Bridgeport, Conn. - The Daemen College athletic department is the recipient of the 2018 East Coast Conference Community Engagement Award of Excellence for its Center for Allied and Unified Sport & Exercise (CAUSE) program. This award is presented annually to the institution that hosts an activity on their campus which embodies the principles of community engagement by building relationships and bridging the gap between campus and community.
Daemen Athletics developed its Center for Allied and Unified Sport and Exercise, or CAUSE for short, to fulfill the Division II Strategic Position Platform attributes of Learning and Service by connecting Daemen’s student-athletes, coaches and staff with families in Western New York’s Special Needs community. CAUSE provides opportunities for people with disabilities to develop physical fitness, demonstrate courage and experience the camaraderie and sportsmanship that comes with athletics participation.
In addition, CAUSE provides a supported venue for caregivers to access athletic-based care, participate in health and wellness programs, or simply experience the joy of watching a loved one compete. Daemen Athletics collaborated with Daemen’s Department of Social Work and Special Education to create new opportunities for individuals with disabilities (especially college-aged) to participate in sport and exercise during the school year.
One of the programs launched included Our Place Hours, which was held on Thursday nights and was held in collaboration with People, Inc. and the Amherst Youth Foundation. On Thursday evenings, Our Place students meet with Daemen student-athletes on campus for one hour of programming focused on sport or exercise, with the Our Place students choosing the activities and helping select teams. The second hour of the program focuses on socialization and provides a time for the two groups to engage in conversations and get to know each other better.
Sunday Sport Sessions is another CAUSE Programming effort that provides an opportunity for Daemen students, student-athletes, faculty, and coaches to provide sport sessions for individuals with disabilities during both the fall and spring semester. During Sunday Sport Sessions caregivers may use the Daemen Fitness Center, attend wellness programs, coffee groups or simply have some time to themselves before the start of another busy week. Many caregivers choose to stay and watch their loved one compete in a unified sport atmosphere of inclusion and integration. Older Sunday Sport Sessions participants sometimes choose to join their caregivers in the Daemen Fitness Center and exercise with Daemen Health Care Studies or Social Work students, some of whom are Daemen student-athletes working with CAUSE. Daemen Athletics has additionally added Unified competition to its Summer Track Series.
Currently, participant enrollment in the Our Place Hours and Sunday Sport Sessions are at max enrollment. Daemen College has received support from a number of foundations and local business to expand the reach of CAUSE. In addition, Daemen’s CAUSE was profiled on Buffalo’s National Public Radio Station, WBFO. In addition CAUSE was also recognized by the NCAA, placing third for the Division II Award of Excellence in 2017.
The Wildcats were recognized at the East Coast Conference Awards Dinner where they received a plaque and a $500 grant.
