University of Wisconsin-Superior Athletics

We Are Superior is a mantra that UW-Superior Athletics strives to embody every day, but it is also more than that. It's a statement of unity, one bringing together everyone in Superior and Douglas County.

"For a number of years our department has used the phrase 'We Are Superior' as a rallying cry, but it is definitely not something that is limited to our department or UW-Superior," said UW-Superior Athletics Director Nick Bursik. "We also view it is something that ties us to the community, to the schools and the youth organizations. This year it was very important for us as a department to make sure we did our part, to show we are part of the community and we are here to support people in the best ways we can."
 

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1,000 Hours Of Community Service
Once again in 2017-18 Yellowjacket Athletics has donated more than 1,000 hours of community service to groups and events in the Twin Ports Area, marking the fourth straight year

Yellowjacket student-athletes and staff have worked to benefit the community.

"When a student-athlete commits to UW-Superior they know they are committing to more than just their sport. There is obviously a high expectation that they are going to be heavily committed to excelling in their sport or sports as well as the classroom," Bursik said. "What they maybe don't realize right away is that they are also committing to excelling in the community and being a positive citizen to Superior and Douglas County."

Events and organizations that benefited from the participation of Yellowjacket Athletics include:

UW-Superior Move In Day
Superior High School - Evaluation of senior projects
UW-Superior Veteran and Non-Traditional Student Center - Running for our Heroes

Superior Amateur Hockey Association
Special Olympics
Caroling for Cans - Food Drive Benefiting St. Vincent de Paul
Bong Heritage Center Fundraiser
Toys for Tots
Salvation Army Bell Ringing
Feed Our Starving Children
'Jacket Day With The Challenge Center
Hurricane Harvey Fundraiser

"As a department we work very hard to make a positive impact in the community and we're proud of making it four years in a row where Yellowjacket Athletics has donated more than 1,000 hours back to the community. It is important for us to give back to the people that give so much to us," Bursik said. "We are also very proud to have served such a variety of groups and organizations. You can't put a value on what our community service provides to our student-athletes or to the group receiving the benefit."

The Yellowjacket student-athlete who accumulated the most volunteer hours in 2017-18 will receive the Yellowjacket Community Service Award, which will be presented at the Yellowjacket Athletic Honors banquet in May.
 

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$5,000 Donated To Local Youth Sports Organizations
In 2017-18 UW-Superior Athletics targeted its cause game efforts to benefit the youth sports organizations in Superior. Each Yellowjacket sports team had one home game or event where they would wear a Columbia Blue warm-up shirt, jersey, or hat adorned with the slogan "We Are Superior - We Are One Supporting Superior Athletes". The color is representative of the colors worn by youth sports teams in Superior as well as Superior High School. Sales of the jerseys and apparel as well as the ticket proceeds from those specific contests are being donated back to Superior youth sports organizations.

"Over the years we have wanted to increase our involvement with the youth sports organizations in Superior and I think these cause games were a great vehicle to help us achieve that goal," Bursik said. "We are thrilled with the way the community came out to support the events and we are excited to be able to have a positive relationship with all of these groups that we can build on for years to come."

Local Youth Sports Organizations Benefiting Include:

Superior Basketball Association
Superior Youth Organization
Superior Amateur Hockey Association
Club Superior Volleyball
Superior Soccer Association
Superior-Douglas County YMCA

"We are excited to be able to invite representatives from each of these groups to join us at our Yellowjacket Athletic Honors banquet and have them present for the check ceremony," Bursik said. To know so many of these youth athletes, some who will one day be Yellowjackets are going to benefit from what we did this year is a really gratifying thing for every member of our department.

There are still We Are Superior Columbia Blue t-shirts and hockey jerseys available for purchase. To make a purchase or to ask for more information please contact Yellowjacket Athletics at 715-395-4619 or by e-mail at sports@uwsuper.edu.