National Collegiate Athletic Association

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The NCAA News -- September 27, 1999

Sports Sciences Education Newsletter

Education Outreach: preparing for the future

BY JANE MEYER
DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION OUTREACH

With the NCAA's recent move to Indianapolis, the office has undergone a multitude of changes. The adjustments to a new building, the loss of staff members who chose to pursue other opportunities and the merging of sports sciences and education outreach programs have presented new challenges and opportunities for our staff. This realignment comes at a time that is very opportunistic for both areas because of the amount of information that is compiled, shared, and disseminated that impact our most important constituents--student-athletes.

At the core of the realignment is the ability to directly address needs of student-athletes from a health and safety, drug and alcohol education, life skills, leadership and overall personal development perspective.

Listed below are a few of the objectives of the newly realigned Education Outreach team:

  • Integrate the knowledge of both groups into a cohesive unit where information is freely shared between all constituents including student-athletes;

  • Continue to educate the membership, public, sports medicine groups, other athletics organizations and media with current information and outreach activities that target student-athlete welfare and health and safety issues;

  • Further the initiatives of the Competitive Safeguards and Medical Aspects of Sport (CSMAS) Committee, Committee on Women's Athletics and joint initiatives of the Division I, Division II, and Division III Student-Athlete Advisory Committees (SAAC); and

  • Develop, educate, and publicize wellness policies, programs, financial resources and educational materials that promote the health and safety of student-athletes, including the use and abuse of alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs.

    These objectives will be addressed by a team of individuals with a wide variety of expertise:

    Randall W. Dick (senior assistant director of health and safety) has been involved with all aspects of the CSMAS for a number of years, has established networks with sports medicine organizations to further health and safety policy and initiatives and will continue to upgrade the injury surveillance system.

    Michael W. Gant (program coordinator for CHAMPS Life Skills) will orchestrate the orientation program for CHAMPS Life Skills programs, assist in the planning and coordination of the NCAA Foundation Leadership Conference for student-athletes and the Title IX seminar and serves as staff liaison to the Division III SAAC.

    Lori A. Hendricks (program coordinator for CHAMPS Life Skills), has been with the national office for a number of years and coordinates the continuing education program for the CHAMPS Life Skills program, including the development of new educational programs to keep student-athletes and campus personnel informed about the issues that directly impact student-athlete welfare, assist in the planning and coordination of the Foundation Leadership Conference and Title IX seminar and serves as staff liaison for the Division II SAAC.

    Mary E. Wilfert (program coordinator for health and safety), who comes to the NCAA from the student health center on the Western Kentucky University campus, has expertise in alcohol and other drug use and abuse education, and health and wellness issues for college-aged students.

    The year ahead for the Education Outreach team includes participation in injury surveillance programs, the Title IX seminar, CHAMPS Life Skills orientation and continuing education seminars, the NCAA Foundation Leadership Conference, CHOICES alcohol education grants, speakers grants, the Betty Ford Professional in Residence program, and sports medicine research projects.

    As we chart our course, the Education Outreach team will continue to seek out new collaborative ways to share educational resources. We will revamp current programs and materials in order to remain effective. Most importantly, we will address those issues that continue to present themselves on college campuses.

    If you have any questions regarding new initiatives for the Education Outreach team or how we can better address student-athlete welfare and health and safety issues, please do not hesitate to contact me at 317-917-6312 or jmeyer@ncaa.org.