Letter from the Director
Community is an important part of our daily lives. We strive to build community in our own lives with our family, our friends, our neighbors, our co-workers, and many others. Building that community not only helps us grow collectively, it makes us feel good to be a part of something that is bigger than just us as individuals. Much of our work in Student Life here at the University of Michigan is about building community – with students, with faculty and staff, with alumni, and with the Ann Arbor community itself. It is within that environment that we in Recreational Sports try to build community in our own way.
Through our programs, services, and facilities we try to make Recreational Sports a place to feel a part of a larger community. Our students and members are all trying to make themselves better by being physically active, learning healthy lifestyle choices, building leadership, connecting with others, competing in sport, and much more. Through participation in Recreational Sports, our students and members develop their own sense of community and connections with the people in their activities. You know that feeling right after a challenging cycling class? You know the one – you’re worn out but you know that you and the others in the class are making yourselves healthier. The feeling after a game of pick-up basketball with 9 strangers, but you came together to play a competitive game. Or even that feeling at the campsite somewhere the UP on a camping trip where together you think there is just no place better than this. All those experiences and many more can be a part of building of community through Recreational Sports.
We also want to be a part of people connecting with the U of M community and becoming engaged with this place. I love when I hear from a student who says, “I saw my professor working out when I was” or “the staff member I work with was swimming in the lane right next me”. Those types of experiences allow students and faculty/staff to develop a relationship on another level.
Often times our campus thinks of Recreational Sports as a place to go build muscles or to play sports. However we are much more than that. We pride ourselves as being a place that something for everyone. We are a place where you can find yourself, and find your community. In our world today, you can argue that the one thing we might need the most is that sense of community. We need to grow that understanding of and respect for each other. We strive to be one of those places where the sense of community is both understood and developed.
Go Blue!
Mike Widen
Director of Recreational Sports
Who We Are
Mission
Promoting a healthy lifestyle through engagement, leadership and activity.
Vision
Our vision is to provide comprehensive and innovative programs and services that promote health, recreation, and wellness.
Values
- Integrity | We believe in doing all of our work with the highest of standards and being accountable to our users, our partners and ourselves.
- Diversity & Inclusion | We will strive to provide wide-ranging options of programs, services and facilities that can meet the health and recreational needs of all of our user groups, while ensuring that everyone in our diverse community feels comfortable with any and all levels of participation.
- Quality Customer Service | We continue to work every day to provide an experience for students, staff and community that is friendly, welcoming and desirable.
- Fun & Professional Environment | We understand that in the business of recreation we will always combine high levels of expertise and professionalism with creating an environment for enjoyable participation.
- Leadership & Engagement | We value and embrace our role within a prominent academic institution and welcome the chance to create leadership opportunities for our students and connections with the campus community.
Brand Promise
Enhancing people’s lives by striving to provide exceptional experiences.
Core Values
Opportunities for Health, Recreation & Competition | We provide programs, facilities, and services for our constituents to become healthier, enjoy participation and strive for success.
Learning & Development | We use recreation as the medium for the personal growth of our students and users. Experience through participation or employment can enhance an individual’s leadership and development.
Safe Environments | We will work to provide environments that are friendly and where all people can feel physically and emotionally safe and welcome.
Enhancing the University Community | Our work will help us enrich the lives and improve the education of University of Michigan students. We also are committed to building on the tradition and history of Recreational Sports, Student Life and the University of Michigan.
Celebrating our History & Building our Future | We are proud to be a major part of the history of collegiate recreation programs and facilities.That pride drives us to continue to be leaders and best in improvingquality of life for the University community
New Hires
Stephen Higgins, Jackie McCarty, Sheila Calhoun
Staff Departures
Beanie Zollweg
Staff Milestones
Dave Arnold, Beanie Zollweg, Beth Freese, Nicole Green, Jeff Diaz
Highlights
- Paint and wayfinding signage in the CCRB
- Started Marketing Street Team
- Personal Training and Fitness Attendants created
- Sponsorship formed with Salads UP, CLIF Bar, KIND Snacks
- Group-X changes to sole provider of group fitness classes on campus; Kinesiology's U-Move transitions to offering for-credit classes
- IMSB renovations begin
- Sports Coliseum opened as temporary drop-in space
- First-ever CCRB Open House
- First Member Appreciation Month
- Challenge Program 25th Anniversary
Community growth
- Most successful year in Challenge Program history with the largest number of programs held
Area highlights & accomplishments
- 143 programs
- Over 2,800 participants
- Upgrades to the Challenge Program Building: exterior lighting, landscaping, and building infrastructure
Community Growth
- In partnership with the Dean of Students Office and SAPAC, trained 1030 Club Sport athletes, to create more awareness and foster a safer Club Sports and campus community.
- Club Council, in partnership with the American Heart Association, UMHS and the Red Cross, hosted a Hands Only CPR Event that taught life saving skills to 352 people on campus.
- Community service projects performed by various Clubs, including work with the Miracle League and Habitat for Humanity, providing aid to Flint water crisis, and being a part of community service events such as Victor’s Day and Detroit Partnership Day.
Area highlights and accomplishments
- 4 National Champions- Rifle, Fencing, Rowing and Boxing
- 1,623 UM students participated in Club Sports in 2015-2016
- 27 of 31 clubs competed in National Championships (a record number of teams)
- 28 of 31 Clubs received donations and overall, raised over $68,000 on Giving Blueday
- 256 total trips, including 4 internationally
- 10 Sport Club Supervisors employed during the 2015-2016 school year
Community Growth
- Stephen Higgins - Administrative Assistant hired to support facility rentals
- Hosted Lacrosse America, youth lacrosse national tournament
- More student organizations practicing throughout Spring/Summer Semesters - Alborz soccer, Ninjitsu, Graduate Cricket, etc.
- Mitchell Field renovation enabled us to become a premier showcase for youth tournaments and events in Ann Arbor. We've partnered with City of Ann Arbor and hosted several events in combination of Mitchell and Fuller Fields.
Area Highlights and accomplishments
- 298 unique rental contracts completed
Community Growth
- Added Student Coordinator for Fitness - Katie Gaither
- Start of Fall 15 semester we had around 25 staff starting and by Winter 16 we had 61 staff working at the CCRB and NCRB
- Mentored co-workers, team connection and friendships established
Area Highlights and accomplishments
- Demonstrated fitness equipment with students and members for the IMSB & NCRB
- Interview process to hire staff for Fitness Attendants
- Three-tier process of training followed by taking a quiz at the end
- Education of fitness policies
- Increased engagement with our participants to create a welcoming environment
- Winter Kick-off Equipment Orientation - 16 Participants
- Member Appreciation Month in February - 7 participants went through Equipment Orientation
- Assist with Group-X check-ins
Community Growth
- Recreational Sports, Kinesiology and MHealthy leadership conducted a year long review of how group fitness is offered and managed on campus with the directive of developing a proposal for future programming that best meets UM’s needs. As a result, on May 1, 2016 Kinesiology’s U-Move Fitness program was disbanded and Group-X became the sole-provider of group exercise classes on campus. Former U-Move Fitness instructors and participants joined Group-X and participation numbers and class offerings will only continue to grow.
- Hosted an interactive tour July 2015 at NCRB for a group of incoming freshmen (MSTEM program) - Approximately 120 students.
- Had about 25 participants participate in the body positive class that we hosted as a part of National Eating Disorders Awareness week.
- Offered 4 special event classes (Yin Yoga, Water class, Turbo Kick)
Winter 2016 Survey Results
When asked on a scale of 0-10 if someone would recommend Group-X to others: Out of 140 respondents:
- 117 Promoters--84% (scale points 9 and 10) Those who are local and enthusiastic about Group-X and will continue to buy and refer others to the program
- 21 Passive--15% (scale points 7 and 8) These customers are generally satisfied, but lack the enthusiasm of Promoters. They can be vulnerable to competitive offerings and are not immune from defection.
- 2 Detractors--1% (scale points 0 through 6) These customers are unhappy and can diminish a brand through negative word.
- The Group-X Net Promoter Score was 83. Ideal NPS scores are 50-80.
Area Highlights and accomplishments
- Sold 975 passes
- Offered 44 classes/week Fall semester and 51 classes/week winter semester
- Offered 3 certification courses - Cycle, Turbo Kick, NAFC
- Offered 5 continuing education workshops (Metabolic Conditioning, Yoga, Zumba, Cycle Watt training, TBS) TRX
- Did 16 Group-X on the Go classes
- Class on the Grass at Rec Sports Expo - Offered Yoga, Zumba, & Metabolic Circuit
- Partnered with Salads UP for Member Appreciation Month Fitness Competition
Community Growth
The Intramural Sports Building closed on April 21, 2015 with a small ceremony in the main gym. Members, students, close friends, and former Rec Sports staff joined in the celebration of closing one chapter and beginning a new for the historic building.
Renovation features included:
- Gymnasium floor replacement, improved racquetball courts
- More space for cardio and weight training, group exercise, new locker rooms, and new places for social interaction
- New fitness equipment
- Accessibility improvements
- Upgrade mechanical, electrical, plumbing, lighting, internet access – plus air-conditioning
- Exterior window replacement, stone and masonry repairs
Community Growth
Beginning stages of hiring for personal trainers began at the end of 2016 year.
Area Highlights and accomplishments
- Hired in 5 trainers
- Mentoring program which consists of 4 workshops, shadow sessions, and mock training was launched. We have 7 trainers that will be completing the process summer 2016.
- Without officially launching the program we were able to serve 19 clients.
- Updated the CCRB personal training studio space by taking out the lockers and benches, painting, new flooring, and adding equipment.
Community Growth
- The Sports Coliseum was transformed into a temporary workout facility that housed 58 pieces of cardio and strength equipment while the IMSB closed for renovation. Students and members living in the south campus region were very appreciative of having a facility close to where they live and a way to avoid the crowds at CCRB
Area Highlights and accomplishments
- The Sports Coliseum welcomed 30,000 users for open recreation (basketball, cardio, strength)
- Combined with all Club Sport, Rental Program, and Intramural Sport activity, the Sports Coliseum welcomed over 50,000 users for the academic year
Community Growth
- Played at NCRB because of IMSB renovations
Area Highlights and accomplishments
- Played 5,144 games
- Had 18,673 participants
- Had 8,932 unique participants
Community Growth
- New Rec Sports website created by Student Life Tech Services provided members with better online experience.
- New member emails implemented for proactively reaching our community
- Started marketing Street Team to engage campus community, educate about Rec Sports offerings
- First Member Appreciation Month created to give back to members and students in February
- Rec Sports 101 training implemented for student staff to learn more about other areas of Rec Sports
- Brand Playbook implemented
- Established relationships with sponsors (Salads UP, KIND, CLIF Bar)
- Immense amount of work through Auxiliary Marketing team!
Area Highlights and accomplishments
- Total Street Team Members: 12
- Total events participated: 102; CLIF Bar handouts, Student Life job fairs, Festifall, NorthFest, Escapade, New Faculty Orientation, MHealthy big events, BTD Housing fairs, CoE Welcome Day, Campus Days, Freshman Orientation
- Total CLIF Bars handed out: 17,000
- Sponsorship Sales: $3,100
- Impact pieces: Marketing emails, CCRB billboards, photo shoots for Group-X/IMs, CCRB wayfinding
- Facebook growth: from 1989 Likes to 2238 (as of 6/21)
- Twitter growth: from 1496 Followers to 1819 (as of 6/21)
- Instagram growth: from 396 Followers to 632 (as of 6/21)
- Pinterest: from 6.4K to 6.7K
- #UMHealthySelfie contest
- Marketing request process set in place; first formal marketing plan created
- Recreational Sports staff presented about new branding at MIRSA Conference at Oakland University
Community Growth
- Welcomed the Intramural Sports Program to the NCRB. Not only a change for our traditional Intramural participants, but created new opportunities for the North Campus community.
- Continued to find ways to make the facility a safer space to work out. Moved the treadmills out of the cardio closet to a more open space allowing for a more acceptable and safer run-off space behind the machines.
- Removed the entrance station to create more social space and allowing patrons to get in the door and feel welcome before providing ID.
Community Growth
- Ran first Intro To Camping Trip and plan to offer more in Fall 2016
- Changed our Smokey Mountain trip to a new route and curriculum
- New dogsledder contact in the U.P. who shared her knowledge and her dogs with our winter trips, and will do so again next year.
Area Highlights and accomplishments
- Brought together over 1,600 outdoor enthusiasts for the Ann Arbor showing of the Banff Mountain Film Festival
- 22 trips for students, led by students
- 1,629 items rented out for camping and fun