The NCAA is encouraging its members to participate in National Collegiate Alcohol Awareness Week October 21-27 by holding team meetings using a newly created guide entitled "Speak Up!" to facilitate discussions about alcohol issues.

The NCAA Speak Up! program encourages student-athletes to discuss alcohol issues based on their own experiences and other related factors.

Facilitators should encourage participants to speak freely about their own experiences. Confidentiality is key in order to promote trust and a willingness to share. Only student-athletes should be participants in the program, while facilitators should be a CHAMPS/Life Skills coordinator, student life professional or other alcohol-program educator.

The program provides data about high-risk drinking behaviors among student-athletes and negative influences through peer pressure. The program also emphasizes the fact that student-athletes want to make their own decisions concerning alcohol consumption, yet do not feel they have "permission" to do so.

The Speak Up! program is designed as "a stimulus to encourage participants to speak up and to speak out regarding what they want."

Facilitators are encouraged to guide the discussion through the use of a video, which incorporates clips from the Alcohol 101 CD-ROM and public service announcements. The program is divided into four segments: sex; dangerous drinking; self-determination; and athletics performance and alcohol.

The first segment is designed to grab participants' attention and to model an open discussion on alcohol issues. Participants are informed how sex and alcohol issues often are linked together. Through discussions, participants reach a higher comfort level with each other and in turn are more open for the remaining topics.

The segment on dangerous drinking shows the harmful effects when alcohol is used inappropriately. Participants are prepared with an understanding of how to prevent harmful consequences and think about specific action steps to take when faced with such situations.

In the self-determination segment, participants are taught the importance of making personal, informed choices about alcohol consumption. Individuals are encouraged to make conscious decisions about alcohol as well as understand the consequences of use. They also are encouraged to get others involved as much as possible.

The athletics performance and alcohol segment is designed to show participants ways in which alcohol hinders athletics performance. This section also identifies ways in which alcohol abuse can negatively affect the team as a whole.

The entire program is a positive force behind improving the student-athlete experience. The Speak Up! program mirrors many of the initiatives discussed at various SAAC meetings and the NCAA Foundation Leadership Conference.

As stated in the guide, student-athletes are encouraged to speak up about what they believe in their hearts about alcohol issues, to speak up about their own experiences, and to speak up about any concerns they have regarding alcohol. The more chances student-athletes have to discuss these issues ahead of time, the better.

DeWayne Barnes is a graduate athletic trainer at Whittier College and vice-chair of the Division III Student-Athlete Advisory Committee.