For the fan that is really into FAMUathletics and is bleeding orange and green, the Student Government Association has a new athletic agency.
The agency is one of the newest of nine agencies that fall under the SGA umbrella.
“The purpose of the agency is to promote all sports and athletes so they get the recognition they deserve; and make the student body and the community aware of what’s going on in athletics,” said Jessica Jones, a senior political science student and its director.
It is a child of the Rock Solid Administration; but its roots can be traced back almost a year to a campus organization founded by Jones called Rattler Sports Connection.
“When the Rock Solid Administration took office, Andre (Hammel) and Tisa (Holley) felt the need for an organized and consistent support base for athletics,” Jones said.
“They came to me to head the agency because they knew of my involvement with Rattler Sports Connection and thought that the components and goals of the club coincided with what they were looking for.”
The new athletic agency isn’t only receiving the SGA’s support, it is also working side by side with FAMU’s athletic marketing department.
“The Athletic Agency is acting as a student support group to the marketing department,” said Earl Kitchings, director of athletic marketing at FAMU. “It provides a great situation for us to motivate students to attend more athletic events than just football games.”
Jones’ athletic agency has a 60-member task force of volunteers and a wide range of responsibilities that include publicizing all athletic events, addressing the concerns of athletes as they relate to their campus life, keeping the SGA informed of all athletic events, showing support for the athletic teams, while making sure they get involved with the intramural department.
The biggest event so far was The Midnight Explosion, which it co-sponsored with the athletic marketing department. The two departments worked with the men and women’s basketball coaches and SGA to bring a night of events, contests, games, and music to the student body.
This year’s Midnight Explosion marked the first time that the women’s team got to showcase its talent for the upcoming season.
“We appreciate all their effort and support,” said sophomore tri-captain Tene Miller and senior tri-captain Deidre Bateman. “A lot of people came out and the deejay definitely kept it crunk.”
The agency has a few events in the works for both the women’s and men’s basketball teams, including a “Fan Day” where the teams will meet and greet fans, as well as sign posters and schedule cards. On Dec. 3, it will sponsor a tailgate party with the junior class cabinet prior to the women’s game against Bethune-Cookman.
Jones is also working on finding funding to put on the Athletic Agency’s own version of the ESPY Awards at the end of the year to celebrate FAMU athletes’ achievements.
Although the agency is still young, it has big expectations.
“By the end of this school year I want there to be a campus wide recognition that athletics is just as important a recruiting force and representation of what FAMU has to offer, as any other organization or group that serves in that capacity,” Jones said.
She is also in the process of formulating a bill proposal, for the next student senate session, to make the Athletic Agency a permanent part of SGA; therefore written into the SGA constitution with a secretary to oversee the agency.
Presently, the agency is on a contractual basis, meaning it’s here only as long as the Rock Solid Administration is in office.