Bruin Club boosts student atheletes
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ISSUE: 09/13/07 > Sports > Bruin Club boosts student atheletes
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Bowling could help send a tennis player to college.
How? Through the Belmont Bowl, a bowl-a-thon, set to take place in October, that will benefit the Belmont University Bruin Club. The club is a group of alumni, former student athletes and friends who support the athletic program at Belmont, mainly through financial support as their money goes to help pay for athletic scholarships.
The man behind the Bruin Club is Wes Burtner. A former Bruin athlete himself, Burtner loves and is dedicated to Belmont University. Burtner entered Belmont during the fall of 1998, when Belmont was just beginning to make the switch to Division I.
“It’s neat to come back and see how we’ve grown and how we’re continuing to grow,” Burtner said.
The former basketball player said his previous athletic experience affected his decision to return to Belmont.
“I wanted to be here,” Burtner said.
That is obvious as Burtner accepted a position that was not his dream job. Last year, as the assistant director of compliance, he worked to see that all Belmont’s student-athletes are in compliance with NCAA regulations for employment, drug testing and other areas that must be monitored to maintain eligibility.
“It was a way for me to get my foot in the door,” he said. “A way to get back on campus.”
Eventually, the position as director of the Bruin Club opened up and Burtner was “honored to be asked.” He interviewed for the position, was hired and began last spring after the departure of previous director Clyde Russell.
Burtner said his position with compliance wasn’t all that bad, however, and he got to interact with students, which he really enjoyed. In fact, he liked that so much that he now tries to involve students in Bruin Club activities whenever he can.
“I want club members to see what they are paying for,” Burtner said. “It is important that donors and students meet and interact.”
It is also important because the money gathered by the Bruin Club helps cover the cost of scholarships as well as athlete awards and athletic event center needs.
The NCAA determines the maximum number of scholarships available to student athletes. However, Belmont does not award the maximum number of scholarships, mainly due to financial constraints.
| Getting Involved |
The Bruin Club kickoff dinner for the 2007-08 season is 6:30-8:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 20, in the Maddox Grand Atrium. Tickets are $25 per person. For reservations and information, contact Wes Burtner at 460-5668. For info about the Bruin Club, see their website. |
Full scholarships are available only to men’s and women’s basketball players. Even then, only 27 full-ride scholarships are available. The rest of Belmont’s athletes receive partial scholarships with amounts determined by the coaches.
Many Belmont students, especially athletes, understand and appreciate the Bruin Club.
“It really serves to connect the athletic community at Belmont to those that support them,” said senior cross-country runner Elizabeth Smothers.
Smothers also mentioned that many athletes carry on the connection after they graduate.
“I know several former Belmont students who enjoy the idea that after they graduate they can contribute directly to the athletic program here, which significantly shaped their own college experience.”
