Celebrating 100 Years of the Student-Athlete

Mission: To commemorate 100 years of intercollegiate athletics, focusing on 100 years of the student-athlete, in a manner that honors the past, highlights the advocacy and reform initiatives of the present and provides a look into the future. Illustrate the breadth and depth of the Association and share the role it has within higher education and intercollegiate athletics to the general public, media, external stakeholders and the Association's members.

Objectives

• Increase the public understanding of and confidence in the integrity of intercollegiate athletics and the connection to higher education.

• Increase awareness of and advocacy for the positive values of intercollegiate athletics among the media, the public and within the membership.

• Activate the NCAA Centennial celebration as a platform to amplify the Association's commitment to and focus on the student-athlete. This serves to provide "evidence" that educates the general public, media and membership of the value of intercollegiate athletics and the role it plays, has played and will continue to play in society.

Centennial programming/timeline

Planned programming

• A special book commemorating 100 years of the NCAA, with emphasis on the past 25 years, will be produced and distributed to all registered delegates at the 2006 Convention and to all student-athletes participating in NCAA championships from January 2006 to December 2006.

• A master database of contact information for former Honors, Walter Byers Postgraduate Scholarship and Woman of the Year honorees will be developed.

• Former NCAA honorees and other special guests will be invited to participate in or serve as keynote speakers at selected 2006 NCAA Convention events, including a new Honors Program format and education/discussion sessions. Honors Program date and format will change.

• The Honors presentation will be held on Saturday evening instead of Sunday and the format will change from a plated dinner to a theatre setting with a talk-show feel, allowing guests to better relate to individual winners. A heavy hors d'ourves reception will precede the presentation. The public will be invited.

• Special exhibits celebrating the 25th anniversary of women's championships, selected other anniversary championships and the 39 charter members of the NCAA also will be displayed at a Convention reception and at the national office.

• A Centennial activation kit will be available to member institutions, conferences and affiliates via online and will include things such as signage, floor decals, print advertisement templates, and public service announcements.

Media efforts

National office staff is working with external media to produce new NCAA programming as part of the Centennial celebration.

Legacy program

The goal is to identify one site at each of the 88 championships at which to contribute to the local community.

Call for papers

The NCAA will sponsor a call for papers on specific topics such as collegiate sports' impact on American culture and how intercollegiate athletics affects alumni or high-school athletes. Selected papers may be presented in conjunction with the 2007 NCAA Convention in Orlando, Florida.

Imagery/signage

The NCAA will ask member institutions to contribute photographs depicting special moments in their athletics program history. The photographs will be assembled to create a mosaic NCAA Centennial logo, from which various pictures may be pulled to emphasize a specific event or sport. An online Centennial page also will be developed as part of NCAA Online (www.ncaa.org).

Timeline

• Summer 2005 -- Centennial promotional kits available to membership.

• January 2006 -- Celebration kicks off at the 2006 Convention in Indianapolis.

• March 2006 -- Centennial logo photo mosaic to be unveiled and displayed at the national office/Hall of Champions. Centennial-themed traveling exhibits to be featured at selected championships and other high-profile events.

• Summer 2006 ­ Original art commemorating the Centennial to be unveiled at the national office.

• 2006 (ongoing) -- Special ancillary events at selected championships; NCAA Centennial programming through media outlets.

Centennial activation tool kits

Contents of the Centennial activation tool kits, which will be available to member institutions and conferences beginning in August:

• Floor decals

• Banners

• Photo mosaic logo

• Press releases

• Print advertising templates with the opportunity for co-branding

• Radio and television public service announcements

The kit will be made available through www.ncaa.org, with specific numbers of each product allotted to institutions at no cost. Additional materials will be available at an additional charge.