NCAA "Best Practices" Document

Feel free to use this link:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/fak8azy3zg0j3of/Division%2BIII%2BSAAC%2BInformational%2BGuide%2Band%2BBest%2BPractices%2B11-2013.pdf

… to access the "NCAA Division III Student-Athlete Advisory Committee Informational Guide and Best Practices."

You might find it helpful in guiding your SAAC activities.

Central SAAC Completes Two Great Fall Efforts

This from Central College:

"Here are a couple pictures from our two recent community service projects with the Central SAAC.

Blood Drive

Recruited 86 Donors, 30 first time donors

Lives saved – 55

 

Canned Food Drive for Food Pantries in the area, in conjunction with Hunger Week activities on campus, worked with Central Volunteer Center, Jefferson Elementary School and the Hirta Bus Company, who delivered the canned goods to the following Food Pantries:

Helping Hands in Knoxville

Pella Community Food Shelf

Newton Salvation Army

Newton Pantry at Grace Church"

Wartburg SAAC Produces Sportsmanship Announcement

Members of Wartburg's Student-Athlete Advisory Committee who attended the Iowa Conference's Student-Athlete Leadership Conference in September produced their own video version of the conference's sportsmanship announcement. The announcement is shown on the new video board in Walston-Hoover Stadium and the video board inside Levick Gymnasium before every contest. Apologies … not sure why the complete video does not play. Check our Facebook page and IowaConference.com for the full video.

BV Hosts Take a Kid to the Game Day

This from Garrett Woodson, President of Buena Vista's Student-Athlete Advisory Committee:

"SAAC students from Buena Vista University assisted with the annual Take A Kid to the Game event on Saturday, September 21^st as the Beaver football team hosted Bethel University.  SAAC members who assisted with the event were:  SAAC President Garrett Woodson (track & field), SAAC Treasurer Alex Lamp (Cross Country), and SAAC representatives Tasha Nelson (Tennis) and Alexis Wiltgen (Volleyball). 

All kids thru 8th grade were admitted FREE with a paid adult. Each got a FREE bag of popcorn upon entry to game, blue & gold pompoms, registered for door prizes and a beaver face tattoo.  Kids also had their headshot taken so we could display them on the video board during halftime and after the game.  Twenty-four door prize winners were drawn during the first half of the game.  Prizes were a BVU water bottle, a small #1 foam finger and 1 FREE candy bar from BV concessions stand."

Luther Conducts Mini Sports Clinic for Local Youths

This from Shari Huber, Luther College SAAC. The group conducted a sports clinic for local second-graders back in April. Enjoy the video ... we especially like the touchdown dance after the over-the-top dive.

BV Hosts Special Olympics Event

On May 1, 2013, Buena Vista University’s SAAC hosted our second annual Special Olympics event at Faith, Hope, and Charity, a local school for children with special needs. The arrival of snow forced us to move the event inside at the eleventh hour, but the event still went off without a hitch! 28 students from Faith, Hope, and Charity participated in a variety of activities, including a bean bag toss, Frisbee golf, floor hockey, and coloring.

Special thanks to our sponsors, Silk Screen Ink LTD. in Storm Lake, who partnered with BVU’s SAAC in order to make this event a success!

“We enjoy giving back to our community and working with BVU  to help make their efforts even more successful.”  -Jay Butterfield, Owner Silk Screen Ink LTD. Storm Lake, IA.

“We were very lucky and appreciative to have Jay Butterfield and Silk Screen Ink LTD. partner with us to put on this event.  Their generosity and participation was amazing and we cannot thank them enough.”  -Marc Baumbach, BVU Staff Advisor for SAAC

**Our school newspaper also wrote a great article about the event with some awesome pictures. Here’s the link:

http://www.bvtack.com/2013/05/03/saac-sponsors-special-olympics/

Loras Hosts Special Olympics Challenge Day

This from Kinsey Campbell, Loras College SAAC:

"On April 27^th, the Loras College Student Athlete Advisory Committee hosted their 2^nd annual “Special Olympics Challenge Day” in conjunction with the NCAA Division III and Special Olympics Partnership. We welcomed over 100 Special Olympic Athletes in attendance, as well as over 75 of our own Duhawk student-athletes. This event was reported as having the 2^nd highest attendance of Special Olympics Athletes in the State of Iowa this year. This event included different events such as bowling, basketball, volleyball, and ball darts. We had student athletes at each station encouraging and supporting the athletes that face different severe physical and mental challenges. We’re proud to carry on the tradition and we’re excited to create a foundation for years to come."

Kaitlyn Kutsch (Freshman Lacrosse): 

"I helped with the bean bag toss and a little bit with awards, volunteering was a rewarding and accomplished experience, my favorite part was the excitement from some of the participants, we had a bunch of kids come back and want to play our game which was really cool."

Niki Rivera (Senior Women’s Basketball):

"For the Special Olympics Challenge Day, I had the opportunity of being partnered with a Special Olympics athlete.  We had a great time together!  My favorite part of the day was seeing how happy she was when receiving awards at the end of the day.  Volunteering for Special Olympics is such a rewarding feeling and it is always worthwhile.  Seeing all the Special Olympics athletes compete during the day makes you take a step back and realize how blessed you truly are."  

Cole Smith (football): 

"This last Saturday, the football team volunteered at the Special Olympics, which was held in the Athletic Wellness Center, and during our time volunteering at this event, we helped out with many different events and facets of the event. Some of us helped run stations, such as soccer kick, ball darts, and ramp bowling, some of us helped out with lunch, and some of us took on a role as a helper to one of the athletes at this event. Overall, helping out with the Special Olympics over the weekend was a very gratifying experience for the entire Football team and the hospitality of the individuals managing and running the event could not have been any better; their hospitality and gratitude towards us was amazing and we cannot thank the individuals who ran the event any more. Also, the athletes that participated in this event were amazing, both in their sportsmanship and their competitive attitude, and the interaction with all of these athletes was a great experience for the athletes on the team, and all of the other student-athletes from Loras that helped, to have."

BV SAAC Project Tied to Campus-Wide Service Day

This from Kellyn Arnold, BV SAAC:

"April 23, 2013 marked the 100^th anniversary of Buenafication Day, our annual day of service at BVU. One day each year, classes are not scheduled and everyone on campus participates in service projects that give back to our local community. To celebrate this important milestone, Buena Vista University’s SAAC hosted a sports festival within our campus recreation center for children of the community. Student-athletes from many of our sports teams at BVU participated in the event, hosting clinics and teaching skills to the kids in attendance. The sports that were represented were Men’s and Women’s Soccer, Wrestling, Men’s and Women’s Track & Field, Men’s and Women’s Tennis, Football, Men’s and Women’s Golf, Volleyball, and Men’s and Women’s Basketball. Additionally, our Strength and Conditioning coach was on hand to work with the kids, as were our dedicated Athletic Trainers, who provided water to the students throughout the course of the afternoon.

Special thanks to SAAC Staff Advisor Marc Baumbach for organizing this event!"

Spring Break with a Central Eye on Greater Good

Annie Weaver (SAAC member), Lauren Goodlove, and Rachel Schmidt are all Central College soccer players who are on alternative spring break trip to Guatemala. Annie helped lead the SAAC school supplies drive at the February 13 basketball doubleheader.