Awareness program for athletes created

Student athletes involved in Michigan Peer Advisors Creating Trust announced yesterday morning their new plans for an alcohol awareness initiative encompassing all Michigan sports teams.

University Athletic Director Tom Goss said he was extremely proud of the students involved in M-PACT and their enthusiasm for presenting responsible actions regarding alcohol at the University.

"These are the students coming to the coaches and administrators saying 'this is how we want to do things,'" Goss said.

M-PACT is a peer advising program comprised of and for student athletes. Since its founding in 1995, M-PACT has included 105 student-athlete representatives from 21 of 23 Michigan sports.

Kinesiology senior Beth Amelkovich, a member of the Michigan women's gymnastics team, said M-PACT strives to create an atmosphere where serious campus issues can be addressed.

"We are a group committed to helping our fellow student athletes," Amelkovich said.

The newest step taken by M-PACT includes an alcohol initiative that anticipates including one member from each of the University's athletic teams. The initiative requires each team to develop guidelines on responsible alcohol consumption.

"We've chosen to take a stand," Kinesiology senior Vanessa Lewis said. "Student athletes do more than just win and party."

Lewis, a member of the women's soccer team, said this initiative - conceptualized several weeks ago - is still evolving.

The idea is meant to educate student-athletes about the dangers of drinking irresponsibly, Lewis said.

M-PACT leaders said they recognized that there are many problems on campus and the leaders felt they could successfully start solving problems through the medium they know best - student athletes.

"We cannot stop people from drinking but we can assist those with problems," Lewis said. "We took a step, the initiative was made, and changes will be made."

Lewis said M-PACT's long-term goals will be to institute team guidelines and work the initiative into BALANCE - an orientation program where students learn about six different campus issues, including safety, sex, drugs and alcohol, during their first week at the University.

LSA senior Chris Bunt, a member of the cross country and track teams, said BALANCE prepares first-year students for challenges they will face during their years at the University.

BALANCE helps students find out "what you are going to come across (at the University) and how to respond," Bunt said.

BALANCE has never focused on responsible drinking before, but with the new alcohol initiative it will become a larger part of the program, Lewis said.

M-PACT's new focus on alcohol includes heightened attention to its annual Sober Sensation - a volleyball and basketball tournament open to all University students - and speakers such as Joel Goldman, known for his multi-media presentations and non-preachy style, who will deliver the lecture "Sex Under the Influence," challenging the stereotypical college views on sex and alcohol.

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