Stars on Sports Intro: It's time for Stars on Sports! A podcast-radio show dedicated to sharing stories about our athletic program at Lansing Community College. LCC athletics has a strong tradition. 23 national championship wins! Over 170 All-Americans! 19 MCCAA all sports trophies! Stars on Sports will introduce you to individuals that have contributed to our program success and give you the backstory on what it takes to develop it. We'll also dive into and break down the topics and issues facing athletic departments across the nation and right here at LCC. This is Stars on Sports!

Hello and welcome back to another episode of Stars on Sports. As usual, I am joined by our assistant AD and baseball coach, Steven Cutter. And today, Steven, we're going to be talking about, you know, we're taping this at the end of the academic semester and, you know, a lot going on in our athletic department at the end of a semester. Crazy where time goes. It seemed like we were just, you know, you and I talked the other day about, you know, just doing orientation. But as you know, you know, currently we're on the first floor of the Gannon Building due to a lot of construction going on in the third and fourth floor of the Gannon Building. So thought we'd dive into that a little bit today and, you know, starting to wrap that. Although, as we both know, the construction timeline always gets adjusted throughout the process. So. And I'm sure you've had other experiences with construction, but for every day, Michigan roads. Yeah, no kidding. Although 496 is open. That was nice. As we again, we're playing at Great Lakes Christian College right now. So going out, taking 496 all the way. And you can love it where they've done completed it, but that mile where it's not done is pretty bumpy still. So. But yes, orange cones, you know, as they say in Michigan, you got construction season and summer, so or by winter and construction season. But we're experiencing it too in our athletic department. And good things, you know, it's a challenge throughout the process, but just like in sports, you got to think of the result. You know, what's it going to be when it, when it's done and how do we work and work together to get there because a lot of moving pieces in the construction process currently, as you know, you know, we're displaced. Our offices are normally on the fourth floor of the Gannon Building all by ourselves up there. But now they're renovating those, which is exciting. And, and we can dive into those details. But you know, we're currently on the first Floor of Gannon. I'm still in boxes and some things. You've done a better job in your office of cleaning things up and spacing things out. And then also our gymnasium down, which has been down since August 1st. So our volleyball team played all fall at in the Lansing school district at Don Johnson Field House. And a shout out to the Lansing school district. They've been very helpful for us and for our teams to practice while our gym is under construction. And they're doing not a lot of aesthetic work up there, more behind the scenes work. That again in building over 40 years old with the pandemic and everything that have been able to take place financially to do the H VAC system, that's the big thing that's getting done in the gymnasium. But lighting and drinking systems will also be improved. But I've been here a little over a year and when I came in a year ago, the year before our athletic program was shut down because of the pandemic. Then last year we don't have a parking ramp because that was being built and when I took the job with a big hole in the ground. And then a year later we have a beautiful parking facility. So that was a very difficult situation to navigate through for athletic events. And now this year we're without a gymnasium for half the year. And you get it too. I mean, you have a facility that's off site and, you know, and in baseball you're constantly working on your facility to make it better. It takes a lot of work to maintain with, you know, the special infield surface and grass and those intermingling pieces. So what's your take on construction and how it relates to your program and the whole athletic program in general too?

I think in general, sports is a great preparer for what's going to happen in life. So we talk about, you know, maybe what happened in 20. You mentioned some stuff that happened in 21 and 22 and different hurdles in the road. And you know, we, we have no clue what the next hurdle is going to be next year. But right now it's. It's a gym that's closed. Multiple sports that are trying to play at different places in a season where it's cold and they need to be inside and everybody else at the high school level or travel levels are inside too. So it's an extreme challenge to be able to fit all that stuff in. But we'll have more challenges moving forward. So I think it's more about how we react and adapt to those challenges that ultimately determine our successes. And with that being said, we know like the fourth floor of the athletic department is going to be absolutely stunning when it's done. It's going to be incredible. The third floor with the gymnasium and stuff, the lighting is going to be updated and there's many updates in there. So we have to be a little bit patient with what's happening. And I believe it's just part of the process.

And you're right, and that's why I love the business we're in of educational athletic, because I do believe it's teaching us life lessons, teaching us how to handle adversity and how to respond to certain things that are beyond our control, that help make the outcome better. And construction is a perfect example of that because it's so fluid. And I'm very thankful. Tim Martin Facility that's communicated well. We meet weekly to get updates and such, and we're allowed to walk around and check things out because you're right, it's going to be exciting when, when we're done. The fourth floor is going to be an amazing place for our coaches and student athletes. And that with our focus throughout this process, is to give them a space that will be beneficial to them and even recruits coming in, you know, to sell them on our history and tradition. You and I are both big on the LCC brand and the Stars logo, and that will be present very visible upstairs on the fourth floor. And not many people come and visit us on the fourth floor, so we're hoping it's more welcoming and a meeting space for many people on campus. As you know, we want to integrate with the rest of the college, so it will be exciting. We're going to be very happy when it's done. You know, it's crazy how the layout of the Gannon Building is. You have the locker rooms on the second floor, you have the gymnasium on the third floor, and our office is on the fourth floor. We always joke that the architect must not have liked athletics to put us on three different levels in a building to make us go, you know. But, you know, we both like the stairs over the elevator, so we definitely get our work out there. And there's enough stairs in the Ganon to get us where we we need to be. But to your point, in this area, there's not a lot of multipurpose facilities, so that's been been a challenge. As I mentioned, Great Lakes Christian College has been instrumental in allowing us to play games there. The Lansing School District allowing us to practice and play volleyball there in the fall. We Went undefeated in Don Johnson field house and volleyball. So I fight my coach not to want to go back there and get back again and next year, but just all those hurdles, you know, like you said, it's cold outside and, you know, carrying equipment from here to there or, you know, if we're not allowed to store things. So that's taken a lot of our time over the last four months that this has taken place. But to your point that, you know, the end result will be very beneficial to our student athlete, the college and the community. So you get frustrated on a daily basis, but like you said, you just gotta stay positive and look at the way what the end result would be and how exciting that fourth floor will be and our gym will be. You know, most people take for granted the lighting, but I can tell you that as an ad, that's one of the biggest complaints I get is when photographers come in, it's either too bright, not bright. I need flashes. And if they use the flash photography, you know, spectators saying it impacts their eye, they might get headaches from it, you know. But lighting is very important in a gymnasium and ours with the new LED lighting that we put in there will be energy efficient and I think we'll alleviate a lot of those concerns. You know, how time has changed with water fillers instead of drinking fountain, we'll have a lot more water fillers in the third and fourth floor that will be beneficial, especially as student athletes. You see a lot of student athletes carrying jugs of water and it's very important to their daily nutrition. So it's just important that we stay the course and communicate and just work together. And I think the college has been very good to us on that part, as is the surrounding community. As we both know, we want to be integral part of downtown Lansing, the capital city. And we've been fortunate to develop some relationships and utilize some resources that have allowed us to practice and use other facilities in this area. I mean, it's not much different than you. I mean, you know, you know, currently our baseball field is owned by the city of Lansing and so is our softball field. So we have a nice relationship with them. But this, this just ties into that. So you experience that on a regular basis of being off campus and having a facility that you have to travel to from the downtown and you've had to use a couple of different facilities to here. And, you know, we both have that goal of building a facility on campus in the near future, as I know our college does too. So any other things you think of on construction or the fourth floor. What's most exciting to you about the fourth floor or our new office space

The fourth floor is just going to be more opening. You mentioned that very few people come up there and it was definitely closed off and dark and everything else. So it's going to be more open to students and student athletes. And it's a good place where they can. Another place on campus that they can study overlooking the gym. I've been told you're going to have free pizza and waters and pops up there for the people that want to come up and visit, a nice couch to take naps on and different things like that. So I think it's just going to be better for the student athletes in a whole.

I agree. And that'd be awesome if we did free pizza. I would love to do free pizza. But we are, you know, we have incorporated spaces that are multifunctional up there. You know, a viewing space for the contests in the gymnasium, comfort spaces for our student athletes to study and meet up there, spaces for our coaches to meet with recruits, and spaces for our coaches to congregate more. Our previous office layout, you know, it's kind of separated and segregated. And this one, I think has a better flow where our coaches will be together and can collaborate and work together and just again, talk about athletic topics. We take for granted our space. I could work on a table in the commons area. But we're very fortunate that LCC has put in the resources to improve our space and really help our student athletes out and have a space to go to. And we will work hard on getting them up there if it is free pizza at certain times or other things. So, you know, as we talked about, it started in August and now we're in December here. And you know, as we talk December exam week as we are taping this, just crazy where the semester goes. And for us that's, you know, this is important. Every day is an important time of year for us. But as seasons wind down, there's a lot of reflection, a lot of work to be done, eligibility and auditing and grade checks for next semester. So this is a very important time for our athletic office as classes wind down and grades get turned in. And we're very fortunate. Got you to help me out with all this process. But we have success. Coaches and advisors and tutors for our student athletes to help us. And they're integral. I mean, especially crunch time. We preferably would prefer our students to continue and consistently do well throughout the semester. But as we know Some are really crunching right now. Finish strong and unfortunately we have resources in place because it's a lot of moving parts of finishing this semester while also preparing for next semester and throw in there. Another thing for student athletes is intercession. There's a little session coming up in between the semester that student athletes can make up credits to help them become eligible. You experienced this. This is important for your baseball program. What stands out to you this time of year with all those things going on with classes wrapping up?

It's super important. And it's different for student athletes than it is just for students. If you happen to not pass a class, you can as a general student, you can take that class again. But if you happen to maybe not pass the class as a student athlete, you may not be eligible to play that sport. And those sports are a big reason why those student athletes are here because it's been successful programs, so it's a little bit different. So if we don't have really strong success coaches or, or advisors or the support system, then those student athletes will struggle. And that's where the strong tutoring comes in and all of that. Everybody that is here has access to that stuff. It's just a little different ramifications for a student versus a student athlete. So when I think about the grade checks and the things, the eligibility that's coming up, it's a little more impactful for those student athletes because it can change the course of their lives.

Correct. You know, we're fortunate. We have over 150 student athletes and over a 3.0 GPA. And almost 50% of those are academic all Americans or MCCAA. But there is a small percentage that this is a difficult time of year for them and could impact them for the rest of their life. Because we will lose a couple of student athletes that will become ineligible in another couple weeks. And it's hard to get those student athletes back once we lose them. So that's why we're really trying to utilize the resources that LCC has available to all the students, as you mentioned, but particularly to our student athletes so that we can try and help every one of them succeed. And as we both know in the law averages, that doesn't always work out, but it's a very stressful time for many students and student athletes. The word exam had usually a negative connotation to it, but in the end it's just so does discipline. So true. And in our world, discipline is something every day, not necessarily punishment, but again, back to how you look at Perspective. And you know, we do study halls for our team, we do team check ins. We're working hard to try and help those student athletes succeed. But unfortunately we still have a small percentage that will need even more help in the next couple of weeks to see where their path goes moving forward. But you know, as we wrap up this semester, you have any memories that stand out or things that stand out from the fall of 2022?

One of the bigger things that stands out to me is just the amount of people back on campus. It's such a difference from a year ago. So whether it was the student athlete orientation that started in August or the home at another facility, whether it was volleyball or men's and women's basketball or cross country, it's been really well supported. And as you walk around, whether it's in Gannon or TLC or anywhere else, you see a lot of people and a lot of people who are trying to get better and learn and grow. And it's nice to be encompassed by that.

Totally agree. It is exciting to see more students back on campus, student athletes and participants. But even walking over here today and running into the athletes out on the campus mall and such and all the activity that this college provides, there are activities going on in the Gannon hall as we walk by. Pizza with the professors and the welcome back week and the party with the press that just seemed like yesterday that we were dunking Dr. Robinson. But now we wrap up another semester and head into exams and all the support, support there that our college does for exams. And you're right, ebbs and flows of this semester, as you mentioned, with our teams. Some teams have completed their season, some are in the middle and some are starting right around the corner. So, you know, that's the exciting thing about athletics. The seasons that, you know, the new starts, the struggle through the middle and the reflection on completed seasons. And our goal is to always get better and be better the next day. So exciting time for us. Any favorite moments over the last week? I'm not going to bring up any World cup today. The US Lost after the recording of this so we can move on to the other events in the sports world. You know, just to me, you know, right now, as we take this as college football and all the traditions that campuses do in college football, it's pretty neat. To me, the one that stands out is a lot of talk at the University of Iowa where before their game they wave up to the hospital, they have cancer, kids on the fourth floor, I believe, and the whole stadium waves. Some stadiums do songs or dances and such, but that one's pretty special and getting a lot of attention as we wrap up the college football season that we'll have to come up with one here at LCC. Our own tradition at some of our facilities as we get more students and spectators back on campus, as you mentioned, that's exciting for us. Once that gym opens hopefully in January and we have parking, you know, that would be an exciting time to do some cool events here on campus. So. Well, thank you, Stephen. And again, I thought we, you know, as we conclude this semester and, you know, talk about our, you know, our construction schedule and what the end of the academic semester means to us. Still a lot going on as we head into a break in the semesters, but a lot of good things going on on campus. Again, exciting to talk about that, exciting to look forward and until next time, audience. Go to LCCstars.com to get more information on our athletic program or LCC Connect to get more on other information going on on campus. Go Stars.

Stars on Sports Outro: Stars on Sports is recorded live at the WLNZ studios. Engineering and production assistance are provided by Daedalian Lowry. You can listen to this episode and other episodes of Stars on Sports on demand at LCCconnect.org to find more information about our athletic program, visit LCCstars.com thanks for listening. Go Stars!