The Pio Barbershop Is Officially Open For Business

Pioneer Athletics Director Clark Yeager lived out his life long fantasy of opening his own barbershop on Thursday, April 23, offering anyone interested a free haircut. But the catch was – there is only one kind of haircut. The buzz. That’s right – anyone who wanted to have their head shaved was welcome to meet up with the AD himself in the Hall of Champions in Pamplin. Several athletes took advantage of this offer, saying goodbye to their hair as it fell to the ground.

All we have to say: Clark has some serious haircutting skills. Jeff Carman looks great!

Look at that concentration.

Jeff Pre-Buzz

Pumping Up Pamplin Tours

Athletics Director Clark Yeager and student-athletes and SAAC members David Berman and Lindsay Nixon, met with the student tour guides from the Admissions Office to provide them with interesting data about the athletics and physical education department to better engage and inform prospective students and their parents during their regular stop at the Pamplin Sports Center.  Information ranged broadly from the fact that 75% of Lewis & Clark graduates take more than the required two physical education activity courses and that the only Rhodes scholar selected from L& C was a student-athlete. The student tour guides asked very good questions and collected a great deal of information.  Lindsay and David added more personal detail and insight into the life of a student-athlete in more intimate breakout sessions following the information session.

Earlier in the day the entire physical education and athletic staff met with John Schneider from the Counseling Center, Bess Austin from the Health Center and Melissa Osmond from Health and Wellness to discuss how we could all best collaborate to help our students cope with common issues of stress, anxiety, eating disorders and abuse of alcohol and other drugs.  It was very evident that these friends of students were very aware and knowledgeable of the many issues that face student-athletes and very respectful of the role coaches play in their lives.  It was an inspiring and productive collaboration of professionals with the real beneficiary being L & C students.

Hall of Fame alumnus counsels students

Brooks Meek returned to campus on Thursday, October 2nd and met with a large group of L & C students

NBA Director of International Basketball Brooks Meek speaks to L&C students at a round table forum

interested in hearing about combining a passion with their L & C degree to construct a career they love. Brooks has combined his passion for basketball and world travel with his degree in International Affairs  to become an executive with the National Basketball Association (NBA) responsible for their interest in promoting basketball throughout the world.  Minda Heyman and Greg Caldwell joined other college staff in this incredibly well received career development opportunity. This kind of relationship between current and former students is indicative of the unique opportunity for Lewis & Clark student to “explore” all career opportunities while “discovering” where their passions can take them.

Admissions, Financial Aid, and Athletics Staff

Tennis Coach Gundars Tilmanis with President Hochstettler

On Wednesday, September 17, our staff sat down and spent four hours meeting with the staffs of the admissions department and financial aid departments at the College. President Tom Hochstettler made some remarks about his expectations for and strengths of the College. He then left the three departments to share their thoughts and goals for this upcoming admissions cycle. An open dialogue and freindly, convivial environment between the three departments is very important to the success of athletics and to shaping incoming classes according to established campus goals. Spending this time together was an extremely productive way to keep this process on track.

The Admissions staff, Student Financial Services and the athletic department are in very close contact with each other and with thousands of prospects through the end of next August when the class of 2012 arrives on campus. It is our students and this class in  particular that determines the future for athletics and define the College.  So this is among the most important work done on campus.

Claremont Football Game 9/13

Pioneers punch one in against Stags

We (myself, Coach Sulages, and his staff) entertained about 90 alumni, parents, and prospective football players and their families at a brunch in Claremont just prior to the Pioneers game against CMS. It’s always nice to be able to spend that time with our supporters and potential new Pioneers in a casual environment. What was even more cool was that the Pioneer faithful was both  loud and very well represented at the game, nearly outnumbering the CMS fans. Thanks everyone for that great support!

We’re hoping to do another meet & greet in Arizona (Phoenix) over Christmas break in conjunction with the men’s basketball team’s tournament. Look for more details on that event coming soon on the Pioneer website. CLICK HERE for pictures from the trip.

-Clark Yeager