University of Massachusets Athletics
Matt Keys Finds Atlantic 10 Meetings Inspiring & Beneficial
February 06, 2015 | General
Participating in the Atlantic 10 Conference's annual Joint January Meetings for the first time, A-10 SAAC members had the opportunity to put his leadership skills into practice often as they interacted with Athletic Directors (ADs), Faculty Athletic Representatives (FARs) and Senior Woman Administrators (SWAs).
It was an opportunity that grew out of the A-10's charge to increase the level of student-athlete involvement, especially in the league's governance structure.
But the SAAC did much more than sit in on meetings. Social events designed to facilitate networking with school administrators and a Leadership Forum were also scheduled for the student-athletes.
While at the conference we had a full itinerary with our SAAC conference, dinners, AD meetings, FAR meetings, and SWA meetings. We also had a chance to speak to a leadership panel and ask them questions about their careers. It was great being able to network and meet different faculty and student-athletes from within the A10 conference.
The reception and the forum took place Monday night, following an afternoon of the SAAC's annual business meeting and a dinner with the SWAs. The dinner was the first networking opportunity for the student-athletes.
The decision to include the SAAC reps from all 14 schools came about last fall. The A-10 athletic directors took a proactive step of inviting 14 A-10 SAAC members, one from each campus, to the January Joint Meetings.
"Going to the conference was a great experience for me personally," he said. "It allowed me to get an idea of how and athletic conference and athletic department operates behind the scenes."
"As a student-athlete studying sports management I found it as a really valuable experience because it directly relates to my interests and studies as a student."
The student-athletes appreciated the overall experience and saw a glimpse into how the Atlantic 10 operates. It also gave the student-athletes the opportunity to weigh in on conference business, both in the social settings while networking, but also within the meetings.
Keys was steadfast on how beneficial the experience was for him.
"One of the main things I took away from this was how professional the conference is as a whole. The entire trip went smoothly and they executed all the small details perfectly."
The Leadership Forum was inspiring, having student-athletes in those meetings might just pay the biggest dividends to the A-10 in the long term. Not only do the SAAC members learn the governance process, but they also have a chance to see the importance the A-10 places on the success of its student-athletes, academically and athletically, and how the camaraderie in reaching a common goal unites the league's 14 member institutions.