Association Announces Board Candidates
The College Swimming and Diving Coaches Association of America (CSCAA) has unveiled a list of nine candidates for its Board of Directors and one for its Executive Board. The candidates include five men and five women representing each NCAA Division. This year's election, which will take place online, will fill two divisional vacancies and a newly-created administrative position established last year. Members of the Board of Directors serve a two-year term and are eligible for up to three terms
In Division I, Georgia Tech's Courtney Hart is eligible for a second term. Jeanne Fleck of Fresno State also applied along with Patrick Gallagher of Cornell University. In Division II, Andrew Makepeace of Findlay and Fairmont State's Patrick Snively are vying for the seat vacated by Saint Cloud State's Jeff Hegle. Hegle is completing his third two-year term, the maximum allowed under Association bylaws. Three candidates are running for the Division III position that opened when Dani Korman left MIT for a position at the University of California. Those candidates include Jon Carlson of Gustavus Adolphus College, Teresa Fish from Illinois Wesleyan University, and UW-Eau Claire's Anne Ryder.
Cincinnati head coach Mandy DiSalle is running for the position of President-Elect. In that role she would assist incoming president Joe Dykstra before becoming president during the CSCAA's centennial in 1922. Purdue Assistant Athletics Director Brad Boswell was the only nominee for the administrative position. This position was created at the 2019 CSCAA business meeting.
In addition to the aforementioned, current members of the Board of Directors are Clark Campbell, President; Matt Barany, Treasurer, Brian Schrader, Secretary; Susan Teeter, Past President; Teri McKeever, At-Alerge, McGee Moody, Division I, Heidi Voigt, Division II, Brad Shively, Division III and Greg Brandes, Diving. Candidate applications are provided below:
Mandy DiSalle, University of Cincinnati
Why are you interested in serving on the CSCAA Board of Directors?
As I enter my seventh season as Head Coach at the University of Cincinnati, I feel well established to be able to expand my reach in the swimming community and contribute in a number of different areas. I believe my experience as an assistant coach, head coach, and experience as a National Team coach for USA swimming allows me to have a broad perspective for all levels in this sport and understand the needs at each of these levels. I would like to use this experience and perspective to help continue to advance our sport and maintain the highest level of presence for the athletes and coaches. I believe I have the time and capacity to give back and contribute to a positive trend for our sport.
What do you believe are the two most challenges facing intercollegiate swimming and diving?
The health and presence of our sport nationally. We must continue to be a national presence and find ways to engage with the community in different ways to display our value. We must be able to equip coaches to engage with industry leaders, their athletes and community to broaden their reach.
Growth and Education/Evolution for our coaches: As the landscape of the sport changes, we must evolve as coaches to adapt to changing athlete needs, university needs, and community needs. We must continue to push the development of coaches to create a strong community allowing for the advancement of men & women in this sport. By strengthening our community, we can continue to progress our sport.
How can you contribute to addressing the above challenges?
Building off of the current initiatives, I believe we can focus on progressing our sport with a number of different sub categories addressing the challenges above.I believe I can balance the overall vision and direction of the sport, with the practical application and engagement on a micro-level. I would like to get engaged with coaches at all levels, listen to ideas and help develop pathways to achieve our goals. I would like to continue that outreach to help other coaches develop in their role and connect coaches to strengthen our community.
Are you comfortable soliciting others for membership and funding?
I would be comfortable doing so. I have actively been in a fundraising role since I began college coaching, advocating for my sport at the schools I have worked. I have had experience with everything from split the pot/ticket sales to donor appreciation boat rides. I am currently involved with the Women's Excellence Fund at the University of Cincinnati - a separate athletic department fundraising effort which funds (by women specifically) women's sports and scholarships at UC.
Courtney Hart (Incumbent), Georgia Tech
What led you to join initially join the CSCAA Board of Directors?
Initially, I wanted to be a female voice while trying to help other female coaches to achieve their goals in our sport. I know that there are not a lot of female head coaches out there, so I wanted to try to lead by example and be a role model. I wanted to use the platform of the CSCAA Board to enhance and grow our sport.
I have come to learn that I can also be an advocate for our student athletes because I am on the board. The Board gives me an opportunity to be a part of how the rules collegiate swimming and diving are crafted and created. It also helps us voice our concerns and objectives to the NCAA for their consideration.
What do you believe are the two most challenges facing intercollegiate swimming and diving?
In the current environment, it is crucial to be able to connect with and engage with our student athletes. Not being able to see them and check in with them each day is difficult. We need to communicate with them during this stressful time to make sure they are doing well and coping.
I believe that the second challenge is how we are going to adapt our schedules and budgets to the current situation. We want to make sure that the student athletes get the full experience even while we deal with budget constraints, social distancing, academic concerns and the myriad of other daily issues that confront our staffs and athletes.
How can you contribute to addressing the above challenges?
Share how we have been able to use technology to connect with our athletes in smaller groups, challenge them in their academic pursuits, build accountability and sustain a championship team culture, all while helping them stay mentally focused on swimming in the fall.
Share how we have looked at our current budgets with our staff and administrators to be conservative in our spending, while still giving the students athletes the best experience that can provide. Fundraising has become a key component of making sure our staff feels secure in their positions while also providing resources to our program for its operating needs.
Are you comfortable soliciting others for membership and funding?
Fundraising is a big part of what we do at Tech, and we have some amazing donors. I was just fortunate to have one of my top Donors to endow my head coaching position. It is the first to be done at Georgia Tech. I think fundraising is an important part of what we do to help our sport.
Jeanne Fleck, Fresno State University
Why are you interested in serving on the CSCAA Board of Directors?
Coaching and learning are the two of the most important things in my life. This organization has helped make me a better coach and mentor to other coaches over the years. I think by giving back to the organization that has helped me would be a wonderful thing. I think I can bring experience and also new ideas to the board that can help all coaches around the country. I am a doer so that will also help to make sure we are getting things done to make us a better organization. I really want to make an impact on the sport I love so much and a profession that has given me so much.
What do you believe are the two most challenges facing intercollegiate swimming and diving?
I believe that we are still facing an issue with losing programs and funding for swimming for both men and women. And I believe that the separation of the haves and the have nots will be a driving force in lost programs.
The other issue I believe to be important is the lack and loss of women in coaching. We seem to have many assistants that are women but lose them very quickly. I do not have an answer to this problem at all but would like to help bring this gap and keep women in the profession longer.
How can you contribute to addressing the above challenges?
I believe I can add ideas for friend raising and fund raising to the table. I also believe we can get a committee together to find solutions to help position teams and coaches to become indispensable on their campuses. Make sure their teams are active in and off campus. Help coaches get a head of cost saving measures on their campus and and work on those committees that are making decisions. I would also encourage coaches in conferences to meet every month on zoom and get a pulse of their campuses so that everyone can help each other.
Work with mentor groups to promote women and help women in our profession. Keep up with young coaches and make sure they are applying for jobs and getting their name out there..
Are you comfortable soliciting others for membership and funding?
Yes I am very comfortable talking and calling coaches to make sure they are joining our organization. I believe in the CSCAA and believe that everyone needs to give back to our profession. I am also very comfortable asking people for help especially when it is for something that can benefit so many.
Patrick Gallagher, Cornell University
Why are you interested in serving on the CSCAA Board of Directors?
I think it is one way I can try to give back to this sport. I believe I can have a voice and perspective that strengthens our sport during a time of big changes in the collegiate model.
What do you believe are the two most challenges facing intercollegiate swimming and diving?
First, the array of challenges that will arise from the continued autonomy of the Power 5 conferences. I include the cases currently in litigation as a part of this. These issues probably provide opportunities as well as challenges, but being out front and leading the discussion as to what is good for our sport in a collegiate setting will be paramount to addressing challenges and exploiting opportunities over the next five-ten years. Everything from the competitive balance of our championships to universities cutting swimming and diving are issues that will continue to come up through this.
Secondly, I believe it is paramount that our community is supporting the preparing coaches for head jobs on campus. I don’t mean to imply it is not happening now, but the job is changing and creating a supporting a competent, diverse and growing field of head coaches that can become the face of a department is something that I think will be the foundation of swimming and diving in the future. After listening to Bill Dorenkott last spring, we should be focused on CEO development as much as coaching.
How can you contribute to addressing the above challenges?
The CSCAA has a deep and broad constituency to represent, I think my perspective a small DI head coach, and now Ivy League coach is valuable. The issues that arise from court cases and autonomy will rarely have black and white repercussions for the whole organization. However, seeing the issues coming down the road and pushing these discussions proactively will allow individual programs be ready to adjust when the winds change and I think that is an essential function of this organization. I believe I can help with that discussion and understanding of the issues.
Coach’s development is an area the organization has started to address and I would like to contribute to its continuing development. The mentoring program, coach’s academy and other initiatives are a great start in helping coaches prepare for a head-coaching job (or support them when they have it). Being able to look at this from a proactive development standpoint for young coaches as well as a support when issues do come up within a program are areas we can continue to grow.
Are you comfortable soliciting others for membership and funding?
I am comfortable soliciting and supporting the membership of the organization. I am also comfortable soliciting funding from sources to help support the organization in terms of sponsorship etc. However, I am wary soliciting additional funds directly from the membership (or their supporters). I am part of a team of three that currently raises around $340,000 each year in support of our program. Many programs have generous supporters and I do not think the CSCAA should be in competition for those dollars.
Andrew Makepeace, University of Findlay
Why are you interested in serving on the CSCAA Board of Directors?
My passion for the sport and the student-athletes I have direct interactions with are the first things that come to mind. I go to bed each night eager for the next day and what that will bring, excited about the challenges yet to come. I want to have a greater impact on the sport than what I can contribute as a coach to my student-athletes, this would help provide me that platform to institute a positive influence for the future. I've been gives so many great opportunities due to this sport at the collegiate level and I want to pay that forward. Simply put, I want to help be an advocate for the growth of our sport(s). Whether that is down at the swim school/lesson level, at the administrative level for institutions or the NCAA level, the growth and sustainability of swimming and diving is something that excites me. I have thought about ways in which I can contribute to that and believe I have ideas and knowledge which could make me uniquely qualified. I also believe my experiences along each step in my career may help give different perspectives and be shared in a way that help grow our sport.
What do you believe are the two most challenges facing intercollegiate swimming and diving?
University sponsorship of current swimming and diving teams and future sponsorship consideration. The elimination of swimming and diving programs at all divisions is and will always be a concern. This was before COVID-19 and the implications that may have on programs across the nation.
Program development and program continuity.
How can you contribute to addressing the above challenges?
I was at Mankato during the year-long process of elimination for the Men's program, as well as the following year when the program became single gender. I wouldn't want any of my colleagues, or their student-athletes, to endure such a terrible plight. Every year that programs are being eliminated, I try and reach out to those coaches and see if there is anything I or our program can do to help. Oftentimes that decision has been made final before any assistance can be made, but I want to help programs become proactive in their efforts to achieve long term viability and proactivity before those conversations can be had at the top levels.
This now comes at a dire time with COVID-19 placing higher education in an even more vulnerable position. I have been at the Findlay for 8 years and under my guidance, have gone from a program with limited resources, scholarship funding, and roster size to one that has long term sustainability and increased all those aforementioned exponentially. It goes to show anyone that a program that is/was floundering can be turned into something that blossoms annually. It takes work. Proper communication within your athletic department, soliciting help around campus, advocating for your student-athletes, and challenging the status quo (in a productive and constructive way) are ways I have addressed those challenges. Had I not done these things, I wouldn't have created value and recognition of our program. That is one of the ways I would contribute to the challenge of eliminating programs, yet growing them for the future. It is important for Athletic Directors to see the role swimming and diving can have.
This is all without consideration that programs have in the community with outreach such as swim lessons that are unique to our sport.
The aforementioned issue about program stability and proactivity is tied closely with program continuity. We have open positions at some schools at a higher frequency than others which leaves student-athletes in constant peril. The parent question I am asked with the most frequency is my status at the school. Parents seemingly want comfort knowing their charges will be cared for during their years in college. I think we could provide better education to prospective employers during the hiring process on which coaches may fit their leadership style. This helps provide a clear direction for coaches hired at those institutions and cultivates continuity for their swimming and diving programs. I'm concerned growth of smaller programs could stall or decline without the right fit. I see it every year. I don't know the frequency that AD's reach out to the CSCAA during the hiring process, but we could help provide better suited candidates to positions based on interactions, experience, mentorship with each applicant. Schools will still hire who they want to hire, but at least they'll be educated about prospective coaches and have a more comprehensive vetting program. That could help develop stronger relationships for AD's with their swimming and diving programs. Program continuity and development also lies within being compensated based on value of coaches. We have good evidence provided by the CSCAA of knowing your worth based on pay of peers, but providing mentorship for those who are in need of pay raises and handling those challenging and delicate conversations is vital. I do believe having more than one mentor provides a stable of shared experiences to help provide all coaches rationale on when and why to engage in difficult conversations.
Are you comfortable soliciting others for membership and funding?
Yes. I have spent 8 years building a swim school at UF that has grown from 40 families to over 500 families annually through direct soliciting with community businesses, schools, organizations, and families alike. This direct engagement has helped supplement our budget, but couldn't have been done without establishing strong relationships. We have run a golf outing (canceled this spring due to COVID-19) that has run the last 2 years in which we solicit our parents/community/athletes for donations, sponsorship, etc. It is more a soft ask, but there is strong compliance because of relationships we build in the community and with our team members families. I am certain I would be an asset helping as member of the board when necessary.
Patrick Snively, Fairmont State University
Why are you interested in serving on the CSCAA Board of Directors?
I always believe in leveraging what gifts I have to effect change on a broader scale. This is something we preach within our program at Fairmont State and something I try to embody as a leader on campus, in my community, and in my sport. When opportunities to lead and make a larger impact on students on our campus have arisen over my nineteen-year career, I have jumped at them; whether it be athletics administration, academic affairs, faculty senate, or various campus safety capacities such as Title IX and Clery Committees. When our community needs assistance, my wife and I volunteer; including Rotary, Parks Commission, and chairing the United Way campaign this past year. In our sport, I have led locally and nationally. I feel it is the responsibility of each of us to assist one another based upon our own experiences and I think that is what is so great about our sport. I mentor whenever I can. I try and provide a model that younger coaches can emulate and perhaps find longevity in the sport like I have. I was fortunate enough to be a part of the NCAA Division II Swimming and Diving Championships Committee and served as Chair in my final year with the group. We made positive changes to the qualifying process and that is thanks to the membership. We didn’t force-feed a model. Rather, we listened, presented alternatives at times, and presented the NCAA with a formula that provided the deepest, most competitive field the Championships had seen since the cap was put in place.
What do you believe are the two most challenges facing intercollegiate swimming and diving?
Opportunities (lack of institutions offering S&D, programs cut, lack of scholarships, lack of funding)
Mental health and well-being (student-athletes and coaches)
How can you contribute to addressing the above challenges?
I don’t think it is difficult to show administrators the value of our sport on their campuses. I think the CSCAA has done a great job of sharing this message and has slowed if not reversed the trend of dropping programs. I can support the message and contribute to expanding the CSCAA’s messaging in order to support the efforts of coaches fighting for their teams and their student-athletes.
Supporting programming that expands our knowledge in the field of mental health is essential. For decades, we have focused on mental toughness and goal-setting, but we did not take a holistic approach to sport psychology or mental health. This is likely due to our lack of training or perhaps our own upbringing in the sport. I think the toll this can take on our athletes takes an exponential toll on us as coaches and many coaches, while beginning to focus on the mental well-being of their athletes do not practice what we preach. I think supporting programming, highlighting coaches and programs that are doing great things in this area, and encouraging all to use the resources available to them (whether it is sports psych consultants, mental health counselors, and/or expanding their own knowledge base) would go a long way toward assisting our student-athletes to be better prepared to excel and equipped to deal with hardships and also allow for our coaches to experience a greater level of mental hygiene.
Are you comfortable soliciting others for membership and funding?
I am comfortable with this. I have experience in soliciting for funding. I think we all do as coaches at a certain level. On top of this, I have done considerable non-profit fundraising. These experiences include raising funds for the American Cancer Society, the Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease Foundation (a group especially close to our family as my mother passed away from this rare disease), and United Way. When my wife and I took over as chairs of the local United Way campaign this year, we were tasked with raising half a million dollars and this had only been done once before. We had not anticipated that some of the larger businesses in our community would be struggling financially (including the closure of our community hospital) and that fundraising would become even more difficult. We refused to fall short of the goal though as so many in our community struggle and met our fundraising goal. I cannot bear to commit to something and not follow through. Solicitation is always the most comfortable thing to do, but I don't have a problem in doing it.
Jon Carlson, Gustavus Adolphus College
Why are you interested in serving on the CSCAA Board of Directors?
I am interested in becoming more involved in making sure that decisions made will always think about the well-being of the student/athlete first. I also would plan to make sure the voice of small college swimming is heard and considered in decisions made by the board in general. I believe that it is an important duty to serve others within the profession we have chosen. I have done this in my other sport, tennis, serving on the NCAA National committee twice. I would love to start getting more involved in help grow the sport of swimming & diving, and do my part to help create a rewarding experience for all involved.
What do you believe are the two most challenges facing intercollegiate swimming and diving?
In my 30 years of coaching, I have seen these challenges change many times. Right now, I think the demands of a Division I programs needs have to be met without impacting the experience of student/athletes in other divisions. The biggest thing facing small college swimming & diving will be the same problems colleges in general are starting to have, that will hit in a big way in 2025: the number of seniors available to colleges for admission will drop dramatically starting in 2025. It will be important for programs to find ways to continue to recruit student/athletes into their programs to keep them viable and valuable to their college or university.
How can you contribute to addressing the above challenges?
I think I can help with these challenges due to my experience in being an observant coach over the past 30 years. I think my exposure and consideration as to how another NCAA sport handles similar challenges can make me a valuable resource (swimming has definitely helped me as a resource in my time on the NCAA Tennis Committee). Lastly, I think that I try my best to stand for what is right and fair. I am understanding that just because I think something should be a certain way doesn't mean I'm right, or in the majority. Rather, as long as all perspectives are taken into account, groups of caring individuals will come to decisions that are best for most, with the hope of enhancing all.
Are you comfortable soliciting others for membership and funding?
I'm not afraid of talking to people...if that's what you mean. Also, when you've been in collegiate athletics as long as I have (even at the small college level), fundraising has become a big part of my job. I'm currently working with the advancement office at our college on a big fundraising campaign for the college.
Teresa Fish, Illinois Wesleyan University
Why are you interested in serving on the CSCAA Board of Directors?
My interest in being on the Board of Directors has grown over a period of time. Because of my role as a head coach at a university, I feel it is a way that I can give back to the sport. I have been an observer over the years because of my many other responsibilities. The timing is right for me now to become more active in the organization. I started a USA swimming club team 8 years ago and it has taken a lot of the extra time that I had. I think it is in a good place right now so I can spend the time I need to this position. Also, I was a member of the most important faculty committee on our campus, Council for University Policy and Procedures, for most of this time and my term is now over. It would be an honor to have the opportunity to work with other coaches and the CSCAA staff in promoting intercollegiate swimming and diving.
What do you believe are the two most challenges facing intercollegiate swimming and diving?
One of the challenges for intercollegiate swimming and diving is decreasing roster sizes especially for males. I have not done a complete data analysis of the situation but I am speaking from personal experience and in our conference.
As I am writing this response during the covid19 outbreak, I am contemplating how much this is going to affect the finances of universities because of the loss of revenue from NCAA as well as the trickle-down effect where there is problem with retention of programs.
How can you contribute to addressing the above challenges?
My thoughts on improving the roster sizes starts with working with the feeder programs, club swimming. One of the reasons that I started a USA swimming club team was to get the message out there that if you want to swim in college, there is a place for you. We need to educate club coaches on college swimming. As I have spoken to coaches on the pool deck at USA meets, a lot of them are relying on their personal experience. We also have to educate the athletes at an earlier age so it is something that they are considering and it is on their radar. If we wait until they are in high school, it may be too late.
Another issue that affects roster sizes in college is burn out in our sport. We need to make sure that the expectations are age appropriate and keep the fun in the sport. During my tenure on the age group committee of Illinois Swimming, one of my objectives was creating programming for the swimmers that are not at the top of their age group (the majority of swimmers). In an effort to keep the swimmers engaged and having fun, we hosted a Catch the Spirit camp at the university and it was sold out within the first couple of days of registration. Personally, I talk to the parents and athletes of my club team about college swimming all of the time so they know that the development is long term. These are just a couple of dimensions of the decreased roster sizes. I think there is a lot of creative work that we can do as college coaches to help the situation.
The second challenge of the effect of the covid19 virus is multi-dimensional because the universities are going to have different experiences depending on where they are located, their current financial situation, how much money they normally counted on for their budget from the NCAA, etc. My initial thoughts are to try to be proactive. Any program that thinks that there may be a detrimental impact should start a process that they can enact quickly if needed. What would this look like? That is hard to put together without the details of the situation. The CSCAA can be a resource to help programs that may find themselves in these circumstances.
Are you comfortable soliciting others for membership and funding?
I would be comfortable speaking with perspective members and sponsors. I have two areas that I have experience with using these skills (other than recruiting athletes). I have been developing connections with our alumni to enhance donations to our program. Since we were never able to contact alums for financial support until three years ago, it is work in progress. I am trying to find new ways of getting them excited about the program and their alma mater so they see how their donation would be beneficial.
The other experience that I have with asking for support was a recent benefit that I organized for one of our club coaches. She had many hardships hit her all at once that affected her financial situation. Through donations from the community and support from club members, we were able to raise over $5000 for her and her family.
Annie Ryder, UW-Eau Claire
Why are you interested in serving on the CSCAA Board of Directors?
I want to be a voice for college swimming for Division three and other women coaches. I also want to open myself to this community more and build relationships and learn from what other coaches and programs are doing.
What do you believe are the two most challenges facing intercollegiate swimming and diving?
I'm not going to discuss the obvious one and that's athletic departments having enough money to fund programs. It feels to big for me to be able to tackle in one or two simple steps. So the first big one especially in division three in my opinion is the ability to hire and retain staff due to budget constraints. There isn't a lot of money (outside of the major players) to pay an assistant a living wage. I believe that having a good assistant is one of the most valuable resources a head coach can have. The second one has to do with all divisions and athletic teams.
Mental health of the athletes is the second. I've only been coaching collegiately for a short six years but even in the last two years the athletes who are suffering from depression, anxiety and other mental health disorders seems to be going up exponentially. It's challenging in the sense I feel a huge responsibility to care for them and make sure they are getting the help they need and sometimes not always knowing what that is and also that they are keeping themselves and others safe.
How can you contribute to addressing the above challenges?
I'm not sure I have great solutions to either of the above challenges. But I would like to contribute to both areas. Whether that's putting together some sort of task force on campuses to help athletes in particular with mental health or providing additional counseling available to teams. In addition bringing ideas to the table about what has worked for other programs when it comes to hiring assistants, diving coaches etc. and ideas going forward giving our new normal.
Are you comfortable soliciting others for membership and funding?
Yes. I don't think of so much as soliciting but more creating a sense of community and having others join so we can work together to make it better for everyone. It's something I believe in and there for it's more about having conversations with people rather than "selling" it to them. We have done several alumni campaigns and again its just about engaging our alumni and talking to them about the program. Something they understand having been there themselves.
Brad Boswell, Purdue University
Why are you interested in serving on the CSCAA Board of Directors?
I believe this position would be a perfect marriage of my background as a lifelong swimmer, coupled with my career in collegiate athletic administration. I began swimming competitively at a very young age and was a student-athlete at the University of Tennessee. After my collegiate career was over, I coached swimming at different levels for many years prior to going to law school. I pursued a career in collegiate athletics thanks in part to the very positive experiences I had as a student-athlete and my desire to remain in that environment. I have never stepped away from swimming and have been lucky to work alongside some great programs and coaches. I believe those programs have benefitted from having someone with a background like mine in an administrative role. In my role, I have been able to advocate for resources for swimming & diving programs and have defended some of the unique decisions of swim programs to other administrators less familiar with the sport. I believe those skills I provide for the swimming & diving programs I have worked with are what the CSCAA wanted when they created this new position. I am eager to assist the sport in a much larger capacity.
What do you believe are the two most challenges facing intercollegiate swimming and diving?
1. swimming & diving programs are often the first to be considered when athletic departments are forced to make budget cuts. 2. NCAA legislation continues to evolve as more sport-specific and is not always in the best interest of all sports when adopted in a blanket manner. Swimming is a specialized sport requiring rules that will accommodate the unique nature of what it takes to be successful. As new legislation is proposed, swimming programs need to understand how the change might affect their sport.
How can you contribute to addressing the above challenges?
The sport of swimming & diving needs to continue to promote itself as a sport offering lifelong benefits to its participating athletes and the community at large. On many campuses across the country swimming & diving can often be found at the top of the list for highest overall team grade point average, graduation rate, and most other academic benchmarks. Student-athletes finish their career and go out to the workforce as confident, disciplined, and hardworking members of society. I am very familiar with this narrative as I have lived it and witness it every day at the institutional level. I believe my experience and perspective as an administrator can help to promote this narrative.
As a compliance officer with over a decade of experience it is my job to be aware of proposed legislation and provide insights to my coaches on the legislation’s potential effect on their sport. As part of this process I consult with other compliance professionals, solicit feedback, and make recommendations for an institutional stance. Again, while some proposals may seem like a good idea for many sports, swimming & diving is a unique sport and its interests need to be protected. I believe that from the CSCAA Board I will be able to provide insight to the membership similar to how I already do at the institutional level. A larger amount of awareness nationwide should assist in preventing or at least bringing to light any unintended consequences of new legislation.
Are you comfortable soliciting others for membership and funding?
I am comfortable soliciting others for membership and funding. I currently serve on the National Association for Athletics Compliance (NAAC) “Reasonable Standards” committee. NAAC's Reasonable Standards are an initiative on behalf of the compliance profession to establish norms to which all institutions should adhere when monitoring, providing education, and documenting an institution's compliance with NCAA rules. Within the Reasonable Standards committee, I also serve on the “Advancement” sub-committee. This sub- committee is responsible for engaging with groups who might help to promote the Reasonable Standards, promoting our standards via social media, providing useful tools to assist the membership and spread the Reasonable Standards mission, in addition to various efforts undertaken on a regional scale. In summary, throughout my career in collegiate athletics administration.