Later this summer, the outdated logo at center court of the Olean Family YMCA gym floor will be removed and replaced with one of a Jayhawk. The change will symbolically mark a new era of athletics at SUNY Jamestown Community College’s Cattaraugus Campus.
Athletics returned to the campus in fall of 2020 with the establishment of men’s and women’s cross country teams that compete in the National Junior College Athletic Association. The college is set to add to that with an NJCAA-sanctioned eSports team that will begin competition in a newly-developed eSports stadium on campus.
They will compete under the Jayhawks name – the long-time mascot for Jamestown Campus teams. In past years JCC was identified as two different colleges in terms of athletics by the NJCAA.
for action this fall.
The recommitment to college athletics in Cattaraugus County has been led by JCC President Daniel DeMarte and Campus Executive Director Paula Snyder.
JCC is seeking coaches for eSports and cross country after the resignation of the previous coach this summer. DeMarte said the college is also looking to hire an athletic coordinator dedicated to the Cattaraugus County Campus.
Applicants are encouraged to contact George Sisson, JCC’s athletic director, for more information about the positions at 716.338.1269 or GeorgeSisson@mail.sunyjcc.edu.
“That person is going to know our area athletic directors on a first-name basis, confirm that we’re picking the right sports, get a new cross country coach in here, work with the eSports coach, and begin to rebuild and repackage in terms of athletics here,” DeMarte said. “At the same time, they will reestablish a different connection with the Olean YMCA.”
DeMarte said the college started a cross country program in Cattaraugus County based on conversations with area high school athletic directors.
“We don’t want to duplicate what we have in Jamestown,” DeMarte said. “What do we start with? Cross country came out of that as a possibility. We started that. We’ve got to hire a new coach and get things going again after the pandemic challenged the development of cross country.”
DeMarte and Snyder also want to develop more intramural opportunities for Cattaraugus County students, which will also be led by the new athletics coordinator.
For more information about job openings visit sunyjcc.edu/employment.