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Karen Weaver was one of the presenters at the NCAS Mid-Atlantic Conference.
NATIONAL CONSORTIUM FOR ACADEMICS AND SPORTS

NCAS logoMid-Atlantic Region Contact Information:
Director: Tom Brennan
Address: 235 South 33rd Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104
Phone: (215) 951-1425
E-mail: brennan@lasalle.edu

BIG 5 AND NCAS HOST LEADERSHIP SEMINAR

The Philadelphia Big 5 in conjunction with the National Consortium of Academics and Sports (NCAS) hosted an educational workshop on the topic of Leadership Saturday, October 2, on the campus of Saint Joseph's University for the Men's and Women's Basketball programs of the Philadelphia Big 5.
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NCAS HOSTS ANNUAL MID-ATLANTIC CONFERENCE

The NCAS hosted its annual Mid-Atlantic Conference on Friday, April 16 at the Crowne Plaza Philadelphia West. The theme of this year's conference was "Social Media and Intercollegiate Athletics."
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NCAS SEEKS NOMINEES FOR GIANT STEPS AWARDS

The National Consortium for Academics and Sports (NCAS) is seeking nominations for the Giant Steps Awards in honor of National STUDENT-Athlete Day. National STUDENT-Athlete Day, created by the National Consortium for Academics and Sports, is designed to honor the hard work and dedication of high school and college student-athletes nationwide who have excelled in the classroom and on the playing field, while having made significant contributions to their schools and communities. National STUDENT-Athlete Day has been celebrated annually on April 6 since 1987. Since 1997, over 2.6 million student-athletes have been honored with award certificates for their outstanding achievements.

As part of the National STUDENT-Athlete Day celebration, nominations made from all over the country are accepted for the annual Giant Steps Awards that are given to individuals who exemplify the meaning of National STUDENT-Athlete Day; who use sport to make positive social change; and who help student-athletes succeed in all aspects of their lives. The awards are not limited to student-athletes but aim to honor professional athletes, athletics administrators, civic leaders, coaches, parents, organizations and other individuals in addition to student-athletes who exemplify the ideals of balancing academics, athletics, life pursuits and giving back to the community through the spirit of athletics.

The President of the NCAS, Dr. Richard Lapchick, said, "Giant Steps Award winners have continually inspired and moved us with their incredible strength and courage to overcome obstacles, to use sport as a means to deliver positive social messages, and to truly make a difference in the world by just being themselves."

Nominations can be completed online and are due by Friday, February 19, 2010. The winners will be announced on April 6, 2010 - the 23rd Annual National STUDENT-Athlete Day. Each winner will be honored at a ceremony in Orlando, Florida at The Peabody Hotel on October 12, 2010. It will be the 13th Annual Giant Steps Awards Banquet and Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony marking the 25th Anniversary of the National Consortium for Academics in Sports. For 25 years, the NCAS has worked to create a better society by focusing on educational attainment and using the power and appeal of sport to positively affect social change.

For more information, visit http://www.ncasports.org/programs/nsad or call NSAD Director, Suzi Katz-Slowinski at 407-823-3555.

BIG 5 AND NCAS HOST GAMBLING SEMINAR

The Philadelphia Big 5 in conjunction with the National Consortium of Academics and Sports hosted "Gambling and the Student-Athlete" on Saturday, September 19th inside The Villanova Room of The Connelly Center on the campus of Villanova University.

The seminar was emceed by ESPN 950's Don Tollefson and guest speakers included: Rachel Newman-Baker, Director of Agent, Gambling, and Amateur Activities and Chance Miller, Assistant Director of Agent, Gambling, and Amateur Activities from NCAA Headquarters in Indianapolis, Indiana. The seminar also included participation from Federal Agents from the Philadelphia Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigations who spoke to attendees regarding the dangers of Gambling and Illegal Activities.

The Philadelphia Big 5 is the sponsor of the Mid-Atlantic Region for NCAS. The Mid-Atlantic Region includes approximately 30 schools from PA, DE, MD, and D.C. La Salle University's Director of Athletics, Dr. Tom Brennan, is the Director of the Mid-Atlantic Area.

The seminar on September 19th drew over 170 Philadelphia Big 5 Men's & Women's Basketball student-athletes, coaches, and administrators from La Salle University, Temple University, Saint Joseph's University, Villanova University, and the University of Pennsylvania.

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GIANT STEPS AWARD WINNERS NAMED

This year's Giant Steps Award winners will be honored on Tuesday, October 27th at the NCAS Banquet in Orlando, FL. Included among the honorees and representing the Mid-Atlantic Region will be Sonny Hill (Philadelphia 76ers & The Sonny Hill League). The award winners are Coach Ron Hunter, Head Basketball Coach, Indiana University - Purdue University Indianapolis; (Female) Courageous Student-Athletes Mallory Holtman and Liz Wallace, Central Washington University; (Male) Courageous Student-Athlete Jake Madonia, University at Buffalo; Barrier Breaker Adam Bender, Adam Bender Foundation; Civic Leader Sonny Hill, Philadelphia 76ers & The Sonny Hill League; and A Hero Amongst Us (posthumous) Kate Yow, Former Head Women's Basketball Coach, North Carolina State University.

DATES FOR NCAS ANNUAL CONFERENCE NOW SET

Please mark your calendars for the NCAS Annual Conference set for October 25-27, 2009 in Orlando, FL. The Conference will be held at the Downtown Orlando Marriott. The NCAS has negotiated a special room rate of $129. Please call 407-843-6664 to make reservations.

The Conference will be concluded by the 12th Annual Giant Steps Awards Banquet and Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony on the evening of Oct. 27, 2009 at the Ballroom at Church Street Station, also in downtown Orlando.

Conference presenters and banquet award winners will be announced in the coming months. For more information, please contact Jessica Bartter at (407) 823-4884.

NCAS MID-ATLANTIC MEMBERS PARTICIPATE IN LEADERSHIP WORKSHOP

Fort Washington, PA (Feb. 27, 2009) -- The National Consortium for Academics and Sports (NCAS) and The Philadelphia Big 5 sponsored a workshop for its Mid-Atlantic regional members. Each member institution was encouraged to invite student-athletes involved in leadership roles. The workshop was held at the Fort Washington Holiday Inn in Fort Washington, PA.

Dr. Tom Brennan, La Salle Athletic Director and Regional NCAS Director, welcomed the participants and facilitators. The theme of the workshop was "You've Got Style: Understanding Leadership Styles to Maximize Your Effectiveness."

The program facilitators included Dr. Tom Gioglio, Director of Athletics at East Stroudsburg University and Ms. Julie Sterrett, Athletics Leadership Coordinator at Lehigh University.

Participating NCAS Mid-Atlantic Region institutions included: Drexel University, East Stroudsburg University, La Salle University, Lehigh University, New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT), Seton Hall University, Shippensburg University, Saint Joseph's University, Temple University, University of the Sciences and Villanova University.

LA SALLE HOSTS NCAS WORKSHOPS

PHILADELPHIA, PA (April 28, 2008) — The National Consortium for Academics and Sports Mid Atlantic Region conducted a pair of workshops hosted by La Salle University, on Friday, April 18.

The program agenda offered participants two athletic themed sessions, Best Practices - NCAA Life Skills, facilitated by La Salle's Brother John Kane, Director of Academic Services, and Maryanne Dowling, Associate Athletic Director/Student Services, Villanova University and Best Practices - Sportsmanship Education, facilitated by Eugene Doris, Athletic Director at Fairfield University.

The life skills portion of the workshop was a discussion that focused on schools' efforts to help develop the student-athletes beyond the athletic and academic realms. Much of the time was spent on life skills/orientation programs for freshmen. Participants shared on such issues as: topics covered, guest speakers, length and time of program, cooperation with other university departments, and resources used (handouts, web sites, etc).

Eugene Doris used the presentation from the NCAA "Somebody's Watching You." The focus of the presentation and the following discussion addressed various issues of sportsmanship, such as event management, student-athlete actions, coaches' responsibilities, and fan behavior.

Participating institutions from the Mid-Atlantic Region included: Drexel University, La Salle University, Lehigh University, Rider University, St. Joseph's University, Temple University, Towson University, The University of Pennsylvania and Villanova University.

Prior workshops sponsored by the NCAS for its Mid-Atlantic Region members have included: MVP (Mentors in Violence Prevention) Awareness, MVP "Train the Trainer" Program, Academic Support Training, and Diversity Workshops.

The mission of the NCAS is to create a better society by focusing on educational attainment and using the power and appeal of sport to positively affect social change. The Mid-Atlantic Region of the NCAS is headquartered at the Philadelphia Big 5 office located at the University of Pennsylvania.

© Philadelphia Big 5 • (215) 898-4747 • 235 South 33rd Street • Philadelphia, PA 19104 • big5@philadelphiabig5.org

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