What about Volleyball?

I've had several committee members and colleagues ask me recently, "Why all the focus on basketball and flag football? What about soccer and volleyball?"

Okay -- let's talk about them.

What should we do about the Volleyball Championships? In their current form, the volleyball championships attract approximately 250 collegiate teams each year. This tournament is easily the largest and most representative of our national championship tournaments. So what's the problem?

Well, here are a few of the concerns that surround the volleyball championships.

1) Size and Format of the Tournament
The size of the tournament requires us to rent convention centers to hold our tournaments. This has both positive and negative outcomes. There are those that suggest we should return to campuses to host regional qualifying events -- consistent with our National Championship format adopted by the NCCS. The NCCS Committee has taken this stance. The question is, "What would this look like and how will it impact the existing championship?" Do we truly understand what it will take to accomplish this and are we, the NCCS and the NIRSA membership, willing to commit what it takes to see that through? Regional qualifying events require regional hosts. They require professionals willing to run tournaments. They require teams willing to attend and pay entry fees that can support the tournament and the winning teams qualifying expenses. Are we prepared for that? Are students?

2) Behavioral Issues
When you have 250 collegiate teams in one or more hotels surrounding the convention center, there will inevitably be behavioral issues that lead to increased expenditures -- we call it security. This has proven true for the NCCS. These behavioral issues are not uncommon when you get 2500 college students together in the same place. Issues of concern include alcohol use and abuse, sexual health, safety and security, among others. The question is, what does the NCCS do about it? Are we doing enough to safeguard the students that attend? Is that our role? The problem -- and yes there has been a problem -- hasn't been in the convention center or competitive venues. The problems occur in the hotel rooms that are reserved by these students. Noise violations, property damage, alcohol and alcohol related behaviors do pose a reputational risk to the NCCS. So we must address it in some way -- and we have. Is what we have done enough?

3) Cost
There are inherent costs involved when you rent out a large convention center -- costs that increase the amount of money a team must pay to attend. Facility rental, maintenance and custodial services, set-up and take down, staff meals, security and a host of other expenses are incurred at a higher rate than at a college or university (generally speaking). Moving these same expenses back to campus might create lower teams costs, but you then would be adding an additional level of play required for qualification to the national championship. Add these costs up -- which is better for students or institutions that foot the bill?

That's all for now. I know I haven't covered all of the issues, but I hope there are those of you who will help drive this conversation. Let me hear your feedback.

Hot Seat: How's the water?

I recently had a pool built in my back yard. It's nice. It's got water (no kidding), Shasta stone, an in-ground cleaning system, some crazy ozone injector, and even a couple of water features called Wok Pots (I don't know – whatever). Oh, it's nice! The anticipation of this pool has had my family giddy for weeks and weeks. Even through the construction delays, optimism was all around them.

We've had the pool operational for a month now. I've been in it twice!

I write this not to share with you how sad and depressing my life is (though there is considerable room for debate there), but to draw a comparison with our National Sports Program and its purpose within NIRSA.

I ask myself, "Why have I been in only twice?" Sure, there are a lot of demands on my time. Maybe I don't even like to swim. For Pete's sake, I live in a desert – why wouldn't I get in the pool?

The answer, I have concluded, is because the pool is not for me.
Like so many professionals in our field, our joy comes in building things that others will use. We serve without asking what's in it for us, and we take pride in the benefits others derive from our work. It's who we are. I built this pool so I could watch my family frolic in the water and avoid melting in the Arizona sun. My joy comes from that.

The NCCS is building a National Sports Program so our students and professionals can enjoy the benefits of that program. And when I say National Sports Program, I don't just mean playing basketball or any of our other sports – though certainly benefits come from that. I am referring to the professional skills developed through working in a regional or national tournament, or any of our NCCS work teams. Event management skills, supervisory skills, leadership, prioritization, compromise and vision are just a few of the characteristics one refines in these roles. At tournaments, we employ human relations skills, we teach, we learn, we watch others grow, and we employ the skills we use in our everyday jobs – and we refine them and bring value back to our campuses.

Some folks ask what the value of these tournaments is for NIRSA. There it is. For many NIRSA professionals in the intramural sports and sport club realm, these tournaments serve as our living laboratory – our ongoing symposia. And I shouldn't limit that to IM and Sport Club folks. Facilities people, fitness/wellness folks and upper administration can all benefit from participating in these events. In fact, we've had them all.

I got in the pool the other day, with my family. Yes, that was the second time. It's the first time in weeks we were all together at the same time. That has value. Thinking back on it, I realize that we need to take the time to enjoy the things we build. There are benefits that we know exist, but do not take advantage of: stress-relief, cardiovascular strength and conditioning, social networking, and family time to name a few.

Yet, many in our profession choose not to get in the pool (blatant pool-NCCS analogy). Many have been in the pool so long their skin is wrinkled and blue. We all have our reasons. But I encourage you to jump in and give it a try.There are a ton of pool analogies I could draw on to make my next point, but I'm tired of them already. So, I will simply invite all of our profession to experience one of the many NCCS National Sports Programs this year. Visit the NIRSA website to find out how, when and where.

One final note. I haven't quite figured out how to pay for my pool. Therefore, next month's column will center on that topic – paying for our pool (insert analogy here).