INA, Ill (September 20, 2024) — Thanks to a Warrior-sized donation, the Deaconess Illinois Athletic Training Room will be a new addition to the Banterra Sports Complex at Rend Lake College.
Deaconess secured the 10-year naming rights to the training center thanks to a $250,000 contribution to The Game Plan, the RLC Foundation’s fundraising effort aimed at adding to and renovating our existing athletic facilities on the Rend Lake College Campus.
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“We at Deaconess Illinois are immensely proud to unveil the newly renovated Deaconess Illinois Athletic Training Room at Rend Lake College,” says William Davis, Illinois Region President at Deaconess Illinois. “This sponsorship embodies our core belief that investing in community health is both a responsibility and a privilege. By providing cutting-edge resources for student-athletes, we're nurturing the next generation of health-conscious individuals and contributing to the wellness of our entire region.”
William Davis
It has been more than 50 years since the gym has undergone any significant renovations. In that time, many talented players and coaches have rallied to bring wins on and off the court. In addition to the athletic accomplishments the gym has facilitated, it also brought in leaders that taught character development, teamwork and academic importance. The lessons taught in the gym have gone on to help countless individuals, not only in their lives, but in the lives of others as well.
"It's not just about what we are doing here with the Game Plan or the gymnasium, but our clinical sites, which are valuable assets and outlets for our students to get good, real quality hands-on training," says Terry Wilkerson, RLC President. "Your presence in the region is important because we need to have a reasonable approach to not only our healthcare, but our sustainability economically. You make our students better. You make our community and our region better."
Terry Wilkerson
“The partnership that we have between Rend Lake College and Deaconess is an invaluable one for our student-athletes,” says Tim Wills, Health & Physical Education Professor and RLC Men’s Basketball Head Coach. “This partnership provides not only an athletic trainer who is on our campus to prevent and treat sports injuries, but it also gives us access to sports medicine physicians to evaluate, diagnose and treat injuries that need more advanced care.”
Davis shares that this partnership comes from a shared vision of bettering accessibility to healthcare. “This renovated space represents more than just a sponsorship—it's a strategic investment in local healthcare and athletic excellence.”
Tony Wielt, RLC Foundation President, shares that the new Banterra Sports Complex will have its groundbreaking on October 24, 2024. "We are just a few weeks away from breaking ground on the Banterra Sport Complex at Rend Lake College. We can't look forward anymore for that."
Tony Wielt
The planned Banterra Sports Complex at Rend Lake College will include the existing James “Hummer” Waugh Gymnasium as well as a new addition to the space. Waugh Gymnasium is one of the original buildings on the college’s campus and in 1995 was named after Waugh, a long-time coach and educator with nearly 50 combined athletic seasons to his credit when he retired. In addition to the gym, it includes athletic offices and locker rooms.
For more information on the Game Plan, please visit www.rlc.edu/gameplan or email foundation@rlc.edu
