While 281 student-athletes from across the country were experiencing a transforming five days of leadership development at Disney's Coronado Spring Resort at the sixth annual NCAA Leadership Conference, plans continue to expand that experience and make it available to even more student-athletes.

In the next year and a half, regional leadership conferences for Divisions II and III will debut, bringing leadership training and development -- along with a unique forum to address divisional issues -- to potentially another 900 student-athletes, 300 in Division II and 600 in Division III.

The Division I governance structure has not yet finalized the budgetary approval necessary to conduct regional leadership conferences, but the Division I Management Council is expected to discuss the matter further in July.

The discussions about starting regional leadership conferences began a few years ago, once individuals in the membership came to realize how beneficial the NCAA Leadership Conference could be.

"By the end of the second year (of the national conference), we were saying, 'How can we do something to take this experience to a broader audience?'" said Ron Stratten, NCAA vice-president for education services.

"It was so transformational for people. You took these campus leaders, or sometimes people who just had the potential to lead but not the training, and by the end of the conference you could see the lights go on all across the room. People understood how to use their skills in a new way. (Those involved with student-athlete development) immediately said, 'How can we touch every student-athlete or at least one student-athlete at every NCAA institution?' It's taken some time for the vision to become a reality, but regional leadership conferences have the ability to do that, to spread that experience to many more student-athletes."

Stratten notes that the goals and purposes of the regional and the future national leadership conferences are still in the planning stages, but it's likely that there always will be a place for the national leadership conference.

"I think the membership would agree that the national leadership conference has been one of the better things we've ever done for student-athlete welfare," he said. "There will continue to be a need for student-athletes from all divisions to be exposed to leadership development, to learn about the common challenges they face as student-athletes and to experience the coming together and transformative experience of the national conference."

Out in front

The focus and goals of the regional leadership conferences vary by division, but if they are anything like the national leadership conference, student-athletes can count on a meaningful, educational and sometimes life-changing experience.

Division III, which was the first to approve the concept of regional leadership conferences, also will be the first to try the regional approach when the Division III Student-Athlete Regional Leadership Conference debuts November 8-10 in Boston.

That weekend affair is expected to attract up to 300 student-athletes, all from institutions in the Northeast region.

The next Division III conference will be in Minneapolis January 31-February 2, 2003. It also is expected to benefit up to 300 student-athletes, this time from the West region.

Being the first to try something is always a little scary, but Division III is proud to be out in front on regional leadership conferences.

"The Division III SAAC was instrumental in providing leadership and encouraging the (Division III Initiatives Task Force) to support the concept," said Bridget Belgiovine, NCAA associate chief of staff for Division III.

"This thought comes on the heels of legislation over the past couple of years mandating student-athlete advisory committees on campus and in conferences. Really, the voice of the student-athlete in Division III has been building."

Belgiovine also points out that the Division III Initiatives Task Force ultimately agreed with the Division III SAAC regarding the importance of the regional conferences in the division, allocating $500,000, the second-largest allocation in the Division III initiative grant program behind the Strategic Alliance Matching Grant Program, to the effort.

Division III institutions in the Northeast and West regions have been invited to submit applications, including two student-athletes (one male and one female) and one athletics administrator or coach. If one of the student-athletes is an ethnic minority or an international student, Division III institutions may submit a third applicant.

This approach will permit Division III to have both the more traditional team of student-athletes representing many different institutions -- what's been referred to as a "color team" at the national conference -- along with the ability for attendees to meet and discuss issues as a school team made up of student-athletes and an administrator. The student-athletes will still create a project and action plan to take home, but it's likely the plan will be implemented by all of them, thus increasing its chances for success.

Dallas Pride, NCAA program coordinator for education outreach, is coordinating the regional leadership conferences for Divisions II and III.

The other advantage of the regional leadership conferences for Division III is access. The national conference is open only to NCAA institutions that sponsor the CHAMPS/Life Skills program, and a smaller number of Division III institutions have that on-campus program.

Also, the regional conference gives Division III student-athletes a place to discuss the challenges that might be unique to their division.

"What we've come to realize, with student-athlete input and feedback, is that there are some unique challenges to being a Division III student-athlete," Belgiovine said. "From the differences of experiences of the student-athletes, to integration into the campus environment, to a primary and firm commitment that is academics first, athletics second -- a commitment and a philosophy that goes head to head with our societal tendency to want more and more -- there's much for Division III student-athletes to discuss."

An image of change

Though it's still in the planning stages, Division II will launch its first regional leadership conference, known as the Division II Student-Athlete Leadership Academy, in Indianapolis February 21-23, 2003, serving the Midwest region.

The second Division II conference will be in September 2003 at a location to be determined.

The Division II regional conferences will accommodate 150 participants. Institutions will be permitted to send two student-athletes, one male and one female, and one administrator who does not have to be from the athletics department. One of the three attendees from each institution must be an ethnic minority or an international student.

One unique element about the Division II regional conferences will be the focus on Division II issues and challenges, particularly the Division II image.

"It's going to complement the national conference," said Jan Brown, NCAA assistant chief of staff for Division II. "But just as the national conference focuses on global student-athlete issues, the regional approach lets us focus on what's important in Division II.

"It gives us a chance to help Division II student-athletes understand their role in Division II. It will help impart a strong sense of self to them as Division II student-athletes so they can understand and take pride in where they are."

The Division II regional conferences also will give student-athletes a chance to help problem-solve a real Division II challenge. In addition to creating a personal development plan regarding leadership style, attendees will be expected to develop an action plan to address a division-wide issue -- the promotion and identity of Division II.

"We can help student-athletes develop as leaders at the regional conference where they can interact with other Division II student-athletes," Brown said. "And it also gives the student-athletes a chance to get involved and help the division, to be a part of this national goal. It could be a new model for enacting change."