Wood Ducks in the community

The Century College women's volleyball team took some time out of their schedule this season and spent time with the residents of a local assisted living facility. The student-athletes spent the morning between two sections of the facility, memory care, and those in independent/assisted living. The players painted nails and gave massages to residents in the memory care unit. This was a great experience especially for the athletes that are planning on cosmetology as a career. The independent/assisted living area was a rowdier crowd and wanted to be entertained. The players started with some karaoke which soon evolved into a dance party. Some of the residents even joined in on the fun. The Wood Ducks finished the visit with a fun game of charades where the athletes acted out the suggestions that the residents put down on cards. There was a lot of smiles and laughter going around the room from both the residents and the players.

Head Coach Jay Kam wants to make community service a regular part of the program. "We receive a lot of support from the community. We have local partners and sponsors that generously given to our program so we get to give back. The pandemic made it difficult to work this into the season so I'm grateful to have found a recreation coordinator that wanted us here."  Freshman Jalyn Wolle felt the experience was very rewarding, adding "Getting the opportunity to make someone's day by having a conversation or entertaining them is a great feeling. Learning the personalities of amazing people and seeing smiles would brighten anyone's day. I was happy and excited to meet the people we did and hear their stories."

While the Wood Ducks keep working hard on the court and in their classes, there are other experiences that have made this year a success. "These types of experiences not only bring smiles to community members, but also helps us bond with each other. I'm proud of this team on the way they carry themselves on and off the court. They realize that college athletics is more than just winning and losing. We get to be part of a community." – Coach Kam

Next match is this Saturday at MN West. Match starts at noon. You can stream the match here: https://web.gc.com/teams/nLW9Rs6bml4O/live