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 approach the holiday break I cannot help but be thankful for everything the NIRSA Championship Series has done—and what it’s currently doing.
Here is just some of the work that was highlighted at the mid-year meeting of the NIRSA Services Corporation:
- Finalized 2016 Club Basketball Conferences’ tournament sites and participant manuals
- Developed the framework for a National Basketball Hall of Fame
- Worked in partnership with the NIRSA Foundation to create a database of officials and explored an endowment
- Explored the concept of a soccer official’s development program aligned with NIRSA National Soccer Championships
- Worked on the expansion of Special Olympics within flag football regional events
- Collaborated with the Assessment, Flag Football, and Basketball Work Teams to set developmental goals and outcomes for tournament volunteers, student officials, and student employees from host schools, officials committees, all-tournament committees, and operations committees
- Developed and formalized a rotational system for tournament leadership among professionals that establishes a mentoring and development program
- Created and shared best practices for officials and professional development at tournaments
- Are continuing conversations about female engagement and development in flag football regional and national championships
- Developed tools for the education of tournament hosts and directors on different aspects of female engagement and the use of inclusive language during all official’s trainings and staff meetings
Phew! All that and much much more in just six months! Our Association has a lot to be grateful for and that’s in part thanks to the NIRSA Championship Series. NIRSA’s mission statement reads; “NIRSA is a leader in higher education and the advocate for the advancement of recreation, SPORT
How important are sports to NIRSA? So important that the word has been part of who we are since the beginning when 20 intramural directors from 11 historically black colleges and universities met at Dillard University. So important that different Boards of Directors have recommitted over the years to ensure that sport always plays a part in our Association.
I’m thankful that sport remains an integral part of NIRSA just as I’m grateful for so many other things this year, including—but not limited to—the following.
NIRSA’s Transgender Athlete Participation Policy
This is the first full year that NIRSA’s Transgender Athlete Participation Policy has been in place. I’m thankful to the NIRSA members who have worked tirelessly on this policy and made such a strong commitment towards promoting NIRSA’s strategic value of equity, diversity, and inclusion. Here is an excerpt from the policy:
“The NIRSA Championship Series expects participation to be based on one’s self-identified gender and that it is done in good faith and is consistent with a player’s expressed gender identity.
NIRSA recognizes that, for many, coming to know one’s gender identity is not something that happens in an instant; it is a complex process that can occur over an extended period of time. Transgender participants are encouraged to communicate their gender identity with the campus official who is responsible for approving the team entry on the roster/player certification form prior to the tournament registration deadline. Should the player not feel comfortable working with that campus official, the individual can contact the tournament director or the NIRSA Director for National Sport Programs and inform them of their status.”
“It’s more than competition”
The NIRSA Championship Series guidelines are aimed at promoting and fulfilling a positive experience for participants and fans. While competition definitely matters, a fun and fair experience is more important. This is why there are so many parts of the NIRSA Championship Series that are focused on aspects of sport that go beyond competition. These parts include the impartial appeals process; the Code of Conduct which all players, coaches, volunteers, and officials adhere to; the player eligibility requirements; and the Sportsmanship Statement.
I’m thankful that the Series recognizes that there are more important things involved in sport than just winning games.
Student and professionals development
I’m excited that others are finally seeing the importance of the Championship Series as it relates to the development of students and professionals alike. I’m thankful for members like Jacob Tingle, Director of Sport Management at Trinity University, and Dan Hazlett, Assistant Director of Campus Recreation at Georgia Tech, who are helming a research project titled “Exploring NIRSA Championship Series Professional Development Opportunities: Understanding Their Perceived Value to the Association.” Their research will be a valuable tool in justifying sending members to volunteer at Championship Series Events. The data collection for the project took place during fall Series events and the findings will be shared at the 2016 NIRSA Annual Conference & Recreational Sports Expo taking place in Kissimmee, FL from April 3–6.
Volunteers
I am thankful for the chairs of the many NIRSA Championship Series committees. The year’s work started with a successful 2015 NIRSA Championship Series Summit held over the summer. All the work team and committee chairs were present at this summit and their commitment to the Series has not waivered since. These are some of the best NIRSA professionals I have ever worked with!
- Scott Flickinger, Cornell University
- April Flint, Emory University
- Aaron Hobson, University of Wisconsin-Madison
- Ashley Lax, University of Wisconsin-Madison
- Stephanie McAlpine, University of Texas at Arlington
- Brian Mills, University of Houston
- Tom St. John, Stony Brook University
- Laura Thomas, Laura Thomas, Texas Tech University
- Brooke Turner, University of Alabama
- Oscee Wheatfall, Texas A & M University-College Station
- Mary Yemma, North Carolina State University
The NIRSA Championship Series is guided by what is best for the whole, not the few. Large schools to small schools and from private to public, everyone has a place in the NIRSA Championship Series. I want to extend my thanks to the hundreds of volunteers who help make the Championship Series such an important part of NIRSA. I also want to invite anyone who’s interested to apply now to serve the Championship Series—committee applications are now open!
In closing, on behalf of the entire NIRSA Championship Series, I hope everyone has an enjoyable and safe holiday break!
