Student-athlete participation on Association-wide committees is a crucial piece of the NCAA puzzle. With student-athletes sitting on these committees, the lines of communication open up drastically. The people making the decisions that affect a student-athlete's life every day get to hear directly from the source. Committee service is a great way for the student-athlete voice to be heard.

However, the benefits are not strictly one-dimensional. The student-athletes who participate on these committees gain a wealth of knowledge. The student-athletes I work with are passionate about the logistics of the NCAA, and they work hard to make sure they represent their fellow student-athletes well. I know from personal experience, serving on the NCAA Committee on Competitive Safeguards and Medical Aspects of Sports (CSMAS), that the willingness of the committees to listen to the student-athlete opinion vastly improves student-athlete welfare.

Some of the initiatives SAAC has driven with its participation in CSMAS have resulted in the development of programming and policy on the following student-athlete health and safety issues:

The NCAA Nutrition and Performance Project

Van safety

Time considerations for playing and practice seasons

Insurance coverage for student-athletes

Safety considerations for pregnant student-athletes

Nutritional supplement information

Student-athletes have a right and a responsibility to speak out, so don't pass up on these opportunities to make a better world for our ourselves, our friends and teammates.

Amy Barr is a softball student-athlete from Eastern Illinois University and the Division I SAAC representative to the CSMAS.