In a year filled with national and conference level team and individual athletics accomplishments and 180 individual academic honors to date with more to come, the San Jose State University athletics department's families and close friends celebrated the 2018-19 year with its annual family barbeque.
More than 200 people enjoyed the camaraderie, food provided by the athletics department sponsor Smoking Pig, photo booth opportunities and games. Youngsters of all ages could be seen waiting a turn at the face-painting station.
A THANK YOU
"Really what today is about is closing the year. All of us are excited about starting a new chapter. In particular, I want to thank all the spouses, the partners, boyfriends and girlfriends who have a connection to our athletics program. They sacrifice a lot in order for coaches and staff to do what they do," said San Jose State University Athletics Director Marie Tuite.
One of the first people Tuite singled out in her remarks was Ted Lopez, finishing his second spring as the Sales and Service Manager for the department's Fan Relationship Management Center. One of Lopez's recent promotions was the 2019 spring football brewfest that allowed fans unprecedented field access to the Spring Game.
WELCOMED WITH OPEN ARMS
"It's great from an external standpoint, because you feel like a part of the department itself and not an ancillary siloed piece hired to do a job," said Lopez, who has a number of cost-effective ticket plans prepared for the upcoming season and can be reached at ted.lopez@sjsu.edu. "Coming in here as a contract worker, you don't know what the environment is going to be. I've been welcomed with open arms and treated like a faculty member since day one.
"It's not the same for some of my peers that work for the same company I do. I'm very fortunate to be here and be treated so well by everybody at San Jose State."
A HARD-WORKING STAFF & COACHES
Kinesiology department chair Tamar Semerjian completed her first year as San Jose State's NCAA Faculty Representative and was in attendance with her family members. Semerjian plays a vital role as a liaison between the department and the university and serves as a key institutional contact with the NCAA and the conference offices. Every NCAA member is mandated to have a faculty athletics representative.
"I think it's always great to bring staff, community and partners together to celebrate and acknowledge the work the coaches and staff have been doing. The staff in athletics works very hard. All of our coaches and staff work incredibly hard. To have a moment to acknowledge that is great," said Semerjian.
SPONSORED BY THE SMOKING PIG
All in attendance were treated to a barbecue meal of various meats, cornbread muffins, macaroni salad, and baked beans by The Smoking Pig, a relatively new department corporate sponsor.
"I'm a real big fan of what you guys are doing for the community. I thought why not put barbecue and football together. There's no greater match. It goes together with any athletics, any time, anywhere," said Jerome Washington representing The Smoking Pig with restaurants in San Jose and in nearby Fremont, Calif.
"What I have seen here with the people at San Jose State is 'family.' From everyone, everybody has shown me nothing but love since I've been here," he said from behind the buffet line.
"AN OVERALL SENSE OF COMMUNITY"
For past chair of the San Jose State University Academic Senate Beth Von Till, a long-standing member of the university's communication studies faculty for more than 30 years, it was another day of increasing pride being a Spartan.
"There seems to be more things like this going on around the campus the last few years than ever before. It contributes to an overall sense of community among the coaches and the sports. It's wonderful to see it," said Von Till, who recently completed her second three-year term on the university's Athletics Board comprised of faculty members, university administrators, athletics department appointees, alumni and student representatives.
"PRIDE & CAMARADERIE"
For new men's basketball assistant coach Tim Marrion, it was a homecoming. Marrion is in his third stint with the Spartans.
"It's great to see a lot of familiar faces and to meet a lot of new people. You can tell the amount of Spartan pride and camaraderie around the department. It feels special," said Marrion, who was a member of the Washington State men's basketball staff, before returning to San Jose State.
A CHILD'S PERSPECTIVE WRAPS IT UP
Three-year old John O'Brien was clear about his afternoon. For John, the face-painting station coming away with the look of cheetah and taking pictures with department executive assistant Khristine Lugo were his highlights.
Ten-year-old Riley Skorupka, son of women's tennis head coach Chad Skorupka, summed up the day with his straight-forward review.
"It was fun. The food was very good. The set-up was very nice. The overall area was 10 out 10. It was a nice day," he said. "It was nice to see everyone talking with each other and seeing people from my dad's work at a picnic. There was something for everyone to do. Everyone had fun."