Trinity University

James Hill ’76
jhill2@trinity.edu

Apr. 30, 2012

'Doing Sports Right'

Trinity University's Sports Management Symposium explores ethical challenges

SAN ANTONIO - What's the best way of doing sports right?

That stimulating and sometimes controversial topic was the subject of the Trinity University's third annual Sports Management Symposium held April 18 at Chapman Auditorium. Organized by Jacob Tingle, director of Trinity's sports management program, the symposium was co-hosted by the University of the Incarnate Word and St. Mary's University. The event drew more than 75 scholars, coaches, administrators, and students who presented views on how to get a handle on the challenging world of sports.

Trinity President Dennis A. Ahlburg welcomed participants and called attention to the qualities instilled by athletic participation. "When recruiters come to campus," Ahlburg said, "they always want to talk to athletes. The athletes know how to manage their time, work as a team, and how to deal with disappointments and setbacks."

C. Keith Harrison, a professor in the DeVos Sport Business Management program at the University of Central Florida, in Orlando, delivered the keynote address. "Doing sports right is something our society and culture needs now more than ever,"
said Harrison and "in order to do sports right, we must make it intelligent."
 

The symposium included panel discussions on national and international sports and the student-athlete experience along with a breakout session on "The Coaches Perspective." Among the panelist who spoke at breakout sessions or  as part of panels were Terris Tiller '00, a resident life coordinator at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, and Trinity junior Elana Edwards, who  won the 2011 Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference women's high jump and triple jump titles at the conference track and field championships. A member of Trinity's Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, Edwards spoke of the organization's effort to raise money for the fight against breast cancer.
"When athletes come together, they can do some amazing things for the community around them. This a great example of doing sports right, to help out the community."
 

Nyk McKissic, junior and a Tiger quarterback who guided Trinity to a 10-0 regular-season record, the 2011 SCAC Championship, and a berth in NCAA Division III playoffs, related his personal experience after losing his father in an automobile accident during high school. "My coach took time out of his day to make sure that I was okay. I always try to be there for our younger freshmen, and I want to challenge you to be there for somebody."
 

In concluding remarks titled "So what do we do now?, "
Trinity men's soccer coach Paul McGinlay, who ranks No. 2 in winning percentage among active Division III coaches, noted  "We must be conscious that everyone involved in sports has to work in a manner that upholds ethics and abides by the rules."