William & Mary - A history of community impact
This year the CGA is covering more than the incredible gymnastics feats of our athletes. We are going deeper to show the importance of NCAA gymnastics, not only on the lives of our athletes but also the impact that our athletes have on the world around us.
William & Mary men’s gymnastics has a tradition of community service. Captains, Connor Bowman and Aidan Cuy organized a community service event for their team this fall and we caught up with them to discuss their role in their community beyond the gym and how gymnastics has shaped their desire to give back.
During the fall semester Aidan and Connor organized a food drive with FISH inc., a Williamsburg, VA area non-profit focused on providing food, clothing, and other necessities to people in need. Their goal of course was to give back to their community, but they also feel proud that they’ve brought “awareness [to] FISH for people who might not have known about them, so that those who feel inclined can give back to the community on their own terms as well.” On an annual basis the Tribe collects between 2,000-3,000 pounds of food for FISH inc.
The William & Mary men’s gymnastics team is no stranger to volunteer work in their community. The Tribe have been working with FISH inc. for the past 14 seasons and have extensive history working with other organizations as well. The National Eating Disorder Association has an annual walk that the W&M team takes a leadership role in organizing to raise awareness about eating disorders and recovery.
Aidan and Connor both emphasized that community service is so much more than these large scale events they talked about the importance of being “present and taking the time to participate in smaller acts of service in the community”. The Tribe can often be seen volunteering as events for other teams, and helping new students move into the dorms.
These acts are important because they help to bring the community closer together. Aidan and Connor both explained that, “[they] want to give back where needed, whether it's something tangible or something seen through actions; That way others can be in a better position overall and can feel like they have the resources and have somebody behind their back for support.” As they say, a rising tide lifts all ships.
Connor and Aidan connect their community service to lessons learned in gymnastics. While gymnastics is an individual sport, “at some point you’ll plateau and you’ll need your teammates to help you along in your journey and grow”.
The same thing is true in the broader community. Connor and Aidan see the community service work that they do as their turn being the “teammates who support or guide when necessary to help others in their community get back on their feet and continue on with their lives”
Jack Trotter, a coordinator of FISH inc. explained that “the Tribe gymnasts exemplify the self-discipline, drive, and desire for necessary self improvement that are the marks of successful college athletes and are also the traits found in successful community leaders.” Jack is confident that his relationships with William & Mary men’s gymnastics will continue far into the future.
What Connor, Aidan, and their team have done for the Williamsburg community is extremely impactful. This is one of many stories about the value that NCAA men’s gymnastics has in shaping our athletes into the leaders in our communities.