Freshman Softball Girls and Jackson/Binder tie for co-victory at first SAAC Athlete Talent Show
WILLIAMSTOWN, MA -- This evening at Goodrich Hall, a brave collection of our very own Eph athletes stepped up to the mic and onto a stage of a vastly different nature than any field or stadium at the first ever SAAC (Student Athletic Advisory Council) Athlete Talent Show. Ten acts in total competed in the event, with talents ranging from musical performances to poetry readings to magic tricks. Over the course of the night, it became rapidly apparent that the skills of these athletes extend far beyond prowess in their respective sports.
Winners were determined at the end by a round of applause from the audience. While all participants vied admirably for the crown, the victory was split between the six-woman ensemble of freshman softballers and the musical duo of Chessie Jackson and Ari Binder. The softball girls presented a lip-synched rendition of the Spice Girls hit "Wannabe" and donned outfits to match their assigned "spices." The sextet was comprised of pitcher Megan Casey (Posh), infielder Merrilee Weston (Sporty), pitcher/infielder Megan Dinet (Baby), catcher Amanda Correnti (Scary), outfielder Emily Levy (Ginger), and utility fielder Cedar Blazek (producer/manager).
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| Chessie Jackson (l.) & Ari Binder |
The JA pair of Jackson, a forward for the basketball team, and Binder, a member of the tennis squad, entertained with a rendition of Bonnie Raitt's "Something to Talk About," with Accidental star Jackson on the vocals and Binder on the acoustic guitar. Several freshmen from the Willy D entry turned out to show support for their JAs.
The event raised over $200, which the winners will donate to a charity of their choosing.
Overall, the atmosphere of the contest was lighthearted and playful. The judges' table, made up of a coach, a trainer, and three student-athletes, provided witty and sometimes unpopular evaluations of the various talents. Emcee and track-and-fielder Isaac Nicholson contributed a mix of energy and comedy to the proceedings, and even joined improv-comedy group Combo Za for a brief skit at the beginning of the event. Most competitors veered toward a casual, carefree approach to their performance, but a few took it pretty seriously, such as the four-piece rock band Roots of Funk who kicked off the show with an intense cover of Sugarhill Gang's "Rappers Delight." Sophomore softballer Oriana McGee and junior defensive back Ifiok Inynag balanced out the lineup with inspired readings of original poetry.
In conclusion, the SAAC Athlete Talent Show was a success, and this reporter hopes it is the first of many annual contests to come.
