Winning Combination

A longstanding relationship between Oakland University Athletics and the Grosse Pointe-based Lakeshore Striders running club has proven to be a win-win for OU’s cross country teams and supporters.

“It’s a very unique situation and relationship we have,” says cross country/track coach Paul Rice. “We are not talking about a big corporation; we are not talking about one large individual donor. These are hard-working people who love running and love being a part of the community.”

In 2015 — the year in which Rice says the team’s fortunes began to change — the Lakeshore Striders donated $50,000 to the cross country/Track & Field team so it could purchase updated equipment for its newly constructed track.

“That was the biggest donation they’ve made, and it made a huge impact on our program,” says Rice. The Striders weren’t done there. Last year, the Striders made a $31,000 donation toward the purchase of two vans to transport the team. And even prior to these major contributions, the club made smaller contributions to the program and individual athletes in the form of scholarships.

The history of the partnership dates back to the early-1990s when Rice began participating in the Great Lakes Relay race — a three-day race organized by the Lakeshore Striders in which teams of runners cover 270 miles of rough Upper Michigan terrain.

The race, which has grown in popularity every year, is also the Striders’ largest fundraiser. The organization has donated a total of $380,000 to various athletics groups in metro Detroit.

On the upper fields at Oakland University, (from left to right) assistant coach John Nemens, Lakeshore Striders Running Club president Nick Papas, Paul Rice, director of track and field, Lakeshore Striders vice president Bob Baril. Photo by Alex Godin.

“When we started the club up in 1988, one of the club’s goals was to promote fitness in the community,” says Nick Papas, president of the Lakeshore Striders. “We knew this was something that would benefit kids from the tri-county area.” Because of the existing relationship the club has had with coach Rice — and because Oakland University serves students from Oakland, Macomb and Wayne counties — donating a portion of the funds raised from the annual event made sense.

“They told us that they’d like to make a huge donation to the program,” says Rice, who has run or volunteered at 15 Great Lakes Relay races since it began more than 20 years ago. “They’re not doing the relay to simply get more money. They use it toward a larger cause. They’ve always been a really giving organization.”

Thanks to the generosity of groups like the Lakeshore Striders, the OU cross country program has seen significant improvements since Rice’s days as a runner. And those differences can be seen in more than just aesthetics, says Rice.

“I think from a student-athlete standpoint, we’ve come such a long way, especially in regard to the student-athlete and making sure they are at the center of programming,” he says. “Our program is at an all-time high right now. With a state-of-the-art facility and equipment, our athletes know they have donors and OU alumni in their corners who want them to succeed.” Adding, “The athletes are inspired to step up their game for that reason.”