Nova Southeastern student-athletes coming to campus in the 2020-21 academic school year are receiving an added bonus to their experience thanks to a new educational program developed by Assistant Athletic Director for Sports Performance and Student-Athlete Wellness Steve Orris.
Set up to exist almost as a second curriculum in personal education and positive habit-building, Orris’ new program emerged from the educational engagement opportunities presented by the strength and conditioning team’s Instagram page.
Using the @nsusharkstrength account and adapting to the adversity of the COVID-19 pandemic – specifically the shutdown of intercollegiate athletics in March, Orris’ team of Jake Suvak, Faith Wilson and Ryan Smach used what was initially a reminder system to deliver COVID tips, nutrition, education and eventually workout demonstrations that boosted engagement to new levels.
In growing the methods of positively impacting the student-athlete base for the Sharks, this fall’s return to campus saw a new program emerge. Every first-year Sharks student-athlete will participate in monthly topics, consisting of an hour learning and emphasis on the topics, ranging from mental health to sleep, hazing prevention, sexual violence prevention, time management, alcohol/other drugs and sports nutrition.
The overall goal here is an extension of improving sports performance, which is directly tied to mental health, well-being and nutrition – well beyond the simple terms of lifting and training. The focus is also to improve the skill set and tools that NSU student-athletes need to be successful in life beyond sport.
The Sharks’ new student development program is the latest of making the most of the resources at hand, utilizing recommended education themes from the NCAA and expanding on a strong relationship in place with the Center for Student Counseling and Well-Being. It also creates a partnership with the fifth-year graduate program in Nutrition within the Dr. Kiran C. Patel College of Osteopathic Medicine. This program also stems from the success of NSU Athletics’ AIM (Academic, Injury, and Mental Health) Program that has been developed as it begins its third year.
The program kicked off with a mental health focus during the return to campus in August and will continue monthly through March for all new NSU student-athletes.
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