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Support your sports website
NORMAL, Fig .– Illinois State Athletics will host its second annual Redbirds Support Your Sport Challenge from Monday, November 29 through Friday, December 3, 2021. The unique five day event aims to increase financial support for Redbird Athletics teams and its student athletes. with gifts that go directly to the donor team.
This year, three prizes worth $ 1,000 will be awarded: Most Donors, Most Dollars Collected, and Highest Alumni Participation Percentage. Gifts can be deducted from taxes.
“Last year, our competition was only aimed at former student-athletes and we saw athletic alumni go out of their way to give back to Redbird Athletics,” said Marianne Riddell, director of development at ISU. “We’re so grateful for the support they have shown and wanted to reach a wider audience by opening this year’s Challenge to all Redbird fans. The Challenge is really about showing our current student-athletes that we believe in them and that they are part of the Redbird legacy as Redbirds For Life. “
The format of the challenge is simple, with each of ISU’s 19 teams engaging fans with the goal of increasing support for current Redbird student athletes. Two of the price categories are open to all donors: Most Donors and Most Raised. The third award category, the highest percentage of athletic alumni participation, will track the commitment of former student-athletes.
“The Support Your Sport Challenge brings back the competitive spirit of our former ISU student athletes in a fun, weeklong competition,” said ISU Athletics Director Kyle Brennan. “We’re excited to expand this year’s competition to the larger Redbird family, with fans joining in the fun. Meeting these needs identified by each sport is important to provide additional resources for competitive success that are beyond our athletics budget. “
Everyone is encouraged to give a gift of any size during the Redbirds Support Your Sport Challenge. An individual donation page was created for each sport at https://hatch.illinoisstate.edu/g/supportyoursport. Donations are also accepted by telephone at 309-438-5455, mailed to Illinois State Athletics, Redbirds Support Your Sport Challenge, Campus Box 2660, Normal, IL 61790-2660 (please write the name of the sport you wish to support in the memo), or in person in room 213, Redbird Arena during normal business hours.
Specific needs for sport identified:
• Baseball – automated computerized pitching machine
• Men’s basketball equipment, overseas travel, additional meals, and recruitment
• Women’s basketball – international travel, additional meals and supplements
• Football equipment needs and nutrition table
• Men’s Golf – Enhance the practice environment both indoors and outdoors. Inside: Replace club faces and screens in the simulator room and add training aids for full swing and putting; Outside: Buy new Titleist Range Balls for Mounier Golf Training Center
• Women’s Golf – training trip in winter; indispensable as a system for qualifying players during training to determine which student-athletes will travel to tournaments in the spring
• Gymnastics – new leotards priced up to $ 250 each
• Football – four mannequins for standard drills and free kick practice; Bluetooth sound system for field
• Softball – winter and spring tournaments in Florida, Arizona, Kentucky and Tennessee
• Swimming & Diving – improvement projects in the Horton Pool
• Men’s tennis – six complete tennis camera sets for filming exercises and games and a pre-season training trip
• Women’s tennis – six complete tennis camera sets for filming exercises and games and a pre-season training trip
• Athletics / Cross Country – new hurdles and starting blocks for the newly renovated Beynon outdoor athletics facility
• Volleyball – overseas travel, additional meals, recruitment and travel
If you have any questions, please contact Marianne Riddell at [email protected] or 309-438-5455. Stay up to date on GoRedbirds.com and follow your social media accounts (Twitter, Facebook, Instagram) for the latest information on the Redbirds Support Your Sport Challenge.
GoRedbirds.com and the Illinois State Redbirds App: Your Sources for Illinois State Tickets, Weisbecker Scholarship Fund Gifts, Multimedia, Redbird Merchandise, Photos, and More.