Category Archives: Blog

Former College Athletes Discusses Student-Athlete Experience

Lately the student-athlete experience has undergone scrutiny in the media regarding recent changes and proposals around the NCAA. In a March episode of SCI TV, current and former collegiate student-athletes across a spectrum of universities and sports shed light on their experiences and reflect on common challenges. The special panel consists of athletes who have competed for universities across the country in sports ranging from football, track and field, baseball, and volleyball. They discuss the value of their experiences, the challenges of balancing competing priorities as college athlete, and the differing support at their universities.

Balance is Key

While the five person panel largely described their student-athlete experiences as overwhelmingly positive, all agreed that balancing athletics and academics is a major hurdle. There is often an implicit choice on where to put your primary focus, affecting which major one chooses and the likelihood of a post collegiate athletic career.

Ian Dobson, who ran track and field and cross country at Stanford and went on to run professionally in the 2008 Olympics, spoke about choosing a major that fit with athletics and watching teammates decide whether to pin their post-collegiate hopes on running or academics.

“At some point in the middle of your college experience people would decide whether or not they thought a professional career was realistic,” said Dobson, who chose to focus on running professionally. “That was one of the hardest things for me, knowing that I’m making a conscious decision to miss out on all these amazing opportunities that school provides.”

Husband and wife Stetzon and Bethany Bair, who played football and volleyball respectively at the University of Oregon, say that finding a life balance between all the tasks of a student-athlete is difficult, but manageable with the right support and mentality.

“It definitely is a challenge, but being married and having a family really puts your priorities in line,” Stetzon said. “For us the big picture is more than sports, and that’s been a big help.”

Future Matters

When deciding on a future career path Dobson and Zach Daeges, who played baseball at Creighton before joining the Red Sox, were glad to have the extra time that their professional careers allowed to figure out what they wanted to do after sports.

“I have a much better understanding of what I want to do now,” said Daeges, who is pursuing an MBA at Oregon. “In a lot of ways it’s been beneficial to have had that period where I got to play a sport and figure things out later in life.”

Resources Taken for Granted

While the group cited parents, older siblings, teammates, and alumni as common support structures, almost all of the athletes said they did not use official academic and career resources as much as they should have, and at the time even rolled their eyes at the resources.

“I didn’t really want to accept the fact I wasn’t going to be a student athlete anymore. In hindsight it backfired because I had a really hard time after I was done with volleyball; I didn’t have plan, didn’t really utilize those resources to help plan the next step,” said Bethany Bair.

Partly because of the difficult balance between athletics, academics, and social life, there is a segregation on many college campuses between athletes and other students. Teammates and fellow student-athletes become natural friends through daily schedules and shared goals.

“There’s this conventional wisdom that you can only do two of the three well, and you solve that problem by combining two. I chose to combine my athletics and social life, and by default that’s what most of us end up doing,” Dobson said.

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Legal Issues in Sports | Paul Greene

From the Olympics to the collegiate level Paul Greene of Global Sports Advocates has seen his share of sports cases, representing elite athletes and governing bodies around the world. In a recent episode of SCI TV, Greene discusses major sports law issues including anti doping, Title IX liability, trademark and contract cases, and more with SCI Founder Joshua Gordon. Greene is recognized by Chambers USA and Super Lawyers as one of America’s leading sports lawyers.

Saving Careers

Greene found his way into sports law after a decade in broadcasting and wanted to make a larger impact in the field. The athletes he represents often come to him in last ditch efforts to save a season or career, and emotions can run high.

One of his first cases involved an Olympic hopeful who was wrongly barred from the Games. “That’s what I like about these sports law cases, it’s how meaningful they are to the people you’re representing,” Greene said.

Since much of sports law takes place in the public eye, appropriate messaging can be more critical than in other areas of law to manage the impact on reputation.

Control the Message

“I always tell clients, no matter which side they are on, you have to control the message. You have to control how you disseminate information, how you speak, everything has to be disciplined and thought out.”

Doping cases attract special media attention, but many cases are more nuanced than the public is led to believe. Greene doesn’t have sympathy for the clear cut cases where athletes were intentionally cheating, but other situations are not so simple.

“Most people assume that every athlete that tests positive has culpability when that isn’t the case,” Greene said.

Proactive Approaches for Institutions

Sports law also encompases issues at the institutional level, and Greene works to help organizations and governing bodies approach emerging issues proactively.

In the collegiate world there can be uncertainty around the implications of Title IX, especially sections on sexual harassment and sexual assault. Green helps institutions make sure they have systems in place to protect themselves from the errant actions of students and employees.

“You can’t be indifferent. If you see something happen, if something gets reported, you have to jump on it right away, you have to take action, you have to be transparent, and you have to make sure the person’s rights are protected,” Greene says. “Institutions get in trouble when they don’t do things by the book. When you’re trying to just react, that’s generally a recipe for disaster.”

Greene thinks that the institutions getting it right are those that handle issues with outside assistance. People unconnected to an organization bring credibility in a time of crisis and can identify issues before they become major legal and media relations problems, which is more cost effective in the long run.

“People never want to spend money on lawyers unless they have to, but when you talk about doing things on the front end it’s always less expensive than doing things on the backend when everything blows up.”

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Controlling the Olympic Moment

In this episode of SCI TV, researcher and former professional runner Dr. Anne Shadle discusses her study that searched for commonalities in the stories of three Olympic gold medal-winning athletes in Track and Field. Shadle wanted to explore the key factors, beyond talent, physical ability and technical training that impacted athletes’ success and helped win the Olympic gold. The mental and emotional traits she uncovered seem not only critical to peak athletic performance but to any major life endeavor. How do athletes go about controlling the Olympic moment?

How Do the Best Think and Prepare?

Shadle became interested in athlete psychology as a student athlete at the University of Nebraska where she was an NCAA champion in the mile and 1500 meters. She pursued a professional running career but it was in her graduate work at the University of Missouri that she really started asking questions about how the best think and prepare.

Mind-Body Connection

“I’ve always been curious about the mind-body connection,” Shadle said. “I’ve had a curiosity about what do the best athletes in the world do, how do they think, and how does that impact their performance?”

That interest led her to research how the best athletes stay focused on the biggest stage. Shadle interviewed several Olympic gold medalists to uncover their narratives and understand pieces of their success story. She describes her findings as ‘Controlling the Olympic Moment.’

Key Traits

There were several commonalities and key traits among the athletes. They were intrinsically motivated, had the ability to self-regulate, possessed grit or perseverance over time, and had a support system filled with positive relationships.

“These athletes remained focused on their mission and were able to block out all these distractions to deliver their best performance,” Shadle said. “They were very good at emotional control and composure.”

Such traits allowed them to “navigate the crazy” at big meets, including the many internal and external distractions that can throw athletes off their game.

“A characteristic of a very elite athlete is that they spend almost all of their time focusing on the things that they can control which is their own mind, their own performance, their own preparation,” Shadle said.

Innate or Learned?

So are these characteristics innate or can they be learned? Shadle thinks it’s a little of both. Listening to their early athletic experiences, Shadle found that while the athletes had the beginnings of singular focus, they also learned and improved on these skills throughout their professional career. In short, everyone can get better.

Shadle thinks that the lessons from elite athletes can be applied at all levels, and not just in sport.

“Controlling the Olympic moment doesn’t necessarily mean every four years,” Shadle says. “It’s being able to respond in these critical moments, and in our personal relationships; how to ask for that promotion, make a proposal, prepare for these big moments in our lives whatever that may be.”

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Duncan Fletcher Explains the Importance of Athlete Development and Player Engagement

What is athlete development? What does it entail? Why should administrators, coaches, athletes, and supports invest in off-field growth?

SCI TV

In a recent episode of SCI TV, Duncan Fletcher of Game Change Athlete Development Services and Consultancy talks with Joshua Gordon and Shannon Leinert about the benefits of athlete development and player engagement during and after their careers. He underscores some of the unique challenges that athletes face and how off-field activities are a critical component of on-field and future success.

Duncan Fletcher | Game Change

Fletcher became involved in athlete development issues while in graduate school coaching Division I hockey at Quinnipiac University. He has since worked with the NHL, the NHL Players Association and other groups on issues around player performance and athletic transition.

Not Just Physical Development

Athlete development is often thought of in physical terms like running faster, throwing farther, and jumping higher. Fletcher and his colleagues think about development in much broader terms.

“It’s dealing with issues from the neck up,” Fletcher says. “Peak performance is derived not only from what’s taking place physically, but what’s taking place mentally. We view athlete development from a holistic perspective.”

It Is About Performance

Fletcher’s goal is to help athletes improve their performance, effectively leverage their career, and be able to transition out of sport when the time comes. But addressing life after sport can be tricky.

“No athlete wants to talk about their funeral; they are living a dream in this particular moment,” Fletcher said. “What we really advocate is giving the athlete tools that allow them to succeed now, be a better performer, but also allow them to be introduced to what may be beyond their sport.”

Transitions Are Inevitable

Fletcher sees athlete development as a way to compresses the time between when an athlete leaves the game and when they can start having a meaningful impact in another area.

“Athletes are developing a very unique skill set, but in a lot of ways they are punished for it,” Fletcher said. With the right approach, “You’re empowering these folks to be more successful coming out of the game and more effective for their family, themselves, and the community.”

The Myth of a Singular Focus

There can also be performance advantages to off-field activities that reduce stress and build versatility and resiliency.

“Focusing all the time on one thing is exhausting,” Fletcher said. “On multiple occasions I’ve had athletes engaged in courses that had massive performance spikes in a very short time frame.”

Skills for Now and for Life Beyond Sport

Fletcher thinks the next frontier for athlete development is at the college and university level, helping student athletes identify and develop transferable skills while still encouraging them to perform on the field at the highest level.

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Assess Your Program’s Athlete Development Approach

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History and Culture | Dr. Scott Brooks

On this episode of SCI TV, Dr. Scott Brooks, Associate Professor of Sociology at the University of Missouri, discusses black athletes and the inherent myth about natural talent and the hard work that black athletes put in to get where they go. Dr. Brooks sees sports as a means of investigating issues and myths around race.

About Dr. Brooks

Associate Professor of Sociology Scott Brooks was trained in urban sociology, race and class inequality, and qualitative research methods, while earning his Ph.D. in Sociology at the University of Pennsylvania. He also completed degrees at California State University – Hayward (M.A.) and the University of California – Berkeley (B.A.). Though some find race and ethnicity to be delicate topics, Brooks finds them “as American as apple pie.” He says, “I have always been intrigued by American culture and society generally, and we are a country of displaced natives, slaves, and immigrants. What could be more American than studying race and ethnicity?”

There is an old adage that says that for a happy and healthy career, you should get involved in a subject that you will love. Brooks took that advice to heart, combining his love of sports, particularly basketball, with his interest in sociology. Brooks sees sports as a way to investigate issues and myths of race, particularly popular myths involving race and athletic ability. His book, Black Men Can’t Shoot (University of Chicago Press, 2009), examines the careers of basketball players, beginning as youths, and traces how they evolve from good players to great players, and in some cases to college prospects. What he learned goes beyond the basketball floor and into people’s daily lives, emphasizing planning and hard work. The findings offer a theoretical perspective on how to understand career trajectories and mobility.

Brooks’ work offers insights into social dynamics across various settings and he has been interviewed and referenced by prominent news sources, including NPR and the Wall Street Journal, and published numerous scholarly articles and a book. Dr. Brooks is also engaged in mentoring college and high school students and has been recognized for his teaching and mentoring.

Check out a recent book interview: http://newbooksinsports.com/2011/09/19/scott-brooks-black-men-cant-shoot-university-of-chicago-press-2009/

Dr. Brooks’ book: Black Men Can’t Shoot

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Oregon Ducks’ Cornerback Ifo Ekpre-Olumu Discusses Social Networking on SCI TV

In this episode of SCI TV, Oregon Ducks’ Cornerback Ifo Ekpre-Olumu discusses some of the challenges presented by social media in college athletics.

With Monday’s Inaugural College Football Playoff National Championship between the University of Oregon Ducks and the Florida State University Seminoles, the importance of mitigating off-field distractions is a critical component of on-field success.

Social media will be humming with stories that for better or worse shape the image of teams and their student athletes. In an episode of SCI TV, the Ducks’ Cornerback Ifo Ekpre-Olumu shares his thoughts on the challenges of social media for college athletes, and how best to use that influence.

As a student athlete, “People really care about what you have to say,” Ekpre-Olumu said. “You have to at least make sure you’re sending a positive message.”

Student athletes today face a much different standard of scrutiny than previous generations. Conversations and actions that used to be private now go viral on YouTube and Twitter, creating news where there was none before.

“You have to make sure you’re doing things in public that you want to show,” Ekpre-Olumu said. “When you post something, the whole team is represented by it.”

While the Oregon football program takes first year players aside to guide them on social media usage, coaches don’t impose limits or authorization on what can and can’t be said. Ekpre-Olumu agrees that education is the best approach for managing the team’s social media use.

“The coaches trust us to live up to what they expect,” he said. “At this age, especially college students, they’re going to do whatever they want. But if they are informed, that’s the biggest thing that can help.”

If the conversation on social media usually revolves around brand building or avoiding gaffes, there is also the good that a simple message can spread.

“Making people happy with what you post,” Ekpre-Olumu says. “Give a little kid a retweet (and) he’s the happiest kid in the world the next day when he goes to school.”

Watch the entire SCI TV episode:

About SCI:

SCI supports competitive goals in athletics through understanding, preventing, and resolving destructive conflict both inside and outside the lines. SCI serves as a knowledge center and provides a range of services to help ensure student-athlete experience is part of a healthy university culture while optimizing performance on and off the field of play. Conflict is inevitable, but how we respond determines whether success follows or costs mount. SCI Founder, Joshua Gordon, has over 20 years of conflict management experience.

NCAA Football Sportsmanship – Florida State & Oregon

At nearly the highest stage of NCAA College Football, Florida State and Oregon, two of the top teams in the country, showed the world that many of their team-members still need to pass NCAA Football Sportsmanship 101. It began with Jameis Winston gradually becoming unglued in the 4th quarter as the game slipped to a point where a comeback was out of the question. Winston’s coach, Jimbo Fisher finally had to get serious with him, saying, according to SBNation, “Jameis, if you don’t calm the f*** down, you’re going to the bench.” To make matters worse, the video of this talk between them immediately went viral. Luckily, Winston did seem to calm down. He also redeemed himself a bit by going across the field and shaking hands with Oregon players at the end of the game, something that is commonplace sportsmanship in every league that I know of. Unfortunately, about two-thirds of the Florida State team didn’t get the memo, as they went directly to their locker room instead of offering congratulations to Oregon.

Not Just Florida State, Oregon Too?

If I stopped the story there, it would just be Florida State who walked away with a tarnished image. Unfortunately for the Ducks (and also for me writing this, as a two-time Oregon alumn and a fan) some players decided it would be a good idea to chant “no-means-no” in tune with the Florida State chant and tomahawk arm motion, which was a direct taunt to Jameis Winston, who had been facing sexual assault charges over the past few years.

Over 28 Million Viewers Witnessed Bad NCAA Football Sportsmanship.

For both teams the negative PR and reputation costs over this kind of behavior was magnified significantly, as according to Fox Sports, over 28 million viewers were watching the game. For Oregon football in particular, their reputation this year behind Marcus Mariota’s character and leadership has been extraordinary, so it was quite unfortunate to see it blemished by the behavior of a few. Further, I’m sure that Mark Helfrich and the Ducks organization would rather be 100% focused on preparing for the National Championship game than having to deal with any kind of damage control at this time.

Wrap Up.

In end of season, high-pressure, win-or-lose games, athletes can often end that game in one of two frames of mind: celebration or frustration. In either case, the emotions present can be very strong and sometimes override their better judgment. It is often a brilliant move by a coach to call a timeout, win-or-lose, prior to the end of a high-stakes game, to calm their athletes down and reinforce the tenets of their code of conduct and proper sportsmanship. Team leaders also have a role in this, by not only modelling good behavior, but by reinforcing good behavior and correcting their teammates’ bad behavior immediately on-and-off the field of play.

In the upcoming National Championship Game you can bet on celebration and frustration making an appearance. Whether or not either will manifest bad sportsmanship in the view of millions is up to each team to decide.

Author: Jeff Sather, MS

Tom Jernstedt of the College Football Playoff Selection Committee Shares Insights

In this episode of SCI TALK, we are joined by Tom Jernstedt of the College Football Playoff Selection Committee. He shares his fascinating experience with this historic change in NCAA Athletics along with insights from the past 40 years of overseeing college championships.

Listen to this episode of SCI Talk

About Mr. Jernstedt:

Former NCAA Executive Vice President

Served as senior-level executive, including executive vice president, deputy executive director and chief operating officer, throughout 38-year NCAA career (1972-2010).
Supervised NCAA Division I, II and III football, including NCAA Football Board of Directors, College Football Officiating LLC and Football Issues Committee.
Recruited by legendary football coach Len Casanova; four-year scholarship student-athlete, University of Oregon (1963-1967).

Current Occupation: Senior counselor, The Jernstedt Company.

Career Highlights:

Consultant, Mountain West Conference (2012-2013); Big 12 Conference (2010)
Oversaw development of 88 Division I, II and III men’s and women’s NCAA championships. Staff liaison to numerous external Association-related committees.
Directed all facets of NCAA basketball, increasing multi-year television contract revenue from $1.2 million (1972) to $10.8 billion (2010).
Led various internal functional groups: administration and finance, championships and event management, communications, membership services, public affairs, branding and promotions, broadcasting and corporate alliances.
Facilitated NCAA governance plan that incorporated women’s championships into NCAA structure (late 1970′s).
Indianapolis Super Bowl Host Committee, Board of Directors (2009-2012).
National Football Foundation, Legacy Award (2010).
National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame, Inductee (2010).
USA Basketball, Edward S. Steitz Award (2010).
Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, John Bunn Award (2001).
USA Basketball, Board of Directors (1976-2010), President (2000-2005); United States Olympic Committee, Board of Directors (1974-2002).
Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, Board of Trustees (1989-2010).
US Collegiate Sports Council, Board of Directors (1987-2010), VP (2004-2010).
Held three athletic administrative positions at University of Oregon (1969-1972).

Education:

Bachelor’s degree in political science, University of Oregon (1967).
Master’s degree in education, University of Oregon (1973).

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Meaning In Sports: Why I Still Run

I have been running since sixth grade. At times casual and others fiercely competitive, running is far and away the sport I am closest to. It has shaped my daily routine, circles of friends, and the meaning I see in my own life for many years. For everything I have given the sport, it has given back more. What follows is a brief insight to why I still run today.

Exploration

Most sports can take you places, but running is unique in its power to explore. Since I was young I have been fascinated with maps of all sorts, and running has been a way to put feet to paper, exploring the blank spots and looking around the next corner. Whether it’s linking neighborhoods and country roads to forge a new route or tracing the spine of a mountain range halfway around the world, moving with your own two feet is liberating and primal, each new path discovering another. Since moving to Oregon I’ve scoured over more than my share of maps and tried to put the miles where my imagination is. The result is a growing passion for mountain running.

In high school and college the running and racing cycle has a comforting predictability. Summer training, fall cross country—break—winter training, spring track—break—repeat. After college, there are no rules or cycles, only a vast new world of distances, terrain, events, and fastest known times, all flowing from simply following your feet. My focus this year was on short course mountain races, usually a marathon or less featuring significant elevation gain over a variety of surfaces. My training for these events varied from multi-mile long hill repeats, to track intervals, to alpine ski touring, to suffocating treadmill sessions. I try to follow the wisdom that variety is superior to monotony, that something new keeps the body fresh and the mind hungry. This year I ran and raced in Oregon, New Hampshire, Montana, Colorado, and California.

Competitiveness

If you are anxious for your next race or adventure, I probably don’t have to explain why a fire in the belly needs to be fed. Someone once told me that when you’re truly satisfied with your effort it’s time to retire. With that logic, most of us still have waters to test. This past year I ran my first road marathon, mountain championships, and ultra marathon; next year I want to run faster at those distances, see how I measure against the best mountain specialists, and maybe attempt 50 miles. But even without races, sometimes you just want to feel fast and confident, like on a desert mountain run this past summer:

My legs started waking up in the cool air, and with gravel underfoot I felt the roll. Rain drops began falling, triggering the vibrant smell from an ocean of sage. I passed the five mile mark in less than 28 minutes and felt my mojo creep back. Exiting the pine filled canyon, the road spilled out to the wide open, a big swirling sky overhead. Of all songs, Call Me Maybe jumped into my head and suddenly a race was on with no one but myself. The final mile was not marked, but no matter. I was crushing it. Whether in SW Montana, the bluffs of Decorah, Iowa, or the Oregon desert, I knew and loved this feeling, the invincibility and sheer giddiness racing through every muscle. I tossed my water bottle aside and flat out sprinted the final two hundred meters to the car.

Camaraderie

Finally, camaraderie through running is what kept my wheels turning in high school, college and continues to spur me today. Following the performances and endeavors of former teammates and new friends continually inspires and redefines possible. Whether it’s my college training buddy Matthew Busche pushing the peloton across the French countryside, grad school accomplice Andrew Wagner flowing over iconic mountain ridgelines, or SCI’s founder and my friend Josh Gordon helping his team to the US Club Cross Country Masters Title, there is a constant stream of endeavors to root for that give hope to our own dreams. When your friends and training partners have breakthroughs it makes you wonder, why not me?

Beyond the motivation we draw from friends, there has always been something special about simply sharing the miles and training hours with those closest. One of my favorite quotes was given to me by my college cross country coach Steve Pasche at the conclusion of a difficult but eye opening freshman season. It comes from Aussie distance great Ron Clarke: “To some happiness is a warm puppy or a cold beer, but to me happiness is running in the hills with my mates around me.” Seeking new places and challenges still fuels much of my running, but if I had to choose, I would keep going just for my mates. In the spirit of camaraderie through sport we can all find meaning.

Author: David McKay

Athlete Philanthropy | Harrie Bakst of Weinstein Carnegie Philanthropic Group

In this episode of SCI Talk, we explore Athlete Philanthropy in the world of professional sports with Harrie Bakst of Weinstein Carnegie Philanthropic Group. He discusses the issues and controversies surrounding athlete philanthropy and suggests effective ways for athletes to foster a strong philanthropic organization, while avoiding the many potholes that inevitably present themselves in such projects.

Listen Now: SCI TALK (Athlete Philanthropy; Harrie Bakst of Weinstein Carnegie Philanthropic Group)

About Harrie Bakst:

Harrie’s remarkable story is highlighted in A Race Like No Other (Harper Collins) by The New York Times sportswriter Liz Robbins, where he overcame cancer, started WCPG, and ran the New York City Marathon a mere 5 months after his 33rd and final treatment. He also serves on a number of boards and committees including Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, The Ulman Cancer Fund for Young Adults, UJA Federation of New York’s Young Entertainment Committee, Switch2Health’s Board of Advisors, and served as chair of Right To Play’s Young Board of Trustees. Harrie was born in New York City (from the only borough worthy of a “The” in front of it), and is a graduate with Magna Cum Laude honors from New York University, where he was presented the Allie Sherman Business Leadership Award & the President’s Service Award. Harrie was also named by Partnership Activation as one of forty-eight Rising Stars in the sports and entertainment industries in addition to being listed as a top executive under 30-years old by under30CEO.com. He continues to compete in marathons and triathlons raising money and awareness for cancer research.

Harrie currently resides in Manhattan with his wife Amy, and is cancer free.

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