The NCAA Convention from the eyes of a SCAC Student-Athlete - Day Four

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. - The Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference is being represented by 18 student-athletes at the 2012 NCAA Convention this week. Made possible through the NCAA Division III Strategic Initiative Grant, the 18 student-athletes will participate in activities ranging from education sessions to business sessions to the NCAA Honors Celebration.

Friday was the last full day at the NCAA Convention for the SCAC 18, and perhaps the most enjoyable. After a day that began with the NCAA Division III Issues Forum, half of the group spent some time with the Division III National Student-Athlete Advisory Committee. From there, student-athletes were allowed to "peak" behind the curtain that is conference operations as the group attended a portion of the conference's Athletics Directors Council winter meeting.

The night was capped off with a magical evening at the NCAA Honors Celebration where the SCAC 18 were afforded the opportunity to hear incredibly inspiring tales of accomplishment from current and past NCAA student-athletes and to rub elbows with former professional athletes such as Tim Brown (football), Kevin Johnson (basketball) and David Robinson (basketball).

Junior volleyball player Raven Scott of Millsaps College (pictured left) will write a daily blog, recapping some of the activities that she and her fellow student-athletes are experiencing. Below is her entry for Friday: 

It's funny how time flies when you are having fun. Today was our last full day at the NCAA Convention and I cannot believe the time is already coming to a close. We have had such a tremendous time the entire Convention and the last day was no exception. The day began with a Division III Issues Forum that allowed us to hear new proposals in DIII and give our opinions while also receiving great insight into the administrative side of athletics. Although the proposal did not directly address us, it did allow us to express some DIII issues in small groups and to have our voices heard, if only by a table of decision-makers.

Next, a few of us were able to eat lunch with the National Student Athlete Advisory Committee members. They gave us insight on what it's like to be on national SAAC but also gave us ideas to bring back to our own SAAC and some problem=solving advice.

The group then split up and were able to sit in intimate sessions with leaders of our conference. We were able to give ADs, FARs, and other representatives that actually represent our schools our opinions on the proposed legislations and ask questions of them that would directly affect us. These sessions were simple yet powerful. To those in the room, we were not only student-athletes, we are THEIR current student-athletes. We are the people they represent.

Of all the fantastic moments of the Convention, the Honors Celebration is definitely at the top of the list. Tonight we headed to the celebration not knowing what to expect; we were definitely pleasantly surprised. Award-winners lined the program with too many accolades to count. Eight recently graduated student-athletes received the Today's VIII Award for their dedication to athletics, academics, and community service. All the athletes were amazing, inspiring, and very talented. Their stories were of dedication, kindness, perseverance, and personal drive and all inspired us to work just a little bit harder to achieve our own goals. Silver Anniversary Award Winners included the big names of Sean Payton, Doris Burke, Kevin Johnson, David Robinson, Tim Brown, and Amy Perko. It was amazing to share the room with such accomplished individuals and to know they were once in our position; student-athletes taking advantage of opportunities and growing as people in our schools and communities.

Every single award recipient was deserving and awe-inspiring, yet Will Allen, 2011 NCAA Theodore Roosevelt Award Winner, gave a simple speech that left the audience and all the delegates charged. His words of vision, goals, and possibilities encouraged all that anything is possible and we have to do things to help our fellow human beings much like teammates help each other. "Teach them my vision and how to think beyond the present," he stated and connected athletics with possibilities.

After hearing the presentations and being able to take pictures with and talk to the award recipients I find myself thinking of all the possibilities in my life. The recipients had something special; dedication to their goals and the drive and 'never quit' attitude to make those goals reality. Yet through it all, they are just regular people like every other student-athlete, but willing to do what it takes to make their dreams come true. As SCAC representatives we can bring those messages to our schools and teams and challenge them to achieve beyond our conference championships and overall records, but to achieve in life and give back all that sports has given us.

As we prepare for our last sessions of the Convention and our trips back home, we leave with far more than we came. And the best is yet to come... :)