Riverbats Defeat Central Texas College in Men’s Basketball Tournament

by Jacob Tacdol

Registration for participation in the spring 2023 ACC Rec Sports basketball league began Jan. 30 and is currently open to all ACC students. Last semester, ACC hosted a men’s basketball tournament after the regular season and put together a team of their top players. The tournament resulted in the ACC Riverbats defeating Central Texas College 62-58 in the championship game. 

The season will run from March 23 to April 27 with all games being held at Montopolis Recreation Center on Thursday evenings. After registration, Coach Tracy Partin, the Rec Sports and Athletics Coordinator, will assign students to teams and develop the game schedule. 

In past semesters, the rec sports program has normally hosted about 1,000 students across multiple intramural sports including soccer, basketball, softball, flag football, volleyball, and tennis. Participation in intramural sports has grown since the pandemic and Partin anticipates more registration this semester. 
Students can register online for the basketball program and all other intramural sports at austincc.edu/intramurals. Partin and ACC Student Life plans to grow and develop the program to be able to compete with other colleges in the future.

ACC Discusses Forming Volleyball League

Why an ACC volleyball league would provide more than just an opportunity to play.

Story by: Alexa Smith 

In Priya Parker’s book, “The Art of Gathering” she discusses how gatherings must have a purpose. One might think the purpose of gathering for a volleyball game is to simply play volleyball. However, it is clear that for the women on ACC’s volleyball team it has become so much more. 

Tracy Partin has been a kinesiology professor at ACC for 12 years and a Student Life and Intramurals coordinator for 9 years. Recently, Partin has seen ACC’s volleyball team grow in a way it never has before. For the first time, ACC is considering forming its own volleyball league. Over 40 girls showed up to tryouts for the Fall 2019 semester but only 20 girls were able to play on teams.

 “My goal is to get everybody playing,” Partin says.

Which is what lead him to the idea of forming ACC’s own volleyball league. The league could potentially launch in the Spring semester and would allow more girls to play. 

The Lady Riverbat volleyball team in action.

So, what keeps these women coming back? What makes the purpose of these gatherings more than just playing volleyball? When talking with Partin and observing the two volleyball teams ACC currently has, it was clear that the women were not just finding a place to exercise but a place to form friendships and community.

“There’s a bonding that’s very special between the women in volleyball.” 

These are not just empty words. The team’s bond shines through in their gameplay as well. They don’t let one point go by without coming in for high-fives and cheering each other on. Critique and direction are necessary for sports, but the women on the ACC team deliver it carefully and with compassion. Rarely would they use phrases like, “You need to talk more” it’s always “We can talk more.” Even though they have only been playing with each other for a short amount of time, they already think as a team. 

This is what makes ACC’s volleyball games more than a simple gathering for the purpose of playing volleyball.  ACC’s volleyball games serve to support community, comradery, and personal development. The creation of ACC’s own volleyball league would not just provide a space for women to play their favorite sport, but also a place for women to support and uplift each other. 

 

Intramural Relationships

Written by Melisa Hernandez
Video and photos by Ruben Hernadez

Some students walk straight into their classroom at ACC, and leave right after to live their life outside of what the college has to offer. Often times, many fail to even interact with the peers inside the classroom. However, Student Life at ACC work to engage students through organizations, workshops and even sports.

Intramural Women's Volleyball

Intramural sports is a way for students to form relationships while being active. “Playing a sport teaches valuable time management skills that allow you to make the most of those blocks set aside for strictly studying”, according to the Huffington Post.

Intramural Coordinator, Tracy Partin recommends being involved in these sports. “Intramurals brings together students that have not necessarily met before, but are brought together on a team that is working toward a common goal. Therefore, being teammates brings them closer together.”

Hesitant to sign up for Intramurals Volleyball, communication major Amy Rivera put her foot down and joined. “[It’s] made my experience here at ACC one to remember. I have made so many friends; if I would have chosen not to join, I would not have the friends I have today.”

While attending school, some intramural players feel it allows them to get some exercise. “It’s a fun way to get some exercise and meet new people that we have something in common with,” says health science major, Kimberly Trevarthen.

Seeing benefits like the exercise and relationship building, some students still find being a player difficult.

“The only negative aspect to my intramural team is that we do not get enough practice time,” says early childhood education major Jessica Powell. “We all live far apart and our school schedules are different, so it becomes difficult to come together during off days to practice.

Intramural sports offered at ACC range from co-rec flag football to bowling. More information can be found on the Intramural page of MySL or on their Facebook. The college is open to other sports, not on the roster by contacting [email protected].

Pick this story up in the Spring 2018 Life4U magazine on campus.

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Male Athlete of the Year

Photo By: Joe Van Vranken
Story By: Halie Davis

The Intramural Sports & Recreation program at ACC provides ways for students to participate in a variety of sports from bowling, co-rec flag football, volleyball and more.

Terrell Hill, Business student at Austin Community College, posses natural-born talents for both leadership and athletic endurance. These skill attributed to him being named as the 2016-2017 ACC Athlete of the Year.

Read more about Terrell Hill’s story in Life4U magazine or pick up an issue on your campus.

ACC Riverbats Defeat Angelo State In Mens basketball

 Go Riverbats congratulations to coach Partin and his team
“ACC Riverbats won the whole tournament this weekend beating Angelo State 67 to 66 in the finals! We are proud of our students and their outstanding coach.” — Cheryl Richard, director for Student Life

Natural born leader

Story by Josh House • Staff Reporter

Photos by Jon Shapley • Video Editor

Trey Gowan knows exactly what he wants — to be a leader on and off the basketball court — and he’s doing everything in his power to make it happen.

Gowan hones his leadership skills at Austin Community College as a member of the Student Government Association (SGA) He represents and works on behalf of his fellow students as the Rio Grande Campus senator.

SGA Vice President Carlos Charles said Gowan shown leadership through service by volunteering to organize and run an upcoming charity event that involves collecting socks for the needy.

“He said, ‘I want to collect socks. I’ll handle the business and all that stuff. ”’ Charles said as he recalled his conversation with Gowan. “He’s always making sure he gets school work done, [too]. “[He’s] actually being a physical leader as well; leading by example.”

Gowan’s affinity for leadership is also reflected in his passion for basketball.

“I really want to walk on at the University of Texas (UT) and be a leader on the basketball team … and wear burnt orange,” he said.

Gowan didn’t say he wanted to make a name for himself by putting up big numbers or getting highlight reels. He said his goal is first and foremost to become a leader. This line of thought is reflected in his choice of role models.

Gowan said he looks up to professional basketball players Larry Bird and Tim Duncan. The two players are known not only for their production on the court, but for their tough mentalities and “no-diva” attitudes.

Although Gowan is inspired by Bird and Duncan, his goal of playing Division I basketball began when he was a child and was shaped by his mother, Michelle Kirby, who played basketball in high school and went on to play Division I at Clemson University on a full scholarship.

Gowan credits his mother with giving him his start in basketball.

“I started playing when I was really young. My mom used to put me outside with the dirt and the ball,” he said.

Mother and son spent hours on the court together and were very competitive. “In eighth grade Trey was about the same height as me — 6 feet 1. By the time he was in 10th grade he was 6 feet 7 and started dunking on me,” Kirby said. “Trey has a really big heart and when he does something, he does it will full thrust.”

Kirby said her son is training hard to prepare for the UT tryouts, a process that Gowan admitted would be challenging. However, he said he’s definitely up for the challenge.

Gowan said his training regimen includes bulking up on a protein-heavy diet, working hard at practice and training at the gym four times a day and said he believes that hard work beats talent, when talent doesn’t work hard.

Chris Braden, manager of the Train 4 The Game fitness center where Gowan works out, said that Gowan works his butt off and trains hard and diligently.

As Gowan focuses on physical preparation, he still remains dedicated to his studies and and responsibilities to SGA. He said he’s focused on being successful on and off the court.

“I’m just putting in my all and going hard all day,” he said. “Hard work beats talent, when talent doesn’t work hard.”

Discipline and leadership are traits that Gowan said he developed while in the Air Force.

“I know it takes a lot of hard work,” he said, “and if I keep it up, I think I got a real shot at it.”