During these times, NCAA athletic programs are trying to figure out where their best investments will be and how to maximize every dollar. The Zone has also been thinking of this and doing our research to determine what NCAA programs will need to be able to be sustain their programs and succeed after the COVID-19 pandemic passes. Being a company focused on improving the lives of athletes, we are doing our part to make sure schools are equipped with some of the information they need.
Things Schools should focus on:
Current athlete wellness resources, and communication
Brand Messaging
Staff Culture
Transparency
Tightening up the system
ROI
Schools need to make sure that their current athletes well-being is being monitored and cared for. This in part will show that you care not only to an athlete but also to their parents. Lastly, some athletes don’t have the best home environment and school was their safe haven. Make sure that you have mental health, nutritional guidance and ability to keep athletes motivated and moving. Also, ensure that you have a system in place to communicate with your athletes successfully, in ways that reach them.
Your brand messaging during this time will speak volumes about how you’re going about caring for those that work hard all year to perform for the school name that's on their jersey. Word of mouth from athletes will help you in long run. If you are handling this time properly, this will help your future recruiting.
Make sure that as a staff you are continuing to educate yourself on the new generation and their behaviors. As times continue to change, and with the age gap between staff and student athletes, you want to be mindful as a program that you can understand how teens think and how it helps with decision making for them. This gem right here, will help you create meaningful relationships with each other, your student athletes and create a great staff culture, if you do not already have one.
Be honest with the troubles you are facing. This will create a trust between you and the people who need to hear it.
Make sure you invest in things that are definitely of value to your organization and those that will improve your program.
You are in a peoples first organization. Making sure that your people are motivated and understanding your shared vision will make your organization successful.
We hope this helps you and some of your programs make decisions during these times. We are creating a software to help further your systems and if you may have any further questions, please feel free to contact us!