Eight PBC Student-Athletes to Participate in NCAA Development Conference

Eight Peach Belt Conference student-athletes have been selected to participate in the NCAA Student-Athlete Development Conference to be held May 25-29 at the Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Fla.  Augusta State’s Brendan Gillins (golf) and Daniel Dixon (basketball), Francis Marion’s Emily Sezler (soccer) and YaRiah Bell (basketball), UNC Pembroke's J.J. Davis (wrestling) and Jelena Shaw (softball) and North Georgia’s Daniel Aguilon (tennis) and Jorell Elie (soccer) will attend the conference. The conference is split into two sessions with one athlete from each school attending each session.

The NCAA National Student-Athlete Development Conference provides NCAA student-athletes with a forum to openly discuss issues that may affect them on their campuses and in their communities, while also providing them with the opportunity to enhance their leadership, communication, decision-making and problem-solving skills. The conference also promotes better communication among student-athletes, coaches, administrators, faculty and communities.

In conjunction with the CHAMPS/Life Skills Program, the NCAA Foundation in 1996 created the NCAA Foundation Leadership Conference. The mission of the conference is to provide a diverse group of the nation's top student-athletes an opportunity to actively participate in challenging and thought-provoking activities that will enable them to become better leaders on their campuses and in their communities.

The conference is an outgrowth of the successful CHAMPS/Life Skills Program and involves up to 350 student-athletes representing CHAMPS/Life Skills colleges and universities as well as the national Student-Athlete Advisory Committees. Each institution nominates four student-athletes who have demonstrated an ability or strong desire to be leaders and would benefit from a significant leadership experience. In order to be eligible, applicants must be in good academic standing and must have athletics eligibility remaining in the following academic year.

As a result of participation, student-athletes will enhance their communication skills, decision-making and problem-solving skills, critical-thinking skills and collaborative skills. The conference also promotes better communication among student-athletes, coaches, administrators, faculty and communities. Topics for past conferences have included developing leadership skills, changing perception, developing political skills and utilizing the student-athlete committee.

The inaugural conference was sponsored by Entergy Corporation and Walt Disney World Sports and held in May 1997 in Orlando. The NCAA has since increased the number of opportunities for student-athletes to participate in the conference to 700 beginning with this year’s event.