Washington State University student-athletes and Butch shared the holiday spirit with Cougar fans at the Pullman Senior Center, Monday.
During the fall semester, student-athletes visited the center on a weekly basis, sharing stories, playing games, and enjoying each other's company. With Christmas break approaching, Monday's visit was the final one of 2015. The weekly visits will resume in January when spring semester begins.
"It's great to come here and get to know them," said senior soccer student-athlete Kourtney Guetlein. "It's a chance for us to get to know the community and our biggest supporters who are always there for us."
This is the third consecutive year student-athletes have visited the center, which is an aspect of the Career Development and Community Service initiative at the WSU Athletics Student-Athlete Development department.
"It's cool to come here and talk to people who have so much experience, so much history, and done so many more things than you," Quentin Breshears, redshirt senior kicker with the football team. "They have been through basically all the things I'm going through now. It gives you perspective.
"What a great community for us to come together and create new friendships," added Breshears. "I got so much out of it."
And the seniors enjoy the experience just as much as the student-athletes.
"I don't have to twist their arms to come," said Steve Bell, Director of the Pullman Senior Center said with a laugh. "Once they've experienced it they keep coming back. When the students walk in, the seniors go right up to them."
Bell says the benefits of the visits for the student-athletes will last much longer than just time spent at the center.
"I hope someday in their lives and their jobs they think about how much fun it was to be here, and take that experience to volunteer in their own community," Bell said.
Football student-athlete Quentin Breshears
Soccer student-athlete Kourtney Guetlein
Rowing student-athlete Katrina Tarrant
Go Cougs!
Jason Krump, WSU Athletics