Club Sports again exceeds expectations in Giving Day donations
10/22/2024 6:37:00 PM | General
Liberty's five men's and women's hockey teams ranked first through fifth in total funds raised with triathlon, men's swimming, men's lacrosse, men's wrestling, and shotgun rounding out the top 10.
Nearly 10 percent of all the money raised by Liberty University on Giving Day last Wednesday and more than 40 percent of all gifts were designated to its 44 distinct Club Sports teams.
The Club Sports department, which features more than 700 student-athletes, was blessed with a total of 3,008 donations totaling $563,865, which exceeded the department's goal of $500,000 raised in its fifth year participating in the event. The university as a whole received 6,976 gifts totaling $5,659,806.
"God was moving in peoples' hearts all over the world and they were obedient in being called to give and giving generously," said Club Sports Assistant Athletic Director of Development & Alumni Ben Hughes, who also serves as head coach of Liberty's Division II men's hockey team. "I feel overwhelmed and humbled by other peoples' generosity because they believe in Club Sports' mission of Training Champions for Christ. What those donors believe we are doing is using the vehicle of sport — be that the swimming, disc golf, triathlon, or hockey teams — to help our student-athletes look more like Jesus and help them know who Jesus is and help other teams to know who He is."
The Division II women's hockey team received the most individual gifts with 226 donations, earning a $2,000 bonus to bring their total funds raised to nearly $37,000, an increase of nearly 150 percent from last year. That was close to the DII men's hockey team's total of more than $42,000 raised and DIII men's team's $38,100 total, but still far from the DI men's team's nearly $138,000 raised.
Liberty's DI women's hockey team ranked fifth with $29,355 raised on 149 donations, followed closely by men's and women's triathlon ($27,356), men's swimming ($26,274) and men's lacrosse ($23,865). Men's wrestling ($19,818), and the shotgun shooting sports team ($19,006) rounded out the top 10.
Gifts included a $10,000 matching grant by a men's lacrosse alumnus to go toward establishing a scholarship fund for players who can't afford to pay their way through school as they play for the Flames.
Hughes said he experienced a full-circle moment when he had the opportunity on Monday to talk to the Club Sports student-athletes and leaders who represent their respective teams in the Holistic Development's Disciple Making Team.
"What they're doing as disciple makers trickles down into a day like Giving Day," he said. "That's what's moving the needle forward. People are discipling others on their teams and pouring their time and talents back into their teammates.
"The Disciple Makers are on the ground level, making disciples, Â And I get to see someone 20 years later stewarding their treasure to make that happen, and that is so encouraging. I hope the donors feel encouraged to see that we're stewarding those treasures well."
He said beyond thank you cards sent out to donors, Club Sports plans to follow up and keep them informed of stories of student-athletes' spiritual growth on and through their respective teams.
"We do that by saying thank you and making sure we communicate down the road when transformations happen," Hughes said. "Whether they are going on mission trips and sharing the Gospel, or winning a game and giving away Bibles, as some teams are raising money to do … it depends on what that team's vision and strategy is with those funds and we want to come alongside them to help make sure that vision and strategy aligns with Training Champions for Christ. In the development area, we want to work alongside them to help them steward those funds well."
By Ted Allen/Staff Writer
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The Club Sports department, which features more than 700 student-athletes, was blessed with a total of 3,008 donations totaling $563,865, which exceeded the department's goal of $500,000 raised in its fifth year participating in the event. The university as a whole received 6,976 gifts totaling $5,659,806.
"God was moving in peoples' hearts all over the world and they were obedient in being called to give and giving generously," said Club Sports Assistant Athletic Director of Development & Alumni Ben Hughes, who also serves as head coach of Liberty's Division II men's hockey team. "I feel overwhelmed and humbled by other peoples' generosity because they believe in Club Sports' mission of Training Champions for Christ. What those donors believe we are doing is using the vehicle of sport — be that the swimming, disc golf, triathlon, or hockey teams — to help our student-athletes look more like Jesus and help them know who Jesus is and help other teams to know who He is."
The Division II women's hockey team received the most individual gifts with 226 donations, earning a $2,000 bonus to bring their total funds raised to nearly $37,000, an increase of nearly 150 percent from last year. That was close to the DII men's hockey team's total of more than $42,000 raised and DIII men's team's $38,100 total, but still far from the DI men's team's nearly $138,000 raised.
Liberty's DI women's hockey team ranked fifth with $29,355 raised on 149 donations, followed closely by men's and women's triathlon ($27,356), men's swimming ($26,274) and men's lacrosse ($23,865). Men's wrestling ($19,818), and the shotgun shooting sports team ($19,006) rounded out the top 10.
Gifts included a $10,000 matching grant by a men's lacrosse alumnus to go toward establishing a scholarship fund for players who can't afford to pay their way through school as they play for the Flames.
Hughes said he experienced a full-circle moment when he had the opportunity on Monday to talk to the Club Sports student-athletes and leaders who represent their respective teams in the Holistic Development's Disciple Making Team.
"What they're doing as disciple makers trickles down into a day like Giving Day," he said. "That's what's moving the needle forward. People are discipling others on their teams and pouring their time and talents back into their teammates.
"The Disciple Makers are on the ground level, making disciples, Â And I get to see someone 20 years later stewarding their treasure to make that happen, and that is so encouraging. I hope the donors feel encouraged to see that we're stewarding those treasures well."
He said beyond thank you cards sent out to donors, Club Sports plans to follow up and keep them informed of stories of student-athletes' spiritual growth on and through their respective teams.
"We do that by saying thank you and making sure we communicate down the road when transformations happen," Hughes said. "Whether they are going on mission trips and sharing the Gospel, or winning a game and giving away Bibles, as some teams are raising money to do … it depends on what that team's vision and strategy is with those funds and we want to come alongside them to help make sure that vision and strategy aligns with Training Champions for Christ. In the development area, we want to work alongside them to help them steward those funds well."
By Ted Allen/Staff Writer
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