed towards deliberately improving my volleyball skills, to do my part to push my teammates so that we can become the best team and advance our volleyball program. Most importantly, it has shifted my focus from achieving results and perfection to trusting the whole process.”

Braydon Hoover, director of development and annual giving, served as the host and facilitated a Q&A time. King ended with 

Wednesday’s Athletics Fireside Gathering was the first in a series of such updates, with expected follow-ups in December and January.

Over a 44-year career at Eastern Mennonite College and then ��ݮ����, Horst gained a reputation as a “dedicated and valued colleague in the Science Center” with an excellent knowledge of his field, said Professor Emeritus Joseph Mast ’64.

Equally known for his deft expertise in wider subjects, Horst was a “Rennaissance man,” Mast said. 

“As a faculty member able to teach courses across a wide range of disciplines, John was an invaluable asset to EMU,” said Professor Emeritus Millard Showalter ’62. “Without a doubt, John L. Horst will be remembered as a ‘Man for all Seasons.’”  

Horst’s wide-ranging intellectual interests — from physics and mathematics to music and history — challenged, amazed and entertained in many venues, from classrooms to faculty lounges and in later years, at Sabbath evening Bible studies and other events at Virginia Mennonite Retirement Community. 

In later years, he shared his love of music as the host of WEMC’s “Mostly Mennonite, Mostly A Capella” and in compiling and writing liner notes for nine CDs from the “Mennonite Hour” music archives.

Horst also contributed to the conceptualization of pictorial histories in prominent locations that have served to educate campus visitors, and regular denizens, too. (An athlete throughout his life, Horst appears in one photo, wearing No. 77 on the Smith Literary Society basketball team.) Take a tour with John in this article.

“I am forever grateful for his initiative and leadership in the creation of the athletic history display on the first floor of the Commons, which would not have happened if he had not brought the idea and did most of the research,” said Director of Athletics Dave King ’76, who also has vivid memories of sitting in an interdisciplinary studies course (better known as IDS) as an undergraduate and watching Horst’s visible delight as he taught about baroque music. 

In retirement, Horst and his wife, Joan Graybill ’66, lived adjacent to EMU. He was an almost daily presence on campus, where he’d power walk and do wall push-ups in the University Commons (at certain times of the morning, one knew to take a wide turn around the corners), then stop by the Athletic Department (and other places, too) for a visit. King says he’ll miss those chats, as will many of us.

Park View Mennonite Church will host a live-streamed memorial service Saturday, Sept. 26, at 2  p.m. Visit for the link. His family will be present but the service will not be open to the public.

Horst is survived by his wife, Joan; his son, Michael Horst and wife, Stephanie, of Dover, Pa.; daughter Grete Horst Johnson and husband, Christopher, of Newport News; five grandchildren, Caleb, Luke and Daniel Horst, Emily and Sarah Johnson; and by a sister, Rachel Witmer and husband, James, of Alliance, Ohio.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Valley Brethren and Mennonite Heritage Center, PO Box 1653, Harrisonburg, VA 22803 or to WEMC FM radio station, 1200 Park Road, Harrisonburg, VA 22802.

Memories and condolences shared below in the comments will appear publicly. They will also be shared with the family. 

***

Born in Connellsville, Pa., to the late John L. Sr. and Emma Zimmerman Horst, John Horst Jr. grew up in Scottdale. His lifelong love of music began early: at Scottdale High School, he sang in a male quartet that reached state-level competition. Horst’s reputation as a vocalist preceded him: Wilmer Lehman ’57, who is four years older than John, remembers attending Music Week at Laurelville and hearing J. Mark Stauffer ’38, who led EMC’s choirs, “rave” about the teenager’s wonderful deep bass voice. The two would meet again at EMC in 1956, when Lehman was a senior and Horst a freshman — and then become colleagues. Lehman, professor emeritus of mathematics, retired in 2000.

At EMC, Horst earned a degree in mathematics and music. He then completed graduate work in physics education at the University of Virginia, as well as additional graduate work in music. He taught at Eastern Mennonite High School for three years and then moved to the college, where he spent 37 years as an associate professor of physics and mathematics. Among other responsibilities, he was the planetarium’s director. [Read more about the Astral Society and the planetarium.]

He was passionate about teaching. EMU records capture a few examples of his professional development activities. In 1969, he was selected to participate in a National Science Foundation (NSF)-funded six-week summer institute for professors teaching nuclear physics at Vanderbilt University. The next summer, he represented EMC among 19 colleges and universities at a selective summer institute focused on making physics courses meaningful to non-physics majors. Three weekend conferences were also part of the commitment; in return, Horst secured a $1,000 NSF grant for laboratory equipment.

Showalter remembers that Horst developed and often taught a special course for biology and business majors who needed to take physics but were lacking in “the knowledge of the essential concepts of differential and integral calculus, concepts which are very helpful in the study of physics,” Showalter said. “His class, titled ‘Elements of Calculus,’ aimed to “dispel the phobia of calculus as an ‘impossible’ course.” 

Roman J. Miller’s first memory of Horst is one of gracious hospitality. The new faculty member arrived to teach at EMC in the summer of 1985 with plans to stay in an inexpensive hotel room as he located a more permanent residence. Horst offered him use of his family’s summer cabin out in the county.

“In our trans-departmental discussions and debates in the faculty lounge over the years, I was often stimulated by John Horst’s broad interests in life far beyond physics and math, which he very capably taught,” said Miller, who after retiring in 2016 as emeritus professor of biology, often saw Horst at VMRC events. “His love of music and reflections on a wide range of historic and religious happenings enlarged my world.  I appreciated so much his warm friendship and his openness to conversation about the state of the world.”

Horst’s love of learning, teaching and science was present in the classroom even after retirement.  “A few times, John was a substitute teacher in my physics classes and I keenly remember that he was fond of examples over lectures,” said Braydon Hoover ‘11, director of development and annual giving. “No matter how often he conducted a physics experiment, his face would light up like he was an undergrad experiencing it for the first time, himself.”

Hoover also remembers singing next to Horst and his clear joy in sharing music together at the doctoral defense of Ben Bergey ‘11 (now a music professor at EMU).  

Throughout his life, Horst was a vocal performer and composer. He also composed works for piano, synthesizer and carillon. At Park View Mennnonite Church, where he was a member for nearly 55 years, Horst sang in the choir. He also sang in the Mennonite Hour Men’s Quartet for seven years; in the Men’s Chorus and Mixed Chorus in the 50’s and 60’s; and with several community choirs, most recently the Valley Collegium Musicum. 

Around ���ѱ�’s Centennial year, Horst worked on a compilation  CD of EMC/���ѱ�’s greatest choral and orchestral hits. Members of ���ѱ�’s marketing and communication department fondly remember his visits to the Anderson House office during those months, when he would work his way around to each and every desk, greeting everyone, sharing ideas for articles about campus history, handing over type-written or hand-written remembrances or attending to various to-do items related to the CD. 

With thanks to Wilmer Lehman, Joe Mast, Roman Miller and Millard Showalter for sharing memories and stories. You are most welcome to do the same in the comment box below. We’ll make sure they are passed along to his family.

A recent admissions event for incoming students at ��ݮ���� drew historic numbers — and among those listening, surely some breathed a sigh of relief when President Susan Schultz Huxman announced that the university expects to open campus for in-person classes in fall semester 2020.

“We understand there are many questions about the future, some that even we cannot answer yet, but we are making a strong commitment that the pandemic will not diminish ���ѱ�’s ability to deliver exemplary teaching and  caring community support for our students in fall 2020,” said Huxman. 

Any one of several learning environments may be adopted in the fall, she said, with health and safety of students being the top priority and the decision dependent on the status of COVID-19 in the region and the recommendations of health and educational authorities.

Notably, in a survey during the last week of spring semester classes, students gave EMU faculty and staff a 94 percent positive rating for the exemplary care received in and out of the classroom, Huxman said. “EMU has a reputation as a strong, caring educational community, and this response from our students is a real vote of confidence for all of us. Even in uncertain and challenging times, we’ve all witnessed that our shared commitment to supporting and nurturing each other is stronger than ever.”

���ѱ�’s location, away from densely populated regions, and its small size — with related flexibilities in programming, scheduling, residential life and special attentiveness to supporting the individual student — are also advantageous at this time, Huxman said. 

The university continues to assess the budget impacts of COVID-19 on its current and incoming students, higher education, and the local, regional and national economy. CARES Act funding allotted to EMU was dispersed earlier this summer to qualified students. Two funds — the renamed UFund for Resilience and the new Student Tuition Relief Fund — drew record donations during the university’s annual LovEMU Day, yet another affirmation from the broader community of support for ���ѱ�’s mission and sustainability.

Planning for fall semester began in April. Approximately 60 administrators, faculty,  staff and students  are collaborating on six teams to address university operations, including enrollment, teaching and learning, student life, faculty and staff, budget, and infrastructure. The teams are specifically tasked with contingency planning in their areas, from the best-case scenario of progressive, consistent improvement and lowering infection rates through the summer and fall, to a middle-case scenario of late resurgence in the fall, and finally, the worst-case scenario of ongoing waves of resurgence.

The planning process has included, and will continue to include, input from various internal constituencies — faculty, staff, students,  parents, board of trustees. In addition, EMU leaders continue to consult with community leaders as well as  peer private universities in the Commonwealth and other higher education institutions in the Valley, including significant conversation and guidance from state educational and elected officials. EMU continues to follow guidelines from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention and the Virginia Department of Health, as well as Sentara RMH and the City of Harrisonburg.

More details will be released in the coming weeks. The following are general updates across campus.

Incoming Class of 2024 on target

���ѱ�’s incoming class numbers are on track to exceed last year’s numbers, according to Vice President of Recruitment and Innovation Jason Good. “We’re very excited about the incoming class and committed to working with parents and students as they process the complex factors related to attendance.” A few interesting stats related to this class:

• Students represent 15 states;
• One-third are first-generation college students;
• 40 percent are athletes, and
• Nursing and biology programs continue to be top draws.

Residence Life focusing on health measures

Staff in Residence Life are focusing their attention on developing health and safety measures in conjunction with new guidance released last week by The American College Health Association, specific to housing occupancy, residential life, social gatherings, and dining hall practices, among other topics.

With health and safety, affordability is also a priority, according to Dean of Students Shannon Dycus. “Many, if not all students will have access to the option of single occupancy with no extra charge,” she said, adding that students can still live with a roommate with additional agreements regarding risk.

Staff are hosting “town hall”-style events this summer, in conjunction with the Student Government Association, to keep students updated on developing new protocols and planning around health and safety issues. Also at the forefront of staff time is planning new ways to engage and welcome first-year students through orientation and transition to campus life. 

As with every new academic year, the value of building strong community among all students “is what gives EMU life,” Dycus said. “Engaging our students in leadership, shared values, personal well being, and social accountability matters and that will not change in the coming weeks and months.”

Athletics at work on fall plans

In conjunction with plans to open for the fall semester, athletics administrators, coaches and staff are also preparing for the start of the fall athletic season. “We are committed to providing the best student-athlete and team experience possible in the given circumstances,” said Director of Athletics Dave King. “Programming will require a higher threshold of safety practices and most likely, a different format and schedule than in the past.” The Old Dominion Athletic Conference, of which EMU is a member, is developing schedules and post-season options for a variety of scenarios.

EMU can also conduct contests with other institutions outside the conference. Best practices and recommendations from health officials are being considered about issues related to conducting athletics including practice formats and scheduling, transportation, visiting teams, locker rooms, testing, tracing, and training room use, among other issues, King said. 

Flexible instructional formats, new tech

The infrastructure and academic committees are working on management of classroom space to minimize exposure and maximize social distancing practices. Committee members, in conjunction with the Provost’s Office, are planning flexible instructional formats to enable continuity of teaching in response to changing health needs of faculty, staff, and students. Faculty members and academic leaders are working this summer to design courses that will maintain ���ѱ�’s high academic standards while offering easy flexibility for individual needs and changing public health requirements, said Provost Fred Kniss. Classroom technology setups are also being adjusted to facilitate greater flexibility and support for student learning.

“But when I found out that he was leaving to go to the ministry, I thought, ‘How can you argue with that?’” she said at a reception for Griffin last week at Yoder Arena.

Griffin resigned in July to accept a position as connections minister for the Philadelphia District Church of the Nazarene. He was offered the position by Pastor Kerry Willis, formerly of the First Church of the Nazarene in Harrisonburg, who was elected superintendent of the district in April.

While at EMU, Griffin compiled a 230-111 record and was�� honored four times as conference coach of the year. He coached 25 All-ODAC selections and eight first-teamers, including two-time ODAC Player of the Year and Jostens Trophy awardee Jess Rheinheimer.

���ѱ�’s new women’s basketball coach Jenny Logan coached against Griffin while at ODAC rival Hollins University.

During the reception, Huxman thanked Griffin for his coaching ministry “on and off the court.”

“We appreciate your winning record, the winningest coach in the history of women’s basketball here at EMU, and we appreciate the fact that you have been ODAC Coach of the Year multiple times,” she said. “What I appreciate most of all, and one could see this and feel it, is the way in which you have coached our students to be winners on and off the court.”

Griffin was known for developing his players as athletes, but also ”intellectually, personally, spiritually and relationally,” she said.

Also sharing memories at the farewell was Sandy Brownscombe, emeritus professor and women’s basketball coach before Griffin; Jim Smucker, vice president for student life; Dave King, director of athletics; and Kirby Dean, former men’s basketball coach and Griffin’s teammate on the Royals basketball team. Griffin graduated in 1993, one year after Dean.

When women’s coach Richard McElwee resigned in 2005, Dean was heading the Royals men’s program. He urged King, then the university’s new athletic director, to consider Griffin for the position.

At that time, Griffin was an assistant coach at Delsea High School in Franklinville, New Jersey, but had , according to an EMU press release.

Read more

• Griffin steps down as women’s basketball coach to pursue ministry
• Jenny Logan becomes new EMU women’s basketball coach

Camodeca will start this summer, upon completion of his fifth season as the head coach of the Stevenson University track and field teams. He has also been an assistant with Stevenson’s cross country programs the past four years.

At Eastern Mennonite, Camodeca joins��Bob Hepler��who is starting this summer as the head coach for cross country and track and field. Camodeca said working with Hepler at an institution like EMU drew him in.

“The sense of a connected community throughout the entire campus made me feel I would be a valued member,” he explained. “The opportunity to work with Coach Hepler really has me excited, and gives me an opportunity to continue to grow and develop as a coach. Director of Athletics��David King��really sees the value and impact track & field/cross country can have on a campus and student-athletes, which is important in developing the program’s culture at the university.”

Taking over at Stevenson in the spring of 2014, Camodeca quickly rebuilt the track & field program to a powerhouse with an overall roster of 70 athletes. This year, the men’s team won their first-ever Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC) indoor and outdoor championships as well as the indoor title at the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC).

Camodeca was named both the 2018 MAC Coach of the Year and the Mid-East Region Head Coach of the Year by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA).

Hepler said Camodeca quickly rose to the top of the candidate pool.

“We did a lot of research on the candidates as part of the search process for the position. Erick’s coaching accomplishments speak for themselves. He is a top coach,” said Hepler. “However, his interviews and reference checks revealed a selfless, dedicated coach and husband who truly puts others first. That’s what made him stand out. EMU is extremely blessed to have Erick join the staff. I cannot wait to begin my partnership with him.”

Hepler, who himself has 22 conference championships under his belt as he wraps up a 14-year tenure at UT-Tyler, forms an incredible duo with Camodeca to lead the Royals’ program.

“I feel extremely fortunate to find two experienced and highly successful coaches interested in working together to re-build the cross country and track & field program here at EMU,” King said. “What Erick has done with the track program at Stevenson without having their own facility is a testament to the quality of his character and coaching ability along with his recruiting skills.”

King sensed a similarity between Hepler and Camodeca as both wanted to plug themselves and their student-athletes into all aspects of ��ݮ����.

“The excitement Erick brings, along with his interest in coaching the whole student-athlete and engaging with the rest of campus, will bring immediate results that will move the program forward,” explained King. “In my short time of working with both Erick and Bob, I sense a humility in both of them that will result in a dynamic working relationship, ultimately providing a great student-athlete experience.”

Preceding this weekend’s release of 2018 NCAA Outdoor National Championship field, Camodeca has led 13 national qualifiers at Stevenson. His athletes have won four All-America honors as well as a number of regional and conference athlete of the year awards. During his time, the Mustangs broke 96 of the 106 indoor and outdoor men’s and women’s track records.

“We accomplished amazing feats at Stevenson in a short period of time,” said Camodeca. “At EMU, I see there is a lot of support, and a lot of resources available now and to come, to help build and sustain a competitive program.”

Combined with Hepler, Camodeca will instill a culture of going the extra mile.

“I absolutely love what I do. I believe programs take on the values and energy of their leadership and that leads to a program’s success,” he said. “Practice is the easy part; it’s what we do outside of practice that really determines our success. Are we treating people with respect, are we getting it done in the classroom, and are we taking care of our bodies? How we handle those aspects is what really sets us apart.”

Before his time at D-III Stevenson, Camodeca spent a season as an assistant with D-I Loyola University Maryland. He also won four Capital Athletic Conference Coach of the Year honors and coached three All-Americans during a six-year tenure leading the cross country and track & field programs at D-III York College (Pa.).

King was appreciative of the work done by the interim staff in recent months.

“My thanks to interim cross country coach Hannah Chappell-Dick from this fall, and to interim track & field coach Ken L. Nafziger and assistants Michael Allen, Joanna Friesen, Jeremy Heizer, Tim Miller and Richard Robinson for providing leadership during this year’s indoor and outdoor seasons including the upcoming national championships,” said King.

The current track & field season will wrap up later this month, as both All-American hurdler����(Winchester, Va./Millbrook) and triple jumper����(Bristow, Va./Patriot) expect to qualify for the NCAA National Championships, which are��May 24-26��in La Crosse, Wisc.

“I’m thrilled that we will be able to provide more young people the opportunity to develop life skills through playing a collegiate sport,” he said. “As we continue to understand what collegiate sports do for young people and the campus community, it’s exciting to expand our sport offerings.”

The search for EMU’s first women’s lacrosse coach will begin immediately, with a start date of June 1, he added. “Recruiting lacrosse players will get us into geographic areas that are important for the university as we work at enrollment growth.��I’m convinced there are high school student athletes who will be excited about being part of history by helping to start women’s lacrosse at EMU.”

Jim Smucker, vice president of enrollment and student life, points to the growth of the sport across the United States and the high academic success of female athletes as among the benefits of the new program.

According to the NCAA’s 2015-16 , women’s lacrosse is the second- fastest growing collegiate sport in Division III, with 17 new programs added. This continues an overall growth trend with the sport through all three NCAA divisions.

Additionally, NCAA highlights that women’s lacrosse athletes in Division III are among the most successful student-athletes in terms of their academic success (graduation) rate.

“Expansion of our athletic offerings, and specifically, this women’s lacrosse program, means that more high-achieving students can experience what it means to be a student-athlete at ��ݮ����,” Smucker said. “The unique challenges and leadership opportunities that athletics offers contribute to a special curricula of leadership growth and experience.”

The Royals will be the eleventh team of 13 ODAC schools that already compete in women’s lacrosse.

EMU currently sponsors eight Division III athletics teams for men and nine for women. The most recent sport to be added was men’s and women’s golf in in the 2012-13 academic year.

That was the scene on Wednesday, Oct. 19, as the university’s Director of Athletics Dave King added one more local championship to the Yoder Arena schedule, enlisting the EMU community to join fans and players of area high schools for the Rockingham County Unified Basketball League championships.

Unified basketball brings together students with and without disabilities from the four high schools in Rockingham County—East Rockingham, Turner Ashby, Broadway and Spotswood— to participate in athletic competition with a varsity-like atmosphere. The league was started by three alumni connected to Turner Ashby High School (TAHS): retired athletic director John Woodrum ’84, special education teacher Gina Troyer ‘93 and career and technical education teacher Jerry Arbogast ‘90, who coaches the TAHS squad.

Playing with school pride

Woodrum, now in his first year of retirement, says this kind of basketball isn’t a new concept. He first saw it played in another state and recognized the way the league brought the community together.

He also was reminded of the many special education students who had acted as managers for the varsity boys’ basketball team, which he coached for 18 years. “They loved the game and were always shooting the ball whenever they had a chance,” he remembered.

Woodrum says the league is very different from Special Olympics, which provides unaffiliated athletic opportunities for area athletes. “We wanted this league to look like other athletics at their schools, and we wanted these athletes to experience the same thing other high school athletes do,” he said.

He laid the groundwork among county schools in 2014, securing partners and donors with the help of Troyer and Arbogast. The first season was in 2015.

“In the 24 years that I’ve taught, this has been the best thing I’ve been involved in by far,” said Troyer, who coaches the TA girls’ varsity volleyball team. She encourages her players to come to league games, and she said it was meaningful to see the EMU teams in attendance at the championships.

Sports transforming lives

Anyone watching the games Wednesday evening could tell it was more than just a basketball game. “The team doesn’t care about the score. They feel they are a part of something very special for the first time in their high school career. We win every time we step out onto the court,” said Arbogast.

His coaching philosophy is to give each athlete the same amount of playing time. The players want everyone to score a basket each game. Everyone on the court plays by these rules; it’s not uncommon to see opponents handing the ball over for someone to make a basket.

Being involved in sports has transformed the lives of the players and spectators. Arbogast tells the story of a student who for two years never spoke. “I honestly felt that he couldn’t speak. That all changed one day in practice when after he felt accepted by his peers in the school,” said Arbogast. After that, the student began giving directions during games and even now carries on conversation with anyone.

The Knights practice a few times a week during the school day. Arbogast pulls players out of the adapted PE class, and the team runs through their offensive and defensive plays during scrimmages. They also practice subbing in and out just like a real game.

While the leaders of Unified want to teach players that a team can’t win every game, ultimately the score does not matter. “Each athlete plays with such heart and enthusiasm and exhibits such a sense of team that everyone goes home a better person because of what they witnessed that night at the game,” said Troyer. “Unified Basketball has provided a great opportunity for the players, but I honestly think those who attend the games as spectators take home much more.”

“This is sports in its purest form,” says Woodrum from his vantage point on the sidelines between games. After 28 years in high school athletics, he of all people would know what that means.

The American Alliance of Health, Physical Education and Recreation recommends children get a minimum of 30 minutes of large muscle play a day, but children regularly surpass that in the world of youth sports.

From a young age children — often pushed by their parents — are tossing baseballs, kicking soccer balls or dribbling basketballs in the hopes of being the best. Between equipment, training camps, specialized leagues and travel costs, youth sports is an expensive undertaking, taking up to 10.5 percent of a family’s gross income, according to 2015 research by Utah State University’s Families in Sports Lab.

In his new book “,” ��ݮ���� athletic director , along with coauthor from Durham, N.C., asks, “To what end?”

Although King only began considering writing a book a few years ago, his views on youth sports had been developing since he was a high school athletic director 15 years ago. While most literature on the subject is written by parents, coaches, child psychologists and journalists, as EMU athletic director, King was afforded a unique view of the effects of youth sports at the collegiate level, and what he found shocked him.

He derived further validation from John R. Gerdy’s “Sports: The All-American Addiction,” where Gerdy challenges society’s assumptions that youth sports teach lessons in sportsmanship, discipline and teamwork.

Few athletes go on to collegiate sports

Burnout and overuse injuries from specializing in a single sport from a young age are common in collegiate sports, but lesser known effects King sees include a sense of entitlement, unrealistic expectations of ability and a lack of understanding of the importance of practice.

“There’s this mindset that ‘I’m this good because I play for this special team,’ but they forget about how many good athletes there actually are out there,” King said.

According to NCAA statistics, only 3 percent of high school basketball players and 6 percent of football players go on to play in college, despite the fact that specialized youth leagues over inflate athletes’ egos, according to King.

“But none of our coaches at the collegiate level have ever recruited someone because the kid was on the team who won the 11-year-old soccer classic in Winston-Salem, N.C.,” he said.

Adults bring different values to youth sports

King and Starbuck blame the “adultification” of youth sports for many of the problems seen in collegiate athletes.

“We’re taking away free play and organizing everything the way we understand it as adults, which is why there are scoreboards and soccer fields the same size for 8 year olds and 12 year olds,” King said. “We take the fun out of it, and that’s usually the first reason kids give for why they quit.”

If youth sports focused more on what the children wanted, the kids decide how long they want to play instead of parents and coaches weeding children out of a sport in elementary or middle school.

Parents should never push their children into youth sports, King said, because apart from learning to resent the sport, a parent/child relationship based on performance could easily develop.

“We think it’s developing all this commitment to the sport — and it can — but if mom and dad come to the child’s games and then decide not to come when they see the child rarely plays, it sends the message, ‘I’m not good enough,'” King said.

Sports should include everyone, emphasize skills and fun

Despite pointing out their shortcomings, King is still in favor of youth sports as long as they’re structured the right way.

Ideally, the first step would be removing any awards or trophies until the high school level.

“The kids know who won and lost, but why do we have to emphasize it?” he said. “They will forget about it halfway home.”

Instead, King said, leagues should practice twice a week, focusing on skills and gather once a week with other practice groups to play a game, but creating different teams each game.

“As soon as you make teams that are the same, you have adultification,” King said. “The kids will play a pickup game, and they know who won or lost, but the next time you play, the teams will be different, so it won’t matter.”

This prevents kids who could be very good at a sport at age 18 from being left behind because they weren’t an amazing player at age 10.

Many coaches have told King that kids don’t have to begin playing a sport year round until eighth grade to have a chance of successfully playing in college.

“Let’s move that specialization line up to junior high school, and then you keep developing those skills but playing more difficult teams,” he said. “If someone wants to be a collegiate athlete, there has to be a level of specialization by junior or senior year of high school.”

King suggests that parents teach their children to take a macroscopic view of their development, focusing on how their skills are improving for the long term, instead of how well their team is doing in a particular season.

Parents should also encourage their children to concentrate on the intrinsic values of sports.

“The introduction of extrinsic values too early in life will inhibit the development of intrinsic values,” King said. “The child will begin playing for the new uniforms, big crowds and winning trophies instead of their desire to play the game.”

Article reprinted with permission from the Daily News-Record.

If ��ݮ����’s Yoder Arena seems a bit peppier this winter, look no further than the northeast corner of the basketball court floor. ���ѱ�’s new pep band is loud, they’re proud and they’re here to stay.

“The support has been growing since our very first game,” says sophomore Josh Calderon, the band’s student director. “We want it to get to the point where we change the atmosphere.”

That “first game” was on Dec. 19, when the band played for Alumni Appreciation Day games against Messiah College. Although students had already left for Christmas break, alumni seemed to embrace the band. There was toe-tapping and head-bobbing in the stands, and a few of the more courageous followed the pep band’s lead, holding up their hands and wiggling their fingers during foul shots in D-1-crowd-type fashion.

The band has played at several more games in January and plans to be at all the remaining games on the schedule this winter: Feb. 6, Feb. 16, and Feb. 20.

Calderon, from Grottoes, Virginia, says he got the idea for an EMU pep band while taking a marching band course at nearby James Madison University last year. He played tuba for the Marching Dukes and in JMU’s pep band and thought, “Why couldn’t we have something like this at EMU?”

He contacted John Dull, adjunct faculty in the music department and director of the EMU , and Dull said, “Why not?”

“Josh just has such a handle on it,” Dull says. “He’s so gifted. That’s what we’re here for—to enable students to do what they do best and let it grow. It’s his thing.”

Calderon recruited members, Dull became the band’s faculty advisor, conversations took place with the athletics department and the idea’s tempo cranked up to prestissimo.

“The response has been huge,” Dull says. “The athletes love it, the coaches love it, we’re hearing great comments from fans, especially older fans, and the band loves doing it. It fills a niche. Maybe it wasn’t an obvious hole until we started, but now we hear, ‘Wow, what did we do before?’ We’re already talking about next year. We’re looking forward to where this could go.”

Athletics director Dave King is looking that way, too.

“Having a pep band at EMU sporting events has been a dream of mine since I arrived here 10 years ago, so I’m grateful for their vision,” King says. “Live music adds to the game environment and often encourages more student involvement. I’m excited about what they’re doing for basketball and will be looking for other athletic events where their presence can enhance the atmosphere.”

The band may expand to attendance at volleyball games and soccer matches, Dull said. The band has been spreading the word off the court, too, aided by the communications skills of James Madison University student and band member Chase Dunn. They have hammed it up with a huge poster advertising social media contact information (Twitter/Instagram: @emupepband; Facebook: www.facebook.com/EMUPepBand), did a T-shirt giveaway over the holidays and have received hundreds of “likes” and supporters.

“That tells me we’re getting there,” Dull said. “We’re going in the right direction.”

Don’t expect just music from the band, either. When they’re not playing, they’re leading cheers and chants, holding up signs, counting down with the shot clock and, of course, giving the opponents some good-natured heckling. They want to spread spirit any way they can.

Brooke Bevington, a freshman flute player who went to high school with Calderon, jumped at the chance to join the band.

“It’s been great,” Bevington says. “The crowd seems to be responding to us well, and we have an amazing time—even when we lose. We have a bunch of fun. We might be exhausted from a full day of school, but we still come out and support our team. It’s what we do.”

Weaver Irrigation is currently installing a system that will use non-potable storm water collected by a nearby cistern to evenly and efficiently water the infield and outfield, according to athletic director .

The upgrades, which cost approximately��$22,000,��will save both��time and water, said head coach . Previously, just the infield and dirt basepaths were watered by one sprinkler head, while manually deployed garden hoses and sprinklers were used for the rest of the field, resulting in uneven growth and surfaces.

These methods provided less control over how the field is watered and maintained. The current system enables more efficient use of water during the early morning or late evening when less evaporation occurs.

More improvements planned

Spotts expects the outfield to benefit from the irrigation system, which will support continued overseeding and fertilization to improve quality of the soil. Additionally, the Bermuda grass that was added to the infield last year can now also be propagated and maintained in the outfield.

The irrigation improvements are the first step in a larger renovation project of ���ѱ�’s baseball facilities, to include new dugouts, backstop, press box, hitting pavilion, and additional seating behind home plate.

The start date for this project hasn’t been announced yet, but King says that the baseball program’s recent growth and improvement has been among several recent highlights of the EMU athletic program. In 2014, in just his second year at the head of the program, Spotts led the Royals to the in program history.

“While we know recruits are drawn to Coach Spotts and the program he is developing, we think the upgrades to our current baseball facility will help us attract more top players,” said King.

Sustainable practices link to cistern project

The “greening” of the baseball field fits another EMU commitment—to that of sustainable practices, said , director of the physical plant.

Kurtz acknowledges that use of water for irrigation of recreational fields during a time of growing water shortages across the country may be questioned by some.

“In my view, sustainability is often a matter of balancing competing priorities and managing maintenance best practices as knowledge and technology change,” he added.

In this case, Kurtz points to the need for healthy turf to keep athletes safe and to support the athletic programs, while at the same time “increasing the acreage managed as meadows, use of artificial turf and storm water for irrigation, and turf management practices that limits use of chemicals and how short the grass is cut.”

The 100,000-gallon cistern, built next to the physical plant in 2012, irrigates approximately 6.5 acres, including the south soccer fields, softball fields and Bomberger Field. It collects runoff from 15 acres of campus and helps return water to the water table through irrigation. The year it was built, the cistern project won .

When the cistern is dry, irrigation is supplied by the city of Harrisonburg. Additional improvements may extend the irrigation system to the front of campus as well as add a well to provide water during prolonged dry periods.

The Royals Athlete of the Week award will go to a student-athlete who is selected weekly by the athletic department.�� That man or woman will be one who has made a significant contribution to the team athletically, emotionally, spiritually, academically or in leadership.�� The award will be announced each Tuesday with recognition on the Athletic Bulletin Board in University Commons and on the website, .�� Award winners receive a certificate.

Look for a complete list of .�� Each weekly winner will also be posted in the main news rotation on the front page, as well as on their respective sport’s page.

The Royals All-Academic Team will be announced at the end of each semester and is comprised of student-athletes who have successfully balanced the athletic and academic demands by achieving at least a 3.25 GPA.�� Team members will receive a certificate and be recognized on the Athletic Bulletin Board and the website.

For the Senior Recognition, senior athletes in all sports will be recognized and honored at halftime of a basketball game.�� Each senior will be accompanied by a faculty member of their choice who has had a significant impact on their educational experience.

“I am really excited about these new initiatives that give recognition to our student-athletes,” said King.�� “Too often the focus in athletics is on problem areas or results of games, and not about all the good that is happening right in front of us.�� We often don’t get to hear or understand the student-athlete’s perspective.�� Our goals have always centered on using the sports experience to help young people develop skills for life beyond college.”

While ���ѱ�’s athletic department honors a few of its top student-athletes at a seniors banquet at the end of each school year, these new awards open avenues to recognize Royals’ student-athletes in a more public avenue.

“These recognitions and awards remind us of the purpose for athletics and help us celebrate student-athletes,” explained King.�� “Celebrating student-athletes in theses ways keeps us aligned with the values and philosophy of Division III.”