Wittenberg's Purnell Honored for Community Commitment

Edited: May 12, 2003

FOUR NCAC REPRESENTATIVES CHOSEN TO PARTICIPATE
IN NCAA LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE

WESTLAKE, Ohio -- Three North Coast Athletic Conference student-athletes were chosen by the NCAA to participate in the seventh annual NCAA Foundation Leadership Conference May 25-29 at the Coronado Springs resort and Wide World of Sports Complex in Lake Beuna Vista, Fla. Denison senior Sarah Forbus (Lewis Center, OH/Wausau West), Hiram junior Michael Kennedy (Hiram, OH/Crestwood) and Wittenberg junior Kyle Dunaway (Warren, OH/Howland) are three of the 302 student-athletes who have been identified as current or future leaders on their campuses and in their communities. Joining the three students will be Wittenberg Director of Athletics and Recreation, Garnett Purnell.

The 2003 NCAA Leadership Conference is one of the largest non-competitive gatherings of NCAA student-athletes. The conference is designed to enhance student-athletes' leadership and communication skills and to enable them to become more effective leaders and motivators when they return to their campuses. The convention setting provides the student-athletes with an opportunity to create dialogue surrounding topics that affect them on campus and in their communities. The conference also provides them with exercises to enhance their decision-making and problem-solving skills, and improve planning and priority management.

The student-athlete leaders were selected from a total of 1,172 nomination forms that were submitted by college and university officials who have NCAA CHAMPS/Life Skills programs at their schools. Student-athletes attending the leadership conference reside in the United States and abroad. They represent Divisions I, II and III, and fall, winter and spring sports. This year's group of participants will represent 22 sports: baseball, basketball, crew, cross country, diving, equestrian, field hockey, ice hockey, football, golf, gymnastics, lacrosse, rifle, alpine skiing, soccer, softball, swimming, tennis, track and field, volleyball, water polo and wrestling.

During the five-day event, student-athletes have the opportunity to discuss a variety of topics, which include the demands and expectations of student-athletes; inclusion education; international student-athlete experiences; recruiting visits; student-athlete responsibility; party behaviors; trust gaps within intercollegiate athletics; and sportsmanship.

Purnell is one of 48 coaches, athletics administrators and program facilitators who will join the student-athletes at the conference. He will be making a presentation on Career Paths to Becoming Director of Athletics. "This gives me an opportunity to share with student-athletes some ideas of how to become an athletic administrator," he said. "As a result, we are able to tap some of our most talented student-athletes to serve in that role in the future."

In addition, 24 members representing the national Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) also will participate in the discussion sessions and group activities. SAAC provides feedback to NCAA committees and councils regarding student welfare issues and is considered the "voice" of the student-athlete within the NCAA governance structure.

Following the leadership conference, the student-athletes will be asked to share their experiences and topic discussions with their campus SAAC, as well as other campus leaders. The participants are also asked to develop a self-directed project that will address an issue on their campus or in their community, and implement the plan when they return to their campuses.

Criteria for selection include the student-athletes' demonstrated ability and strong desire to be a leader and the student-athletes' potential to benefit significantly from a leadership development experience. In order to be eligible for the conference, the student-athletes must be in good academic standing, and must have athletics eligibility remaining in the following academic year. A committee comprised of CHAMPS/Life Skills coordinators from member institutions and NCAA student-athletes review the nominations to determine the final selections.