ACCC Student Brian Jacobs is this week's guest blogger. Brian interviewed several members of the Buccaneer athletic community for this story....
Collegiate athletics may be recognized as a gateway to professional sports. One single athlete can put a college on the map. Atlantic Cape Community College is not known as a national powerhouse, nor does it produce many ESPN highlight reels, but no college in the nation has a man like Michael Rennick.
Born in Buffalo, New York, Rennick was exposed to sports just about everywhere he lived. He had the opportunity to grow up in states such as New York, Connecticut, Indiana, Florida, Virginia and Illinois. Each of these states have a reputation as top-notch sporting areas.
“I was exposed to several different sports that were popular in each region. For example, soccer was very popular in the northeast and not popular at all in the Midwest when I was growing up,” said Rennick. It is no mystery that hockey in Connecticut is just as big as football is in Florida. The reputation of sports just depends on the interest of the local population.
No matter where you are in the United States, you will always be introduced with new surroundings and different personalities. Things may seem different from place to place, but one thing remains the same. There will always be sports, and there will always be fans of sports. Michael Rennick is one of them.
Growing up, Rennick played baseball and basketball in high school. He then brought his teenage experiences with him to college, where he ran the collegiate intramural program for two years.
With the intentions of bringing the alumni onto campus to watch ACCC athletics, the school will introduce softball in the spring of 2010, as well as baseball and volleyball. “I want to create interest on campus for all the sports so that we have good crowds at all of our home events,” said Rennick.
With a strong interest in sports management and education, Rennick has set some goals for himself. He is currently pursuing a master’s degree in education and athletic administration. “I love sports, and I enjoy creating an athletic environment which will offer a chance to compete at the intercollegiate level for as many student-athletes as possible.”
The school’s archery team is one of the top groups in the nation, and Rennick is working hard to spread that talent throughout ACCC’s athletics. It may take time to reach the archery team’s prestige, but Rennick has shown the heart and determination to do so. “I know that he is a great guy and has been very helpful. From what I hear he is a good coach,” Said ACCC’s archery coach Mick Ebert.
Working along with Rennick as ACCC’s soccer coach, Lisa Givens has gotten to know him fairly well. “Mike was always driven and very committed to not only the success of the soccer club, but ACCC athletics as a whole,” said Givens. “Mike Rennick is a very focused individual and has the leadership qualities to take the athletics department to the next level.”
