August 4, 2011

Positively Pacers – Giving Back and Promoting the Pacer Cause

The University of South Carolina Aiken is a proud member of NCAA Division II.

Two of the things that make NCAA Division II the place to be for USC Aiken is its stance on a positive game environment and its affinity for community engagement.

To this end, USC Aiken always makes sure to do various things to promote a positive game environment such as having student-athletes read positive game environment statements via taped segments and doing unique things like having a mascot summit between Ace the Pacer and Augusta State’s Al. E. Cat prior to the USC Aiken-Augusta State rivalry basketball meetings.

The Pacers are involved with the community year round, but last year a unique tradition was started and it will be continued this year with a few more things added.

“To me, this is all about tying in our positive environment and our community involvement,” noted USC Aiken athletic director Randy Warrick. “We want our student-athletes to go out and be involved in the community. The Aiken community does so much for us and this is a way for us to give back once again.”

The city of Aiken will celebrate “Positively Pacers” week Aug. 15-21.

The “Positively Pacers” week is a lead-in to the upcoming Pacer athletic campaign as the 2011-12 USC Aiken athletic year is set to begin in the month of August with fall 2011 Pacer student-athletes set to report for preseason camp on Friday, Aug. 12.

To celebrate the start of the special week once again, Aiken Mayor Fred Cavanaugh, USC Aiken Chancellor Dr. Thomas Hallman, USC Aiken Athletic Director Randy Warrick and many others gathered together on Aug. 3 for a picture commemorating the momentous event.

USC Aiken student-athletes will help promote USC Aiken athletics by doing community service projects throughout Aiken with Pacer student-athletes, coaches and even Ace showing up throughout Aiken to help out worthy causes during the “Positively Pacers” week.

The culmination of the “Positively Pacers” week will be at 6 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 19 at the Convocation Center. The “Positively Pacers” event is a unique pep rally designed to get everyone excited about the 2011-12 Pacer athletic year.

The event is being co-sponsored by the USC Aiken athletic department and the USC Aiken office of student involvement.

There will be free food and giveaways throughout the evening. All of the Pacer athletic teams will be in attendance and will give a short presentation about their upcoming years.

As a way to promote the Pacer cause, all of those that bring another schools t-shirt (high school or college) can turn that shirt in for a free Pacers t-shirt.

The “Positively Pacers” event is free and open to the public.

Please click the link below to learn more about last year’s “Positively Pacers” week event. The link includes a photo gallery of Pacer student-athletes at various organizations throughout the Aiken community.

2010 Positively Pacers Week Event

**Pictured (from left-to-right):

Coach Leroy Green, Aiken Youth Development Fitness Center

Tiffany Jubak, Pepper Hill Nursing Home

Wanda Greene, Aiken Youth Development Fitness Center

Chrissey Miller, Aiken SPCA

Aiken Mayor Fred Cavanaugh

Elaine Jackson, Christ Central

Kenny Evenson, First Tee of Aiken

Deshawn Lattimore, Helping Hands

Andrew McCaskill, Christ Central

Dr. Thomas Hallman, USC Aiken Chancellor

Randy Warrick, USC Aiken Athletic Director

And of course “Ace the Pacer” in the middle!