Sophomore cross country runner Katie Gambale is an ordinary collegiate athlete. She doesn't set records with her races. Students don't walk by her, turn to their friends and say, "Did you see her? That was Katie Gambale!"
She doesn't even get the luxury of a dedicated group of fans, despite competing on a team that placed 14th at nationals last season.
Nevertheless, like all athletes, she is treated like a star. No student-athlete is exempt from the array of goods and services offered by the Virginia athletic department.
One of the main perks athletes receive is free apparel. As a cross-country runner, Gambale and her teammates are given multiple pairs of shoes, including racers for meets. Because she is a year-round athlete -- participating in cross-country, indoor track, and track and field -- she gets three sets of warm-ups, one for each season.
If the gear provided by the team isn't enough, every athlete is also given $1,000 per semester through what is called "The Student Athlete Opportunity Fund." Half of this money is designated for clothing, while the other half is allocated for school supplies, outside medical coverage and other necessary expenditures.
"The purpose of the fund is not for student athletes to buy clothes that are athletically related," said Steve Flippen, assistant athletics director of compliance. "The purpose of the opportunity fund, as far as the clothing aspect is concerned, is to provide money to individuals who need something like a winter coat when it's cold, and they don't have the money to be able to buy something like that."
On top of the free goods, athletes have access to a state-of-the art training facility at University Hall. In addition to having access to the usual ice bags and training tables, athletes can consult doctors about illness or injury, arrange scheduled massages and enjoy a Jacuzzi that is filled with 50-degree water for ice baths.
"If you feel anything is wrong with you, point to it," Gambale said. "There's usually 500 trainers who can help you."
Athletes also have their own dining space at John Paul Jones Arena, which offers athletes a chance to relax while watching eight flat-screen televisions. Gambale also finds that the facility provides a sense of camaraderie among the athletes.
"That's one of the reasons they built this dining hall," Gambale said. "They wanted us mingling with each other and eating with each other."
Another service provided in the John Paul Jones Arena is the athlete study hall, which is also furnished with more than just the necessities. There is a computer lab with roughly 30 computers and several offices for one-on-one tutoring. Upon entering the study hall, there is a whiteboard with a list of subjects in which athletes can be tutored that evening. If an athlete requires a tutor for an uncommon subject, he or she can send an e-mail to the athletic department, and a tutor will be arranged.
"You might go into study hall thinking you understand everything about your homework, but come across a problem," Gambale said. "Just knowing that somebody will be there who will probably be able to help you out, that's pretty good."
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