Florida AM University and alumni are investing in student-athletes. A new practice canopy for the track team signals a broader commitment to build a more competitive program.WATCH FULL REPORT BELOW: FAMU track athletes receive a new practice canopy as donors invest in the future of university sportsFlorida AM University track athletes have a new canopy to provide relief from the Florida heat during long practices.University leaders and donors say the addition is part of a larger goal to help student-athletes thrive. In today's college sports world, they believe investment off the track translates to success on it."It means the world, as the president stated, I mean, its not just about having this canopy, but its about the commitment that our investors, our donors, and those individuals have and the commitment that they have to this institution, so its bigger than just the canopies. This is a signal and a sign of their commitment to our student athletes," John Davis, FAMU director of athletics and vice president, said.The canopy represents a connection between current athletes and outside supporters."Just to know that you have support of your program, you also have supported people that support your program from outside. You know, at the end of the day, it shows that were all still connected. It doesnt matter if you come here, and youre here now, or you've already been here, wherever you are in the world, we just really appreciate you and the program," Bryce Webb, a FAMU track athlete, said.Donors emphasize that financial and facility investments directly impact athletic performance."It makes a big difference, and just last week we gave a student a scholarship on the spot, so you can clearly see when you invest in these student athletes. They win, and we just happen to pick winners. You take the golf team, for instance, they win championships. You take now the track team, this is why this is significant, they are number one in the SWAC. [They've] got a couple of students who have already broken records. So you can see that when you do things such as this, it does pay off in the end," Rick Kinsey, president of Rattlers in Arms, said.FAMU leaders say the canopy is a small addition that fits into a much bigger effort to build a stronger, more competitive program for all student-athletes and the surrounding community."And theres a lot of work to be done...One of the things that were doing here, and this is part of our vision 2030, is to really understand what each sport needs are. A lot of work that we're going to be doing here as a facility, its going to be about this community as well. And were looking forward to being able to have that conversation to get everyone to understand the work that were doing here, the investment that were making in the student athletes, and not just the student athletes, but its a community ordeal as well," Davis said.This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.Want to see more local news? Visit the WTXL ABC 27 Website. Stay in touch with us anywhere, anytime.Like us on FacebookFollow us on Instagram and X. ...read more read less