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New York, N.Y. - With cameras in hand and creative minds, the East Coast Conference Student-Athlete Advisory Committee along with several administrators scurried through Grand Central Station and Midtown Manhattan attempting to complete a list of over forty tasks on April 25.  The competitive scavenger hunt was part of the ECC Spring S.A.A.C. meeting which also included lunch at the Heartland Chophouse and keynote address by former student-athlete James Hilaire.   

“This year we wanted to incorporate a fun activity that included team building and out-of-the-box thinking for our spring S.A.A.C. meeting,” said Melissa Perry ECC Director of Media Relations.  “What better way to promote healthy competition and teamwork then a scavenger hunt through New York City.”

Four teams, three comprised of student-athletes and one of administrators, trekked through the terminals of Grand Central and the surrounding blocks asking strangers to take pictures of them doing obscure tasks in order to receive points.  Teams took pictures in the back of police cars, taking candy from a baby, break dancing and playing ping-pong in Bryant Park.  Some tasks forced the teams to get a little creative when having to take pictures under water, behind bars or playing a “new” sport that was a combination of two ECC sponsored sports. 

The hunt finished at the Heartland Chophouse where points were tallied and the Knighted Lions team, made up of Lincoln Nembhardt (Molloy), Jackie Bove (Molloy), Chenelle Geoffroy and Laura D’Amore (Queens), was crowned the ECC Scavenger Hunt Champions.

“The scavenger hunt was so much fun and it really gave us a chance to get to know each other,” Bove commented. “We are all athletes so we love the competition.  Even though we weren't on the field competing, we still wanted to finish the list of tasks and beat the other three teams.”

At lunch, former student-athlete James Hilaire addressed the group and spoke to the importance of excelling in the classroom as well as on the field.  Hilaire suffered a life changing injury during a soccer game in his senior year that landed him in a coma for eight days.  When he awoke, the right side of his body was paralyzed.  Prior to his injury, Hilaire had planned to play professionally after finishing his degree, but this was no longer an option.   Although he pushed himself through rigorous rehabilitation and regained most of the function of his right side, he would not have the chance to compete as a Professional.  Fortunately, Hilaire knew the importance of a quality education and was carrying a GPA of over 3.6.  He graduated with honors in January, a year and four months after his injury, and secured a job in the criminal justice field. 

“James conveyed a serious message to all of us,” Bove added.  “It was a reality check.  Life can change in an instant and we always think nothing bad can ever happen to us.”

Following Hilaire’s speech, the S.A.A.C. shared campus and community activities that were held throughout the year on the individual campuses as well as ideas for conference-wide events for the 2010-2011 academic year.

Knighted Lions	Team Demolition	Pioneering Spartans	Dangerous Den