The Inaugural Intercollegiate Renaissance Games began with a speech contest, including a stirring address by Melissa Albright of Bridgewater College, in which she stated, “Today marks the beginning of a challenge, cultivates ambition, and hopes of accomplishing a great endeavor. On this day, June 9, 2005, we have begun a great work, one that will leave indelible prints in our sentimental sand long after this endeavor has been accomplished.”

Three days later, the Games ended with David Hurley, a member of the Championship Bates College Renaissance team, stating, “I have never been challenged both mentally and physically in a 72 hour period as I have in the past three days. It was an overwhelmingly positive experience.”

Hosted by the Institute for International Sport at the University of Rhode Island, the three-day Intercollegiate Renaissance games involved the participation of Bates College, Lynchburg College, Randolph-Macon Women’s College, Hampden-Sydney College, Bridgewater (VA) College, the University of Rhode Island, and the University of Queensland from Brisbane, Australia. A principle goal of the Games was to build a bridge between academic, athletic, and cultural pursuits through a series of spirited competitions. The events included basketball, debate, “mathletics”, 2 mile run, soccer, poetry, voice, and a rope pull, among many others. Points were kept for every activity, and in a very close competition which was not settled until the final event, Bates College emerged as the first champion of the Intercollegiate Renaissance Games.

Bates College athletic director, Suzanne Coffey, who served as chair of the Inaugural Intercollegiate Renaissance Games, stated, “this is a concept with phenomenal potential; one which will surely become an integral part of the sports and cultural scene in the United States and abroad.”

Kim Guerin, chief administrator of the University of Queensland team, stated “a brilliant concept that will have far-reaching effects, including in Australia.”

The participants were all polled at the end of the Games, and the unanimous sentiment was that The Renaissance Games will be permanently carved in the educational and sports landscape in the United States and abroad.

As for the future, Ms. Coffey stated, “Our next step is to work together as entrepreneurs and messengers to build on this extraordinarily successful first event by including more colleges and universities in 2006. The Renaissance Games will become a very, very well known program in the coming years!”

Dan Doyle, founder and executive director of the Institute for International Sport, conceived the event. Mr. Doyle stated “as we piloted this program in various parts of the world, including with Catholic and Protestant youth in Northern Ireland, we felt we had a concept that had great merit as an additional activity both in high schools and colleges in the United States and abroad. We are now certain that the potential of this event is unlimited.”

The Intercollegiate Renaissance Games executive committee, headed by Doyle and Coffey, will convene over the summer months to plan the future of the event, which will include not only Intercollegiate competitions but high school competitions as well. For further information, contact Doyle at 401-965-3227 or 401-874-2375.

Nine sample comments from participants follow:

• “An amazing experience, fostering international relationships between teams, challenging us physically, intellectually and emotionally.” -John Burstow, University of Queensland



• “It was like so many raindrops coming together to create a river of unity across the globe.” -Kate Williams, University of Queensland



• “I leave these games rewarded with new experiences, friends, relationships and knowledge. The Renaissance games promote great ideals and common goals. I am so proud to have been a part of the process.” -Caitlin Murphy, Bates College



• “The Renaissance Games gave me the opportunity to witness cultural diversity as well as academic and athletic diversity. More importantly, I grew as an individual but more so as a team player. I never knew how genuine my peers were until these games.” -Melissa D. Albright, Bridgewater College



• “A phenomenal experience that promotes leadership development, sportsmanship, and camaraderie.” -Marcus Washington, Bridgewater College



• “Never have I ever encountered and experienced such an extraordinary weekend.” -Randy Sulcer, Lynchburg College



• “The Renaissance Games was more than a competition; it was an experience I will never forget. Many people stepped up as leaders, and many found the art of following. Both of the qualities built for incredible teams that battled in heated competition.” -Aafke de Boer, Lynchburg College
• “These games challenged me by putting me in a situation outside of my comfort zone, and after completing such activities, I feel very proud.” -Olivia Zurek, Bates College



• The prizes here were simply winning, improving, working together, learning and having fun. It is these basic principles of competition that we have lost over the past decades, but these principles can be found here.” -Siobhan Budine, Lynchburg