BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) — Bringing a community together is something the Cal State Bakersfield Athletics teams to every game, but on Thursday they went the extra mile, working to raise money for student-athletes.
After a 3-year hiatus, the 48th annual CSUB Athletics Spring Barbecue came back to the Icardo Center on the campus of California State University Bakersfield.
This was the first CSUB barbecue for the school's new athletic director, Kyle Conder.
"The first things that I asked people in Bakersfield: What's one of those hallmark events when you think about Cal State Bakersfield that we do that just brings our community together, and I heard time and again, 'Spring Barbecue.' So I said we got to do it, and we're bringing it back," said Conder.
Another first-time attendee at the barbecue was softball head coach Dan Sperl. He took over the program wanting to bring the community back to the field.
Sperl says he hopes these events can raise crucial money for the department.
"Scholarships are the lifeblood of college athletics. They mean everything, and our ability to provide those to our student-athletes is what really drives us to the success we hope to have and build here at CSUB," said Sperl. "That community support is something that's so important to us as coaches, and certainly something that's so life-changing for our student-athletes, is just fantastic. It says a lot about this community and I'm happy to be a part of it."
CSUB Men's Basketball Head Coach Rod Barnes has been to countless events on campus, but for him, the barbecue never gets old, especially after missing it for the last 3 years.
"Just see the familiar faces. You know, we've been lonely over the last 3 years, but to have them back and see their faces has really been encouraging and exciting," said Barnes.
