Big Bend awarded President's Cup

MOSES LAKE - Student-athletes, coaches, faculty and other supporters filled the DeVries Activity Center to witness the award presentation for the first ever President's Cup.

The award recognizes academic achievement in college athletics in the Northwest Athletic Association of Community Colleges.

"When we compete lots of times we're just competing against one opponent, but to win this award you were competing against 34 other schools," Athletic Director Preston Wilks said. "When I first heard that we had won it it was just real gratifying."

BBCC placed first in the Dick McClain Division, reserved for schools with seven or less sports, with an overall score of 3.97. The scoring was based on grade point average, completion of credits and completion of degrees and certificates. In the Frank Bosone Division for larger schools, Walla Walla Community College placed first with a score of 4.23. Marco Azurdia, executive director of the NWAACC, was in attendance to present the President's Cup to BBCC.

Wilks, who serves as the athletic director and head women's basketball coach for BBCC, places a premium on recruiting quality individuals as well as stressing the importance of academics.

"It starts with a vision of what we want to do," he said. "Definitely our vision is that we just don't want them to compete for us on the field or the court. Our vision for our student-athletes is they'll not only do well on the field and court, but they'll also do great in the classroom and in the community."

Wilks also gave credit to the coaches at BBCC, notably head men's basketball coach Mark Poth, head baseball coach Pete Doumit and head softball coach Ray Moffitt.

Doumit placed an emphasis on academics by organizing a study table for his players.

Moffitt's philosophy is he will only recruit players who have a 3.5 GPA in high school because he knows that they are disciplined in the classroom as well as on the field.

Wilks hopes that receiving the President's Cup will show that BBCC cares about its student-athletes and provides a quality education.

"Parents don't want their kids just used up and chewed up and spit out and thrown to curb," he said. "They want to make sure that coaches are helping them progress and learning life skills and learning the significance and importance of getting an education so they can contribute back to society after their playing days are done."

The President's cup travels to the school that wins, but Wilks hopes that it can stick around for a little longer than a single year.

"When you're on top of your athletes and you know every couple weeks what their grades are you can get in and help those students that are headed down the wrong path with their grades and you can correct it and get them help," he said. "We most definitely really will try to keep this trophy back. That's our goal and I think we're going to have a shot every year."

Other finalists for the Dick McClain Division included Blue Mountain Community College, Umpqua Community College and Wenatchee Valley Community College. Finalists for the Frank Bosone Division were Clackamas Community College, Mt. Hood Community College and the Community College of Spokane.