COLLEGE STATION, Texas – The 2016 edition of the Texas A&M Baseball team gathered together for the first time in what has become an annual harbinger of the upcoming school year. The club completed the 10th Annual Paint-a-Thon on Saturday. This year the project brought the Aggies to the home of Ms. Juanita Burton in College Station.
The Maroon and White Nine rounded up a crew of 45, including all players, the coaching staff and various members of the support staff, to paint the exterior of the home, perform basic outdoor maintenance and landscape the yard at Burton's residence.
"This is a great way to get together as a team," Texas A&M Baseball head coach Rob Childress said. "It introduces the new guys and reminds the veterans what we want to do as members of Texas A&M Baseball. We want to make a positive impact, not only on the field and in the classroom, but in the community. We want servantship to be part of the fabric of this team.
"The guys did a tremendous job. After 10 years, it still blows me away what can be accomplished by 45 guys in six hours when we all know what our job is and we all have the same goal in mind. It is something we can learn from. When we come together for a baseball game, it's usually a six or seven or eight hour deal between pregame preparations, batting practice and the game. We've seen here what we can do when we work together as a team and do our jobs. Just think what we can do on the field if we approach it the same way."
Coach Childress instituted the Paint-A-Thon in 2006 and it is now annually the first team activity of the school year. The Paint-a-Thon has brought the Aggies to six homes in College Station and four in Bryan during the last 10 years.
"This is a blue collar event and the first time the guys meet their teammates it's with a paint brush or a shovel in their hand," Childress said. "This is a good way to let the players know we are going to work hard for everything we get."
Residences that need assistance are found by contacting churches and local organizations such as Habitat for Humanity, The Salvation Army and Elder Aid.
The Maroon and White Nine rounded up a crew of 45, including all players, the coaching staff and various members of the support staff, to paint the exterior of the home, perform basic outdoor maintenance and landscape the yard at Burton's residence.
"This is a great way to get together as a team," Texas A&M Baseball head coach Rob Childress said. "It introduces the new guys and reminds the veterans what we want to do as members of Texas A&M Baseball. We want to make a positive impact, not only on the field and in the classroom, but in the community. We want servantship to be part of the fabric of this team.
"The guys did a tremendous job. After 10 years, it still blows me away what can be accomplished by 45 guys in six hours when we all know what our job is and we all have the same goal in mind. It is something we can learn from. When we come together for a baseball game, it's usually a six or seven or eight hour deal between pregame preparations, batting practice and the game. We've seen here what we can do when we work together as a team and do our jobs. Just think what we can do on the field if we approach it the same way."
Coach Childress instituted the Paint-A-Thon in 2006 and it is now annually the first team activity of the school year. The Paint-a-Thon has brought the Aggies to six homes in College Station and four in Bryan during the last 10 years.
"This is a blue collar event and the first time the guys meet their teammates it's with a paint brush or a shovel in their hand," Childress said. "This is a good way to let the players know we are going to work hard for everything we get."
Residences that need assistance are found by contacting churches and local organizations such as Habitat for Humanity, The Salvation Army and Elder Aid.