Concordia Celebrates Fifty Years of Women’s Athletics

Cougars Celebrate Their Love of the Game

Concordia University Chicago kicked off the 50th Anniversary of Women’s Athletics Friday-Sunday, July 24-26, 2009. Nearly 100 athletes, coaches and athletic staff, returned to campus for this special weekend. Festivities included family activities, panel discussions and athletic competition as well as a history exhibit of Concordia’s women athletics in articles, photos, and memorabilia.

“The weekend is a tribute to the program’s early innovation and to thank God for all we’ve been able to achieve and how athletics has affected our lives,” Chick Lillis ’77, WAFY committee co-chair Saturday began with an opportunity to connect with Cougar coaches past and present.

The celebration banquet featured keynote speaker Chris Voelz, ambassador for the Women’s Sports Foundation and author of Motivation in Coaching Team Sports. Rev. Tom Faszholz served as guest preacher for Sunday’s closing worship.

This historic celebration will continue throughout the 2009-2010 athletic season with recognition at Homecoming and Reunion Week, the Athletic Hall of Fame induction ceremony and Alumni Days for each of the current sports. Check Out Upcoming Alumni Events schedule for more details.

 “Athletics is now a part of women’s lives,” says Lillis, who generated the idea of the special need to recognize the alumnae who laid Concordia’s athletic foundation, “They started the path we were able to walk down. (This celebration) is a party where every athlete is the guest of honor and each woman shares in a celebration of their lives.”