SACRAMENTO, Calif. – Freshman volleyball and soccer standout Jess Ponik had an idea. Ponik, who plays sports year round, wondered if anyone could use some of her old sports equipment. She thought the case might be the same for some of her classmates so she made a suggestion to the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee.

“Jess Ponik suggested the idea and we just ran with it,” said senior track and field athlete Samantha Carrothers.

Carrothers is one of 12 representatives on the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC), established this school year and coordinated by Athletic Director Mark McGreevy. Patterned after the collegiate model, the SAAC gives the more than 500 student-athletes a voice in the daily operations of the St. Francis Athletics department and the ear of the AD. They meet monthly with McGreevy and have worked on several ideas including re-introducing letterman jackets to the SF community.

“It is really cool because you get the individual perspective of each sport,” said Carrothers. “I am used to dealing with spring sports but it is really interesting to hear each sport’s perspective.”

In this case, it was an organizational tool to create a community service event for the Trouabdour athletic teams to get behind based on the suggestion by Ponik.

“There was a great response from the girls,” said Carrothers. “We had bags full of shoes and balls.”

Carrothers, who spearheaded the efforts, donated a pair of old knee pads from eighth grade.

“If I am not using them, they are just sitting in a drawer,” said Carrothers. “It was really cool to ‘Play-it-Forward’ and give it to someone who is actually going to have a need for it and use it.”

The SAAC conducted a two-week drive in the CLC and donated the collected items to St. Philomene Catholic School.

“I want to give a heartfelt thanks to the Student Athlete Advisory Committee for your efforts for the “Play-It-Forward” collection for St. Philomene School,” said Principal Ann Marie Faires, a ’71 St. Francis graduate. “Your idea and execution of the collection was outstanding and your kindness and generosity make a difference in the lives of our students more than you can imagine. You have touched and impacted their lives in a positive way. What’s more important is that you care and you acted.  Thank you Troubies from the bottom of my heart! St. Philomene is blessed by YOU and the sports donations!”

Carrothers, a thrower on the team, has been a member of the St. Francis track and field program for four years and has been coached in her event by her father, John Carrothers.

“I like being on the track and field team,” said Carrothers, who will attend Oregon State in the fall and study bioengineering. “Everyone is doing their own thing competing for themselves but it is still one team. I like how everyone comes together and supports each other.”

Carrothers will compete in her final Delta League meet on Friday in the discus competition at 2 p.m. She has a career-best discus throw this season of 93-10 to rank seventh entering the meet after placing 10^th overall in the shot put last week.

While Carrothers will be finishing her athletic career, she has left a lasting mark on the athletic department with the “Play-it-Forward” service campaign.  SAAC plans to make it an annual campaign.