Ranger Family –
 
As a core value, I truly believe in leading through listening and learning. Over my first 100 days returning to my alma mater as Director of Athletics, my conversations with Parkside student-athletes, staff, coaches, faculty, fellow alums, businesses, and community members have allowed me to hear about the ideas, concerns, hopes, and frustrations. It is these authentic conversations that have provided me with a better understanding of the character of our athletics community. A character that is built on integrity, passion, impact, and the pursuit to achieve relentless excellence.
 
Listening to these stories has helped shape the areas that I believe will be most important in our efforts to meet this unprecedented moment of new opportunities in college athletics and at the University of Wisconsin-Parkside. Parkside Athletics will look to be leaders on campus and in the community as we continue to build upon the successes of the past, while also refining our strategic focus for our journey ahead.
 
Over these past three months, we have had small wins to celebrate as well including our men's soccer team winning the GLIAC regular season championships, the launch of our women's golf program, the women's soccer team making the GLIAC championship, the volleyball program hosting their first ever GLIAC postseason contest, Katja Baeuerle making a return trip to the cross country championships, and the selection of our new University Chancellor, Dr. Lynn Akey.
 
While we celebrate these small wins, our work is far from done. One of the biggest threats to excellence is complacency. We must continue to elevate our expectations, find new opportunities to engage, and continue to support those that are a part of the Parkside family.
 
Critical areas where we need to continue to work to enhance our program so that we can consistently operate at a championship level include:
 

• Development of an Athletics Strategic Plan – outlining this strategic plan will help us comprehensively and systematically chart the next half of a decade within Parkside Athletics.

 

• Enhancement of our Ranger Impact Fund – the creation of this annual giving fund a few years ago was critical to providing resources to our sports programs and adding structure to it will help us grow even more when it comes to providing support to our student-athletes.

 

• Creation of our outdoor athletics village – the enhancements to our indoor athletics facilities in recent years have made a tremendous impact, but we are not yet with our facility work. The creation of our outdoor athletics village will help enhance our outdoor sports programs (baseball, softball, men's and women's soccer, track & field/cross country), bring the community to our campus, and improve campus life at Parkside as a whole.

 
The opportunity for athletics to grow, to help tell the story of the University, to connect with our community, and to continue to be leaders is bright, but it requires a championship investment.
 
And that championship investment starts with my family.
 
The Schemm Family is committed to donating $7,500 to Parkside Athletics as a part of the 2023 Ranger Impact Fund Giving Drive is currently underway.
 
We are currently at 71% of our goal of 250 donors as a part of this campaign, so I challenge Ranger Nation to see if we can reach our goal before the campaign ends on November 28^th.
 
I am truly excited about what lies ahead for Parkside Athletics and the entire University. I do not doubt in my mind that we can continue the elevation of Parkside Ranger Athletics over the next decade. The outpouring of support and encouragement that I have received since returning to my alma mater has been overwhelming. I am forever grateful for this opportunity to lead the fantastic staff and student-athletes that are a part of Parkside Athletics.
 
Go Rangers!
 
Adam Schemm
Director of Athletics