In addition to being trained to excel on the courts and fields, CHC student-athletes receive an education in leadership and self-empowerment, which often benefits the College as a whole.
Thanks to the $30,000 NCAA CHOICES grant received by the College in 2012, student-athletes have been able to promote alcohol education programs on campus, as well as attend conferences around the country, as several CHC student-athletes did at the end of January.
Joining colleagues from institutions across the country, Krista Bailey Murphy, Ph.D., dean of student life, and Jessica Day ’09, associate director of athletics for academic success and community engagement, accompanied student-athletes, Kaileik Asbury ’17, Kevin Clancy ’19, Andrew Hildebrand ’17 and Michaiah Young ’17, to the 25th annual NCAA APPLE Conference for promoting student-athlete wellness and substance abuse prevention.
“The APPLE conference is designed to empower student-athletes to make a difference on their campuses,” says Murphy. “We have been fortunate, thanks to NCAA CHOICES, to have been able to attend this and other amazing conferences over the past three years.”
Now in its 25th year, the APPLE Conference, which was developed by the Gordie Center for Substance Abuse Prevention at the University of Virginia, is broken up into two parts: education and action.
“Focusing predominantly on issues regarding substance abuse, mental health, sexual assault awareness and bystander intervention, the conference educates the attendees on best practices and how to combat these issues on college campuses,” says Day.
“This information about health issues and their impact on students is empowering,” adds Murphy. “Once armed with the education, everything the students learned can be used for positive change on their home campuses.”
The group heard from several speakers over the three-day event including representatives from the NCAA, the National Center for Drug Free Sport, the National Institute for Alcohol Abuse & Alcoholism, Campus Speak and more. The presentations varied, covering all areas of student health and wellness and included such talks as: “A Conversation about Hazing,” “GenRx & the Student-Athlete,” “Fork & Knife Ergogenics: Using Food for Performance & Recovery,” and “Moving Beyond X’s & O’s – Facilitating Student-Athlete Health & Wellness.”
“I appreciated all the speakers and groups I worked with because each conversation brought something different that I can share with my teammates and fellow Griffins back at CHC,” says Young, a member of the women’s basketball team who was attending her second APPLE conference. “The experience affected me in a positive way and I hope I can make a positive change on campus with the knowledge and skills gained.”
— Marilee Gallagher ’14