Sports News: Spring 2003

Friday, May 16, 2003

DAMIANOVA SELECTED FOR NCAA LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE

INDIANAPOLIS, IN --- Junior Petia Damianova (Haskovo, Bulgaria/ISM HS), a member of the Moravian College women’s tennis team, is one of 302 student-athletes who have been identified as leaders on their campuses and in their communities. The group of student-athletes from across the nation will meet from May 25th to 29th at the 2003 NCAA Leadership Conference at the Coronado Springs Resort and Walt Disney Wide World of Sports Complex in Orlando, Florida.

Damianova, who helped Moravian’s women’s tennis squad post a second straight undefeated season and win a third consecutive Middle Atlantic Conference Championship, is the third Moravian student-athlete to attend the conference. Damianova had a 7-2 singles record for the Greyhounds last fall. Stephanie Rickards and Scott Fritz attended the second NCAA Leadership Conference back in 1998 for Moravian, prior to their senior years.

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.

A total of 48 coaches, athletics administrators and program facilitators will join the student-athletes at the conference. 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.