University of Georgia Athletics
Gates Named To 2011 SEC Volleyball Community Service Team
November 29, 2011 | Volleyball
Nov. 29, 2011
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. -- Senior setter Kathleen Gates was named to the 2011 Southeastern Conference Volleyball Community Service team according to an announcement made by the league on Tuesday.
The SEC sponsors Community Service Teams for all 20 league sponsored sports. The Community Service Team looks to highlight an athlete from each school who gives back to their community in superior service efforts. The eighth annual women's volleyball Community Service Team follows:
Kelli Stipanovich, Senior, Outside Hitter, Arkansas
Sarah Wroblicky, Sophomore, Defensive Specialist/Libero, Auburn
Betsy Smith, RS-Junior, Middle Blocker, Florida
Kathleen Gates, Senior, Setter, Georgia
Ann Armes, Graduate Student, Middle Blocker, Kentucky
Lauren Waclawczyk, Senior, Defensive Specialist, LSU
Morgan Springer, Senior, Libero, Ole Miss
Hannah Wilkinson, Senior, Middle Blocker, Mississippi State
Brandi Byers, Junior, Middle Blocker, South Carolina
Kayla Jeter, Senior, Outside Hitter, Tennessee
Gates, a native of Wilmington, N.C., was also a member of the 2009 and 2010 SEC Volleyball Community Service Teams, and she is now one of five players in SEC history to be named to the league's community service team three times. This year's community service team includes two other student-athletes who are making their third appearance on the squad in Armes (2008, 2010-11) and Stipanovich (2008, 2010-11). The two previous players to be three-time SEC Community Service team members were LSU's Melody Clark (2004-06) and Mississippi State's Dorey Gray (2007-09).
An Exercise and Sports Science/Pre-Med major, Gates currently serves as the President of the Student Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) at Georgia and has been on the SAAC as a volleyball team representative since 2009. In her roles with the SAAC, Gates attends bi-weekly meetings and coordinates and assists with events throughout the year including a clothing drive for Project Safe, collecting can goods for the SEC Can Drive and assisting in feeding the homeless
Gates is also the Director of Awareness for AutismUGA, through which she coordinated Walk for Autism 2011 and other various events including a community resource fair, a spelling bee and dart tournament fundraisers. She also participates in REAL Saturdays, where once a month a local elementary school holds a program for autistic students to help with social communication. Furthermore, Gates' role with AutismUGA involves handling the public relationship of the organization as she uses her position to make contacts with various organizations for support, updates Facebook, Twitter and a block and meets with the Board of Directors to plan events.
Another outreach program Gates has participated in during her time at UGA is Girl Power Day. In conjunction with a Georgia women's basketball game, Gates led activities and spoke to 200 Girl Scouts and their parents at the program on the topic of "Being a Leader and a Friend."
Gates has also been a leader for Team United, a coalition of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, Athletes in Action and the Georgia Athletes Outreach to serve the UGA student-athlete group. In this role, Gates attends weekly bible study and group events, and in 2010, she led a six-week long study and is the "multi-sport" leader, which consists of softball, volleyball, women's basketball and gymnastics
Gates has also taken part in Dig Pink months with her teammates in October of 2010 and 2011 to create awareness and raise funds to donate to the Athens Breast Health Center.
During her Spring Break in 2010, Gates traveled on a mission trip to Panama to teach vacation bible school and repair some churches. In was the second of two Spring Breaks that Gates has joined with Christus Victor Lutheran Church, where she is an active member, to go on a mission trip. In 2009, Gates traveled to New Orleans with members of her church to help victims of Katrina to rebuild homes. Additionally through her church, Gates has helped with food collection for the homeless and participated in Relay For Life in both 2009 and 2010.
Even more community service involvement for Gates has included time as a volunteer for Dawgs for Haiti, the Athens-Clarke County Animal Shelter and at local elementary schools as well as visits to Scottish Rite Children's Hospital with UGA Miracle.
Gates, a three-year team captain, is a member of the Blue Key National Honor Society and was named a 2010 Academic All-District III Third Team selection by the College Sports Information Directors of America. She is also a two-time member of the Dean's List who has been named to the UGA Athletic Director's Honor Roll every semester. The 2009-10 Scholar-Athlete Award winner for the UGA volleyball team as the member of the team with the highest GPA, Gates has been honored by the SEC each season earning SEC Academic Honor Roll distinction in 2009 and 2010 and earning SEC Freshman Honor Roll recognition in 2008. In May of 2011, Gates participated in study aboard in Croatia for three weeks.
In the spring of 2011, Gates was selected as a Peach of an Athlete Honoree, one of 10 collegiate student-athletes in the state of Georgia honored by the Atlanta Area Council of the Boy Scouts of America for excelling in academics, athletics and service to the community. Gates was also the Lewis Leadership Award winner in 2010, which is the highest recognition of UGA female athletes that embodies dedication, motivation, discipline and a positive attitude. Gates was also a speaker at the 2011 Fellowship of Christian Athletes Gala and she is one of 26 UGA student-athletes inducted into the inaugural Student-Athlete Leadership Academy based on academic and athletic success, leadership, campus and community service involvement, and recommendations of head coaches and academic counselors.
Additionally, Gates is a member of the Fontaine Student Center Advisory Board (FSCAB). The FSCAB's purpose is to increase alcohol awareness and safety on the UGA campus and through the UGA Health Center. Gates attends bi-weekly meetings with the FSCAB, contributes to the monthly newsletter sent to student athletes regarding alcohol awareness and effects on athletic performance and she has helped organize various events including the 2009 Halloween Health Fair, 2010 Safe Spring Break and the 2010 Dawg Gone Health Day.
