With the beginning of every new year, it is good practice to look back and inventory the previous one. Candidly, we might consider such an exercise too painful or confusing due to the anomaly of a pandemic and its effects. Maybe we would prefer to move on from 2020 without reflection, pinning our hopes on a vaccine and a return to normalcy.  Of course, we will move on, but into what kind of normal?

The challenge for the “B” Association is determining how to request support from its members and deliver value in such a climate.  Because we lack guarantees, we believe it is important to begin 2021 committed to three things that we believe are important in any circumstance: 

Spiritual Connection– One of the gifts of 2020 was learning how many of our members were eager and equipped to bring us devotionals that lifted our spirits during a difficult and dark time. They guided us to an exploration of an unchanging God, whose love for us is unrivaled by anything we hear, think, or encounter. We believe a disconnect from God due to isolation, or any other matter, is unhealthy so we will continue to ask our members to deliver messages of hope which challenge us and encourage calm.  

Togetherness– Events are important to people because they provide excitement, inspiration, personal connection, acknowledgement and appreciation of excellence, or a retreat from a demanding schedule. Without events, we miss the anticipation of something fun or meaningful. We are confident we can resume our traditional, in-person events, even in restrictive circumstances, and pledge to do so wisely while also exploring new ways to utilize technology for additional or special events.

Unity– The circumstances of the past year have reminded us of the power of unity. In our country, we have seen people gather to disrupt, damage, and harm without regard for loss or positive change. We have also seen our own student-athletes unite to help promote healing, peace, and dignity through opportunity for all individuals. Our association will move forward with a call to be united for good.

The “B” Association exists to support you as members, our Athletic Department and student-athletes, and the mission of the university.  We have worked hard over the years to increase effectiveness in delivering equal access and value to all our members.  As you know, we are now dealing with exceptional circumstances brought on by Covid-19.  Our association is financially stable, due to your generosity over the years, wise stewardship of its staff, and minimal expenses during 2020. However, our membership has dropped significantly which impacts the bottom line. Since we exist to provide benefits to our members regardless of the circumstances and challenges of the day, we will continue to explore innovative solutions to engage you in substantive ways. To do so, we need your involvement and support.

We ask you to join in this work by renewing your membership or by becoming a member for the first time.  But first and foremost, we ask that you pray for one another, our leaders, student-athletes and our university – that God’s work is accomplished, and His glory is recognized through our spiritual development, togetherness, and unity for good. It is still a great day to be a Baylor Bear!

In Hope and Appreciation,

Cody Carlson

Football ’83-’86

Baylor “B” Association President, 2021