Frank Reich, the former University of Maryland, Buffalo Bills, and Carolina Panthers quarterback will headline the speaker's list for Covenant College's inaugural Athletic Symposium April 19-20. The two-day event was started by Dr. Oliver Trimiew, an Associate Professor and Department Chair for Interdisciplinary Studies at Covenant, and will be funded by Covenant's Kaleo Center.
The focus of the symposium will be Covenant's philosophy of athletics; what is a Christian understanding of sport competition and human aggression; what role and future do women have in athletics at the college; how has athletics and sport helped alumni in their academic life, personal development and careers. It will also create a forum for students to talk together about vocation and calling in athletic education and sport ministries in relationship to the Bible's Great Commission.
"I was recently elected to serve as a faculty representative to the Athletic Committee at Covenant College," said Dr. Trimiew. "At the very first meeting I attended, I realized the primary constituencies of the College-- faculty, staff, students, board members, parents and alumni, have never really had an open forum to discuss the role of athletics and sports at a Christian liberal arts college like Covenant."
"Covenant College has had a long tradition and great success in athletics, sports and physical education. It seemed to me that with a relatively new academic administration, a growing faculty and student body, and a new athletic administration in place, this would be a great time to sit down together and discuss some critical questions about athletics and sports in light of our academic mission."
Mr. Reich is famous for quarterbacking two of the greatest comebacks in college and pro football history. At Maryland, Mr. Reich led the Terrapins back from a 31-0 deficit against Miami, to a 42-40 win. In 1993, the Bills trailed the Houston Oilers in the NFL playoffs 35-3, before a Reich-led comeback resulted in a Bills 41-38 overtime victory. Mr. Reich is now the President of Reformed Theological Seminary in Charlotte, and is on the National Board of Athletes in Action, a ministry of Campus Crusade for Christ. He is currently writing two books. Created to Compete examines a Christian worldview of competition and Every Play Counts deals with parenting children through youth sports.
In addition to Mr. Reich, other symposium speakers and discussion leaders will include Paul Banta the executive director of Global Soccer Ministries, as well as Covenant faculty, staff, coaches, and students. There will also be a two-day sports ministry fair in association with the symposium, which will allow sports ministries to share short- and long-term sports ministry opportunities.
The symposium will be open to the public, and will be held in the Ashe Athletic Center. To register, call Dr. Trimiew at (706) 820-1560 ext. 1458, or e-mail him at trimiew@covenant.edu.