A few days.

That’s all the time Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania Director of Athletics Roberta Page and her staff had to finish preparing for the 2005 Division II Field Hockey Championship before teams began arriving.

As a non-predetermined site, Page and company had to work hard and fast in a short time — roughly 10 days — after being notified the school had been selected to host the championship. Beyond nailing down the logistical and operational details of the competition, Page also had to attend to a portion of the event that few people know about and that even fewer get to experience — the championship banquet.

Often taken for granted, championship banquets nonetheless carry high value for participants and hosts. They become part of the student-athletes’ championship experience and they reflect upon the institution — which is why they must be done well.

Like the sports and student-athletes they celebrate, the banquets vary in size, scope and format.

Many include a standard banquet format of a dinner and a speaker. And most feature a highlight video summarizing each participating team’s season. But that’s about where the similarities end.

Many championship banquets are closed to the public and even to parents of student-athletes. Others, though, like the banquet held in conjunction with the Divisions I, II and III men’s lacrosse championships, offer a limited number of tickets for purchase by the public.

The Division III Women’s Golf Championships banquet is open to individuals beyond those in a team’s travel party; however, in addition to the NCAA event, the National Golf Coaches Association sponsors a separate banquet during that week at which all-Americans are recognized. Most sports schedule banquets before the competition begins, but cross country holds its event afterward. Baseball and softball do not have banquets —-instead, those sports conduct opening ceremonies.

No matter what form they take, the general consensus is that the banquets play a special role in championships competition. Kathy Turpin, former associate director of athletics at Barry University, has experienced championship banquets from the perspective of an administrator at a host institution and as former chair of the Division II Women’s Basketball Committee. A staunch supporter of the events, Turpin said that once teams advance to a championship, they need to experience a unique atmosphere clearly separate from the regular season or even postseason conference play. The banquet helps set NCAA championships apart.

"When there’s not one, something clearly is missing. I do believe those who are involved — the administrators, student-athletes and coaches — all want something different than simply to arrive and play the game," Turpin said.

For University of Mary Hardin-Baylor head women’s golf coach Darla Kirby, the banquet marks the official start of the championship. Kirby said when she and her team arrive at the banquet, they know it’s serious. "You anticipate the banquet because you know it’s the kickoff," she said.

As different as each banquet can be, they are equally important to participants and hosts alike, which is why they can be a challenge to stage. One of the biggest hurdles is time. For hosts at predetermined sites or at sites hosting championships in consecutive years, time is more of a luxury. However, in cases like at Shippensburg, where host institutions are chosen just days before the championship is played, administrators are hard pressed to pull together the best product possible on short notice.

Page said the only thing Shippensburg did in advance of being officially awarded the championship was reserve the campus dining hall for the banquet. Once notified that the institution was chosen as the host, administrators had just days to make the rest of the arrangements.

"We tried to allow each school to showcase their sport or school," said Page. "In Division II, even though it isn’t true, they think Division I gets everything when they go to championships. So here, we tried to ensure that when they walked in they felt special."

To do that, Shippensburg arranged for a photographer to capture each squad’s practice session as part of a slideshow at the banquet. The school also decorated the facility’s ceiling with hundreds of balloons representing each participating school’s colors and arranged for special lighting to magnify the effect. Tables were decorated with each school’s colors as well. As part of the evening’s program, a short video and season highlights were developed for each team. Organizers had a two-person band provide music while student-athletes enjoyed an ice cream sundae bar. Championships mementos also were distributed.

Time also is a factor for the highlight videos, which can be completed only after the participating teams have been determined. That often leaves just days to collect and compile clips.

Cost is another issue. The NCAA allots $30 per member of the travel party to cover meals and any enhancements related to the banquet. That’s $5 more than in recent years. Even with the increase, Lee Stevens, former tournament director for the Divisions I, II and III men’s lacrosse championships and current tournament director for the women’s lacrosse championships, said costs for food and other banquet-related expenses appear to be rising faster than the NCAA’s allocation.

Other challenges include making the events stand out from similar events held at the institutional and conference levels and capturing the student-athletes’ attention with relevant and entertaining features. For example, if a keynote speaker is used, it better be someone who resonates with student-athletes. Kirby recalls a memorable banquet at which Ladies Professional Golf Association legend Peggy Kirk Bell spoke.

"She could really relate to those girls — even those in their teens and early 20s — the relationship she developed with those young people in such a short time was amazing to me. The girls still talk about that," said Kirby.

Turpin said some banquet organizers like to have participating student-athletes take the podium in stead of hiring a keynote because it personalizes the event.

"When the student-athletes are on the courts or fields, you don’t see their social side," she said.

Given the amount of work and the challenges involved with organizing the banquets, hosts still try to improve the events with the resources they have.

Page, for example, believes anything that brings the student-athletes together, such as T-shirt exchanges or even karaoke, is effective. Turpin said joint community-service projects or hospitality rooms where members of participating teams can gather and interact work as well. But they agree that nothing beats a good banquet.

"If it’s done well, student-athletes walk away even more motivated than when they came — if that’s possible," said Turpin. "There are challenges, but it’s all worth it and it’s all important. People who make the bids to host know the responsibility and the work load. They usually are more than willing to do that for the student-athletes."