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NCAA News Release
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NCAA Student-Athletes Selected To Discuss Key Issues And Enhance Leadership Skills At Eighth Annual NCAA Leadership Conference, May 30-June 3 In Florida
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For Immediate Release
Thursday, April 29, 2004
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Contact(s)
Gail Dent
Associate Director of Public Relations
317/917-6431/917-6132
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INDIANAPOLIS---A total of 321 NCAA student-athletes who have been tabbed as current or future leaders on their college campuses will meet May 30-June 3 at Disney's Coronado Springs Resort and the Disney Wide World of Sports Complex in Lake Buena Vista, Florida to discuss key issues in intercollegiate athletics and to enhance their leadership skills when they participate in the NCAA Leadership Conference.
The 2004 NCAA Leadership Conference is designed to enhance student-athletes' leadership and communication skills and to enable them to become more effective leaders and motivators when they return to their campuses. The convention setting provides the student-athletes with an opportunity to create dialogue surrounding topics that affect them on campus and in their communities. The conference also provides them with exercises to enhance their decision-making and problem-solving skills, and improve planning and priority management.
The student-athlete leaders were selected from a total of 1,201 nomination forms that were submitted by college and university officials who have NCAA CHAMPS/Life Skills programs at their schools. They represent Divisions I, II and III, and fall, winter and spring sports, including soccer, tennis, basketball, cross country/track, lacrosse, field hockey, wrestling, swimming, football, volleyball, bowling, softball, ice hockey, golf, baseball, gymnastics, rowing, diving, alpine skiing, Nordic skiing and equestrian. There also will be five students from abroad attending the leadership conference who will participate in the discussions and skills enhancement sessions with the NCAA student-athletes.
During the conference, student-athletes will discuss a variety of topics that are relative to their life as student-athletes on campus and beyond. They will also discuss issues that are division-specific and consider possible solutions to the issues. A total of 52 coaches, athletics administrators and program facilitators will join the student-athletes at the conference. In addition, members representing the national Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) also will participate in the discussion sessions and group activities. SAAC provides feedback to NCAA committees and councils regarding student well-being issues and is considered the "voice" of the student-athlete within the NCAA governance structure.
Following the leadership conference, the student-athletes will be asked to share their experiences and topic discussions with their campus SAAC, as well as other campus leaders. The participants are also asked to develop a self-directed project that will address an issue on their campus or in their community and implement the project once they return to their schools.
Selection criteria for the conference include the student-athletes' demonstrated ability and strong desire to be a leader and the student-athletes' potential to benefit significantly from a leadership development experience. In order to be eligible for the conference, the student-athletes must be in good academic standing, and must have athletics eligibility remaining in the following academic year. A committee comprised of CHAMPS/Life Skills coordinators from member institutions and former NCAA student-athletes review the nominations to determine the final selections. The committee also works to ensure that the conference includes a diverse group of student-athletes, coaches and administrators.
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