University of North Carolina Athletics
The ABCDs of a Student-Athlete
September 27, 2004 | General
Sept. 27, 2004
by Ronda J. Norman
Besides hours of strenuous practice, exhilarating game days and long hours in the classroom, Carolina student-athletes develop numerous skills that often go unnoticed. With the help of Student-Athlete Services, the Tar Heels are not only focused on winning, but also on their ABCDs of success. These ABCDs include Advancing toward graduation, Building Character and Developing leadership, which is the mission of Student-Athlete Services.
The unit is headed up by John Blanchard, Senior Associate Athletics Director. Blanchard, who worked at Carolina from 1985-1999, went to the University of Minnesota for a time, and returned to Chapel Hill in 2001. He has observed numerous advancements in student-athlete services, which have benefited student-athletes as they learn to manage themselves.
"Coming back to Chapel Hill has been a great experience, because there is a new level of enthusiasm for developing Student-Athlete Services," says Blanchard. "Before, everything was limited to academic support and they were stretched to do everything in student services, which began to dilute academic support. It's been good to come back and start a new unit combining academic support and student development, along with related compliance efforts."
ACADEMIC SUPPORT:
ecause advancing toward graduation is so important, the academic support component is the most prominent area of Student-Athlete Services. With the largest staff and most resources, Director Robert Mercer leads UNC student-athletes in all areas of academic services, including academic counseling, structured study programs, learning skills development class and major selection, and monitoring of progress towards degree.
Blanchard, Mercer, and Susan Maloy, Assistant Athletics Director for Compliance, also work collaboratively with the academic counselors on initial and continuing eligibility academic progress, and graduation rates. Blanchard and Maloy also coordinate admissions of student-athletes with the Office of Undergraduate Admissions.
The Academic Support Program for Student-Athletes provides the assistance for student-athletes that they are unable to receive during regular campus hours due to their time-consuming athletic schedule. Even though the academic support program benefits student-athletes, the staff actually reports to the University's College of Arts and Sciences, rather than the athletics department.
"We think it's valuable for our students to have more than just an athletic experience. We want them to have as much of a traditional experience on campus as they can," says Mercer.
Along with other Arts and Sciences support units, such as the Writing Center, Math Help Center, and Learning Center, the Academic Support Program provides supplemental instruction for several classes in the upcoming school year for student-athletes. Mercer has also raised the bar on the level of expertise with his staff by incorporating three learning specialists for the particular needs of student-athletes.
Because of the expectations and requirements placed on student-athletes by the University and the NCAA, Mercer and his colleagues, as well as some student-athletes themselves, feel strongly that time management is their biggest challenge. Blanchard has a slightly different take on time.
"Many believe the key to success is time management, but the reality is you don't manage time," says Blanchard. "The hands of the clock move at the same pace, 24-7. What you manage is yourself. That is the challenge."
STUDENT-ATHLETE DEVELOPMENT:
Dr. Cricket Lane was hired prior to the 2003-04 season as UNC's first Director of Student-Athlete Development. She has worked hard to transform the entire program. Corey Holliday, Assistant Athletics Director for Football Student-Athlete Development, has joined Dr. Lane in the effort, while concentrating on the football student-athletes.
With this new structure, the Academic Support Program has been able to focus solely on academics, while Lane and Holliday have concentrated on assisting student-athletes in leadership and character development, which is an intricate aspect of their ABCDs.
Dr. Lane has implemented new or revised programming that has transformed several key programs for UNC student-athletes. She has brought enhanced structure and increased student-athlete involvement in the Student-Athlete Advisory Council. The Carolina Outreach program has never been more active in the community and Life Skill Workshops are available covering a range of topics to meet the needs of student-athletes facing the challenges of the highly competitive athletic and academic environment that Carolina offers. Topics vary from issues such as gambling, sexual violence, nutrition, and time and stress management. Holliday has arranged sessions specific to football student-athletes, such as seminars on how to handle agents and talks from former NFL players about the need to attain a college degree.
The Student-Athlete Advisory Council (SAAC), which consists of two student-athletes from each team participate in a monthly forum with athletics department administrators to discuss issues of importance to student-athletes.
Through activities sponsored by Carolina Outreach, student-athletes are able to participate in a number of community service projects. Carolina Outreach sets up student-athlete visits to UNC Children's Hospital, collects food and other needy items during the holidays, and participates in Locks-of-Love, the Dance Marathon and Habitat for Humanity.
"People have no idea how many of our student-athletes do community service," says Lane. "You often hear about the stars who are involved, but there are so many other athletes that talk to kids and play or read with them."
A project called Adopt-a-Classroom sends members from 16 teams to elementary schools on a weekly basis to read and tutor young students. Carolina Athletics has recently become partners with Gatorade and the School of Public Health in an initiative aimed to combat childhood obesity called "Get Kids in Action." The program is geared to get children active, although not necessarily through playing team sports. Last year, several of Carolina's student-athletes participated in field days at local elementary schools as a part of this program. Despite all the successes in community activities, Lane is challenged with not being able to accommodate every program because of the large number of requests.
"It's so enlightening because so many people want the help of our student-athletes," says Lane. "They realize what great role models we have here and want them to come into the schools or community groups for activities."
These programs teach Carolina's student-athletes much more than community service. They are learning valuable leadership skills and aspects of teamwork.
Several student-athletes, including the field hockey team, recently worked side-by-side with a woman as they built her home through Habitat for Humanity.
"We're a bunch of field hockey girls," says Katy Tran, junior and starting goalkeeper for the field hockey team. "You don't think we can hammer and build stuff, but we got out there and we did. It helps with the team aspect of everything and makes you appreciate what you have as an athlete here."
With student-athlete development programs such as these, the Tar Heels are able to make a positive impact on the community and be recognized for more than just their athletic performances. Each experience is training for the student-athletes to build character and develop into competitive leaders.
"The community knows what they see, but they do not know the real impact our student-athletes make in the community, nor the impact the community has on our student-athletes," Lane says.
Even with the tremendous strides made through the years, there is still more to come in the area of student-athlete services. The athletics department is implementing the Carolina Leadership Academy this fall, a groundbreaking new initiative. This extensive training program will put a new face on student-athlete development.
Director of Athletics Dick Baddour worked with Blanchard to create the leadership development idea. Leadership training specialist Jeff Janssen will implement the program by establishing hands-on developmental workshops for student-athletes of all classes, coaches and athletic staff.
"We want to establish Carolina not only as a great school and a successful athletics program, but a national model for training and developing leadership skills," says Baddour.
Baddour hit on the idea after a meeting with the head coaches in which the coaches stressed the importance of developing team leaders.
"The final piece in a championship team is leadership," says women's soccer coach Anson Dorrance, who with 18 national championships is one of the most successful coaches in collegiate history. "The most attractive type of leadership to me is the coach on the field. I want a driving verbal force who won't let standards slip. That's how teams with ordinary talent can win championships. Without leadership, even a team with great talent will struggle to become champions."
Blanchard, Lane, Mercer and Holliday aspire to expand even more services for student-athletes, including career planning. It's part of the athletic department's understanding of the primary mission of the University as it relates to safeguarding the student-athlete experience.
"What we're trying to do with our leadership initiative, with student development programming, and academic advising is to help student-athletes develop the tools to manage themselves with highly demanding schedules in a highly competitive environment," says Blanchard. "Success in that area will eventually lead to success in all areas."
Sometimes it's as simple as ABCD.
