The NCAA News - News Features

Annual conference to serve as student forum

The CHAMPS/Life Skills Program is growing, and the NCAA Foundation wants to make certain that it continues to prosper.

With that in mind, the Foundation recently announced the establishment of an annual Leadership Conference that will involve more than 330 outstanding student-athletes representing 165 member institutions.

The initial conference is scheduled for May 23-26, 1997, at Disney's Wide World of Sports in Florida. The conference will be underwritten by Walt Disney World Sports and the Entergy Corporation.

"The number of schools participating in the Life Skills Program has grown from 44 to 165 in the last 18 months," Foundation President Dave Gavitt said. "That's great, but it can go further."

The conference will provide an annual forum for a cross-section of athletes who have participated in CHAMPS/Life Skills Programs, said Ronald J. Stratten, NCAA group executive director for education services. It will be a diverse group, not only with regard to race and gender but also with regard to what sports are represented.

Participants would have to be good students, Stratten said, but the program is not necessarily designed as a reward for academic performance. Other selection criteria would include features such as leadership, demonstrated support for the CHAMPS/Life Skills Program and accomplishments related to extra effort and enthusiasm (a "most improved athlete" award, for example).

"We want the participants to have a real hard discussion about the issues, with a view toward solutions so they can set a national agenda for student-athletes," Stratten said.

Each of the 165 programs that currently sponsor a CHAMPS/Life Skills Program will be asked to submit the names of four outstanding student-athletes -- one from a "revenue" sport, one from a "nonrevenue" sport, one female and one minority. A panel of reviewers will choose two representatives from each institution.

Areas of discussion may include subjects such as amateurism, whether student-athletes are prepared for the job market, ethics and values, violence (on and off the field), and diversity.

A possible format involves dividing the participants into six groups and using Disney producers to make a video presentation of the assigned topic. The top three presentations could be used for a subsequent television program.

Former student-athletes, most of whom would be three to five years removed from college, would be on hand to meet with the participating athletes.

"We are excited to be a partner in this historic event and are particularly pleased to host it at our new World Sports Complex, a 200-acre, state-of-the-art facility designed to be the world's premier sports destination," said Reggie Williams, vice-president of Walt Disney World Sports. "Like the NCAA, Disney Sports is committed to excellence, and that makes this a great partnership for us."

Entergy, a New Orleans-based energy company with worldwide power-production and electric-service operations, has been a longstanding advocate of education and intercollegiate athletics. It presently sponsors the NCAA Foundation's "Winning for Life" program, which honors student-athletes who excel in math or science.

Ed Lupberger, chairman and president of Entergy and a member of the NCAA Foundation Board, said, "As our company continues to grow, we believe it is important for our investment in tomorrow's leaders to grow accordingly.

"This exciting new initiative furthers our relationship with the NCAA Foundation, and we look forward to partnering with Disney World Sports, as well."

Gavitt praised the participation of Disney and Entergy and said he hoped that the conference could facilitate the acquisition of more life skills-related funding in the future.

"The campuses feel that the life-skills instruction is necessary," Gavitt said. "A number of athletes come to college with a lack of life skills and, looking at it from the other side, they have a lack of role models at the professional level."

The program will need more funding for additional growth, and Gavitt said he believes the Leadership Conference will be a major help in that regard.

"The Life-Skills Program has been very successful," he said, "but it's not very visible off-campus. Asking for corporations to give without visibility is a tough give. We think this Leadership Conference gives them the visibility they need."