NCCS Vision from 2008 Summit

The NCCS – A 5-Year Plan for Flag Football and Basketball

What will these National Sports Programs look like in 5 years?

This was the question I asked the NCCS committee at our annual summit just a few weeks ago. It touched off what I might describe as a colorful debate. Our task was to forge a vision of what these programs might look like in 2013-14. This is a summary of our vision.

· Flag Football and Basketball will employ a Championship format. Teams will qualify for this tournament at one of up to 12 regional tournaments throughout the country. Two teams from each of these regional tournaments will advance to a national tournament site to compete in the national championship tournament. An open collegiate tournament would take place alongside this championship tournament, balancing our dual missions of participation and championship play.

· Qualifying teams will receive support from a number of agencies, including the NSC and their corporate partners, the NCCS through the regional tournament structure, and from the team’s own college, university or military institution.

· These tournaments will be run by NIRSA professionals selected by the NCCS committee. These selections will be based upon the stated interest of the candidate and his/her qualifications relative to the standards established by the NCCS (these standards can be viewed on-line at http://www.nirsa.org/Content/NavigationMenu/Sports/NationalCampusChampionshipSeries/nccs_staff.htm )
· The professional development experience that NIRSA members take part in will be grounded in learning outcomes and professional development goals consistent with the NIRSA mission and NCCS guiding principles.

· These tournaments will be both affordable to students/institutions and fiscally responsible in their operation. We will partner with corporate sponsors when that partnership advances the interests of our programs and adds value to the student and professional experience. We will operate these tournaments regardless of partners in the business world.

· The student experience will be outstanding. By creating a financial infrastructure that reduces barriers to participation; by selecting time frames that minimize conflicts with school; and by selecting host sites that offer a broad recreational and social experience with a variety of exciting ancillary activities, students will identify the NCCS brand as being synonymous with high quality competitive sports activities.

From this point forward our goal will be to fulfill this vision. Our decision making process will be shaped by it. At the same time, we will be alert to opportunities that can enhance this vision; we extend our hand to all students and professionals who share this vision – and those who do not.

Steps to achieving this vision have already begun. The NCCS committee and its various work teams have already partnered with many other NIRSA committees and professional and student members to start this process. Please join us as we chart this new path together.

Future Hot Seat Articles will touch upon the critical decisions necessary to fulfill this vision. If you have input regarding this vision (pro or con), or the steps necessary to achieve it, visit the NCCS Blog site at http://nirsa-nccs.blogspot.com/ and share your thoughts.