Student-Athlete Advisory Committee

            Throughout my years at Minnesota State, Mankato, I was able to be a part of the Student Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC). SAAC is a student-athlete group that provides a voice for athletes, offers input on NCAA rules, policies, student-athlete experience, community service, and much more. I have been a member of SAAC for 3 years, and this year, my senior year, I was on the executive board and served as the secretary. Each year, we have initiatives to complete. These initiatives include Green Bandana Project, Life after Collegiate Athletics, Slam Dunk Don’t Drive Drunk, Wellness and Belonging, MSU Subcommittee, and Make-A-Wish.

            SAAC committee meetings are on every other Wednesday. The first time I arrived at a SAAC meeting, I was really nervous. Each team has about 4 to 5 people who are chosen by coaches to be a part of SAAC. Therefore, when I showed up, I knew my teammates, but that was about it. I was a freshman, and so I didn’t really know athletes from the other sports. The president of the committee did an ice breaker, and we played rock, paper, scissors with someone from a different sport. It genuinely helped me be more comfortable because all the athletes were really outgoing! In the next couple of meetings, I didn’t feel quite so nervous.

            Each year, we were asked to join one committee and work on it for events for the whole semester. In my first year, I joined the Green Bandana Project committee. The Green Bandana Project is a nationwide, student-driven mental health awareness initiative. It was inspired by “Dan’s Bandana Project,” which was created by Dr. Betsey Gerbec in 2014 at the University of Wisconsin-River Falls following her daughter’s suicide. The green bandana, worn on backpacks, symbolizes that you are an ally, informed about mental health resources, and a safe person to talk to. In this committee, we are responsible for informing student athletes about the meaning of the green bandana and spreading awareness about mental health. During Mental Health Week, we would table outside of the track and hand out wristbands, pins, bandanas, and bag tags with mental health resources attached. I have personally dealt with mental health issues, and a friend of mine committed suicide in my freshman year. That was the main reason why I wanted to serve on this committee, because I have experienced firsthand, and I never want anyone to feel alone or that they have no one to talk to. The stress of student athletes balancing school and sports can be a lot sometimes. Any student, whether athlete or not, can feel alone. It is so important to spread awareness, and I was so happy to have the privilege to play a role. This committee challenged me to step into a leadership role, especially when serving on a committee. I was in charge of the tabling one day, and I was excited to be able to help spread awareness. I would talk to people if they were curious about what the green bandana project was, along with where they can find mental health resources on campus. Although this was my first committee with SAAC, I immediately felt like I was stepping into a great deal of leadership. My involvement with the Green Bandana Project reflected my value of advocacy and solidarity. I have always cared about the community I am involved in. I believe that personal struggles should help form a platform to ensure others don’t have to feel isolated. Especially in a high-pressure athletic environment, I value acknowledging shared struggles and making the weight my friends or community carry, just a little lighter.

            In my second year, I joined the Life After Collegiate Athletics Committee. This committee was designed to put on an event to help graduating student-athletes transition to professional life. We decided that we wanted to put on a panel and bring in former MSU athletes who were all different ages. We rented out a room on campus and had each SAAC representative send out the digital flyer to their team. We had a moderator who had set questions that I helped come up with to ask the panelists. We then made sure there was time for the audience to ask questions as well. As this was my sophomore year, I naturally felt more involved and experienced with SAAC. I had personally reached out to the softball coaches to see if they had any athletes who would be willing to come in and talk. Acting as a liaison between coaches and the committee helped develop my advocacy skills. The event turned out to be a success, and we held a panel in the fall and spring semesters.

            In my junior year, I joined the MSU Subcommittee. The MSU subcommittee helps with any school events and volunteering. I helped table to get donors for the NMPD (Be the Match), which is a nonprofit organization and a global leader in bone marrow and blood stem cell transplants. I myself am in the registry, as the process was a quick questionnaire and a saliva swab, and if you are a match, you are able to save someone’s life. I think this is so special, and I wanted to get the word out there. I walked with a fellow member around the school, trying to recruit donors. We were very successful when we told them about the mission and how they would truly make an impact. Our committee also helped volunteer at Kiwanis lights throughout the winter, along with putting on the MSU All-Sports Camp for kids ages 5-12. It was fun to help coach the kids and be in charge of creating a practice plan to make sure it kept them entertained! There is such an impact to be made beyond my own experience. I value leaving a legacy and. creating a positive impact for the Mankato community and inspiring those who may follow in my footsteps. The MSU subcommittee helped challenge me to organize community service, networking, and advocacy. I am so grateful for all the opportunities that the MSU Subcommittee allowed me to be a part of, because if it weren’t for them, I don’t know if I would be able to be an NMPD donor!

            In the spring of my junior year, there were elections for the Executive Board. If we wanted a role, we had to give a speech in front of the group on why we would be great for the role and what difference we plan to make. I prepared a small speech for it, but I was really nervous. I am not the best public speaker in groups, but I knew I had to do it. I had some experience in public speaking for my Agriculture Research Project, but not much since then. I went up when my name was called and spoke confidently. It went much better than I thought. I talked about how I have been involved and how I plan to help even more in my senior year through the secretary role. At the end of the meeting, everyone voted, and I got the role!

            As secretary, this year I have been in charge of keeping track of SAAC Cup points (all of our events, meetings, etc.), checking in on each committee, taking notes at each meeting, and I also had the opportunity to join the Athletic Fee Advisory Committee. I have felt so proud of myself to be able to serve as a member and now as a defined leader. I have been able to answer questions for any underclassman and make sure everyone stays on top of things. Serving on the executive board forced me to lean into valuing the power of my own voice. It’s not always easy, but pushing my peers to be better is a responsibility that I value, even if I get a little nervous. This semester, as I mentioned above, I am serving on the Athletic Fee Advisory Committee. I am working with two student government appointees, two student-athletes, and Kevin Buisman, the athletic director. We just started meeting every Monday, but I have gained a great depth of knowledge of what our athletic fee is and the process of increasing it. We are responsible for presenting to the Student Government at the end of February about why the fee needs an increase, but we may need to negotiate. Right now, we are crafting a presentation on how we can reach the audience. This is furthering my leadership skills by tapping into my strategic thinking and decision-making.

            As I look to how I can bring these skills into my next steps, I feel confident. I hope to work in business or law. I have learned how to advocate, mentor, empower others, and communicate, so in my professional career, I hope to apply these skills with the people I’m surrounded with. I am excited to continue building these skills as I seek mentorship in my next role. I have learned so much from SAAC and am excited to collaborate more with my future team!