The practice of alignment
One philosophy consistently catches my attention in the speeches of new coaches. Alignment. From the top of the organization to the bottom, everyone wants to be on the same page about their core goals.
What a long strange trip it’s been
By Kurt Klier, Assistant Director at the University of Maryland-College Park
“The NIRSA Championship Series is a platform for professional development for NIRSA members to build skills and engage in all levels of learning through their programming, staff, official, and volunteer positions.” As my time as the NIRSA Championship Series Committee Chair comes to […]
Now I understand
By Kurt Klier, Assistant Director, University Recreation & Wellness, University of Maryland-College Park
Thirteen NIRSA members met in Corvallis, Oregon in 2006 to continue to work on what has become the NIRSA Championship Series as we know it today. If only I knew then what I know now. Recently, the NIRSA Championship Series has […]
Unified we stand!
By Kurt Klier, Assistant Director, University Recreation & Wellness, University of Maryland-College Park
In 2011, in a very exciting move, the NIRSA Championship Series partnered with the Special Olympics for the very first time. Southern Illinois University offered a Special Olympics Unified Sports Division at a NIRSA regional flag football tournament, and four […]
Love is in the air
By Kurt Klier, Assistant Director of Cole Fieldhouse and Reckord Armory at the University of Maryland-College Park
As Valentine’s Day approaches, NIRSA members are anxiously waiting to see which NIRSA Championship Series committee or work team they’ll be assigned to. This year, over 180 applications were submitted for various volunteer positions within the Series—I […]
‘Tis the season…
By Kurt Klier, Manager of Cole Fieldhouse and Reckord Armory at the University of Maryland-College Park
The NIRSA Championship Series is busy busy busy this time of year. Soccer has just concluded, flag football is gearing up for the national championships, and both the basketball and club basketball seasons are set to begin. As we […]
The past and future of NIRSA Championship soccer
By Kurt Klier, Manager of Cole Fieldhouse and Reckord Armory at the University of Maryland-College Park
For many, 1994 was a memorable soccer year—the United States hosted the World Cup and advanced to the round of 16 for the first time since 1930, bringing the game to a whole new level of national consciousness. It’s […]
Sportsmanship matters
By Kurt Klier, Manager of Cole Fieldhouse and Reckord Armory at the University of Maryland-College Park
The NIRSA Championship Series believes good sportsmanship is an integral component of competition. The Series’ Sportsmanship Statement reads in part: “We wholeheartedly embrace the position that, in order for sportsmanship to prevail, coaches, student-athletes, and fans must display […]
The NIRSA Championship Series is more than competition—it’s also about development!
By Kurt Klier, Manager, Cole Fieldhouse and Reckord Armory at the University of Maryland-College Park
In Beloit College’s “Mindset List: 2019,” Tom McBride writes, “Members of the entering college class of 2019 were mostly born in 1997 and have never licked a postage stamp, have assumed that WiFi is an entitlement, and have no […]
Leave it better than you found it!
By Stephanie McAlpine, 2015-2016 NIRSA Championship Series Committee Chair
As I thought about my final entry in the NIRSA Championship Series Notes—and the final month of my years within this leadership position—I started thinking about something my dad taught me: leave everything better than the way you found it. This past week was the third […]