STONEHILL COLLEGE STUDENT-ATHLETE ADVISORY COUNCIL

BRENDAN GOREY (Football)
Chairperson

REBECCA COTTAM (Women's Lacrosse)
Vice-Chairperson

CINDY MACDONALD (Senior Associate Athletic Director)
Group Advisor   

2008-09 Student-Athlete Advisory Council Members  

WHY WE PLAY - Written By An Anonymous Student-Athlete

It's not about getting a scholarship, getting drafted or making Sportscenter. 

It's a deep need in us that comes from the heart.

We need to practice, to play, to lift, to hustle, to sweat.

We do it all for our teammates, and sometimes for the student in our calculus classes we don't even know.

We don't practice with a future Yankees first baseman; we practice with a future sports agent. 

We don't lift weights with a future Olympian; we lift with a future doctor. 

We don't run with a future Wimbledon champion; we run with a future CEO. 

It's a bigger part of us than our family and friends can understand. 

Sometimes we play for 4,000 fans, sometimes 400, sometimes 4. But we still play hard. 

You cheer for us because you know us. You know more than just our names. 

Like all of you, we are still students first.

We don't sign autographs. We do sign graduate school applications, MCAT exams, and student body petitions. 

When we miss a shot, kick or strike out we don't let down an entire state. We let down ourselves, our teammates, our coaches and our fans. 

But the hurt in our hearts is the same. We train hard. We lift, throw, run, hit, kick, tackle, block, shoot, dribble and lift some more ... and in the morning we go to class. 

Still that next day in class we are nothing more than students. It's about pride - in ourselves, in our school. 

It's about our love and passion for the game.

And when it's all over - when we walk off the court or the field for the last time - our hearts crumble. 

Those tears are real.

But deep down inside, we are very proud of ourselves. 

We will forever be what few can claim: college student-athletes.

What is a Student-Athlete Advisory Committee? (SAAC)

A Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) is a committee made up of student-athletes assembled to provide insight on the student-athlete experience. The SAAC also offers input on the rules, regulations and polices that affect student-athletes' lives on NCAA member institution campuses.

Presently, there are separate national SAACs for NCAA Divisions I, II and III. NCAA legislation mandates that all member institutions have SAACs on their respective campuses. Further, NCAA legislation requires that all member conferences have SAACs. 

The information that follows will assist you in understanding how the network of SAACs, from individual campus committees to the conference and/or national committees, interact and support one another to shape intercollegiate athletics policy and enhance the student-athlete experience.

Mission Statement, Guiding Principles, Governing Rule

Division II SAAC Mission Statement
The mission of the NCAA Division II Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) is to enhance the total student-athlete experience by promoting opportunity for all student-athletes; protecting student-athlete welfare; and fostering a positive student-athlete image.

Division II SAAC Guiding Principles
The Division II SAAC will be guided by the following principles:  ethics, integrity, fairness and respect for diversity, which shall include attention to gender, race, ethnicity and sport.

Governing Rule
We, as the NCAA Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, will ultimately hold one another accountable for all actions, particularly those actions taking place during the SAAC meetings.