BATON ROUGE — The LSU gymnastics team enjoyed its fall break from classes by taking part in three community service events on campus this weekend.
“We are extremely busy with school and training, so the kids decided to use their fall holiday to do some community service,” head coach D-D Breaux said. “It is an important part of what we do because community service is one of our three main goals along with academic and athletic success.”
The entire team helped teach a Bengal gymnastics class at the Carl Maddox Field House Thursday evening, the first day of fall break. The team worked with preschoolers through beginners and gave special attention on all four events.
The gymnastics program helped sponsor the kid’s bike race Saturday presented by Wheels to Succeed. The entire team gathered in front of the field house on campus at 10 a.m. and assisted kids in a bike race around the facility.
“Instead of going home during fall break we had a lot of fun helping others by spending time with kids, the elderly and the disabled,” senior Summer Hubbard said. “These events allowed us to make a difference in other people’s lives, and ultimately it made a huge difference in our lives to be a part of this.”
The team assisted at a Senior Olympics event at LSU’s Bernie Moore Track Stadium Sunday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Members of the team served as judges and measured distances on shot puts and javelin throws as well as spending time with athletes on the track.
“We had fun the whole weekend by spending time with kids Thursday and Saturday and helping out with the Senior Olympics Sunday,” senior Susan Jackson said. “The bike race with the kids Saturday was awesome ? seeing the smiles on their faces and the fun they were having. Helping out with the Senior Olympics was fun and we learned a lot about track and field events.”
The team will return to practice Monday at 2 p.m., and the next community service event will take place Oct. 24 when the gymnasts take part in “Boo at the Zoo” where they will dress up in costumes and pass out candy to kids at BREC’s Baton Rouge Zoo.
Gym Team Uses Fall Break to Serve