Community service is an important aspect of the University of Houston-Victoria athletic program and UHV Athletics Director Ashley Walyuchow and five members of the Jaguars baseball team exemplified that recently by participating in the first Smith Elementary School College Pep Rally.

Pitchers Chase Graves (Victoria), David Groux (Friendswood) and Pete Ontiveros (Pearland), along with center fielder Ryan Gilbert (Rosenberg) and second baseman Anthony Phillips (San  Diego, CA) joined Walyuchow to reinforce the importance of a college education in fulfilling ones dreams.

Walyuchow talked to the students about his college days and what it meant to him in helping fulfill his dreams of becoming a play-by-play announcer and a college athletics director.

"I've gotten those opportunities because I went to college," Walyuchow told the students. "Without my degree neither one of those goals would have been possible, that's why education is so important.

"I wouldn't be doing what I'm doing without my degree and without having been successful in high school, middle school and elementary school."

The appearance by the players was part of the Jaguars' exemplification of the NAIA's Champion of Character program which includes the five core values of Integrity, Respect, Responsibility, Sportsmanship and Servant Leadership.

These character values help young people and those associated with them make good choices in all aspects of their life and reflects the true spirit of competition.

The players introduced themselves and shared their thoughts on their college careers as well as their athletic careers advising the students that athletics was a good way for them to get to college but education was still the primary goal. The players also tossed out foam baseballs to the students along with some T-shirts.