American River College is home to 20 different sports including tennis, volleyball and water polo. The kinesiology and athletics department hosts and supports all student athletes on campus. This department is in charge of training and coordinating the various college sports teams.
Beyond the sports themselves, the department also supports academic pursuits such as degrees in physical education, sports medicine and kinesiology. It also offers courses in other activities including archery, badminton, pilates and meditation.
Those looking for support in classes related to athletics and physical activity can find it at the Heath and Education Homebase or the Dusty Baker Center. These offer both counseling and tutoring for any student getting into any of the above mentioned classes or fields.
Still, there are challenges within the department that require attention. Men’s Basketball Coach Mark Giorgi said the department needs upgrades.
“We have never had A/C or proper ventilation in our main gym. I have been campaigning for 27 years to resolve many issues,” Giorgi said.
The A/C wasn’t the only issue Giorgi brought up.
“The team also faces freezing cold mornings in the gym. The heater, when it works, must be manually started and can take up to four hours to begin heating the gym,” Giorgi said.
The Dean of the Athletics Department Steve Robertson, however, thinks the building is in decent condition.
“The training gymnasium is in a strong state from an HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning) standpoint,” Robertson said.
Robertson said there have been renovations on the main gymnasium, though said that he was doing all he could as the dean.
“Our students have all been very positive and have adjusted to the environment,” Robertson said.
The department offers a lot to both the student athletes and the average student. The wide variety of options and multiple avenues of support give students the ability to easily connect with others as well as giving them a way to stay active while managing classes.
For more information, students can visit the department’s web page.
