NORFOLK, Va. – More than 150 athletic directors from universities and colleges around the country converged this week at Old Dominion University and Naval Station Norfolk for a two-day spring symposium sponsored by the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics.
NACDA, as the organization is known, sponsors a spring symposium, in addition to its annual convention, to provide professional development in leadership.
The event is limited to athletic directors only, meaning that a very select group came to ODU.
"It is a chance for the people who lead athletic departments to come together, to network, to learn about issues they may be facing and to learn from the very best about leadership," said Dr. Wood Selig, ODU's director of athletics.
The 150 attendees included AD's from all levels, from junior colleges and NAIA schools to NCAA Division I, Division II and Division III schools.
Previous spring symposiums were held at the military academies. "What better place to learn about leadership than at one of the military academies?" Dr. Selig said.
But there are a limited number of military academics, so NACDA thus eyed Norfolk, home of the world's largest Naval station, as well as nearby Army, Air Force, Coast Guard and Marine bases.
Dr. Selig was asked if ODU would considering jointly hosting a spring symposium with the Naval Station Norfolk. ODU officials contacted Captain Janet H. Days, the commanding officer of the Norfolk base, and she readily agreed.
Captain Days is an ODU alumnus.
On Monday morning, after officials were welcomed by Days to the Vista Point Center at the Naval Station, participants listened to a series of presentations, many from military officers.
The day began with a seminar on Leadership, Ethics and Wellness hosted by Lt. General Brian W. Cavanaugh, commanding general of the Fleet Marine Force, Atlantic.
That afternoon, attendees heard about the subject of "intrusive leadership" from Captain Marcus Canady (U.S. Coast Guard), Vice Admiral Kelly Aeschbach (US Navy), Rear Admiral Shannon Gilreach (US Coast Guard), Brigadier General Matthew T. Good (U.S. Marines).
Participants then took a tour of an aircraft carrier and then were bused Monday evening to a reception at the Priority Automotive Club at ODU's football stadium, Kornblau Field at S.B. Ballard Stadium.
On Tuesday the event moved to ODU's Webb Student Center, where the group heard from retired Rear Admiral Scott Moore, a former Navy SEAL. The day ended with a discussion on "Perspectives from the President's Office."
That discussion included ODU President Brian O. Hemphill, Ph.D.; Dr. Selig, Dr. Javaune Adams-Gaston, president of Norfolk State; and Hampton President Darryl K. Williams, a retired lieutenant general in the U.S. Army.
ODU officials took advantage during a Monday morning presentation to tout the bold steps the university made following the pandemic to improve mental health care for its athletes.
"We ask out student-athletes for their feedback every year," Dr. Selig said. And shortly after the pandemic ended, Dr. Selig said it was clear that the growing mental health crisis in college athletics was at the top of the priorities for ODU student-athletes.
ODU was able to acquire some private donations as well as University funding to establish an athletic mental health clinic.
The clinic is located east of Hampton Boulevard, on the other side of campus from most athletic facilities, in order to provide athletes as much privacy as possible.
Selig and Dr. Ron Moses, an executive senior athletic director, hired Dr. Sonja Lund as associate athletics director for student-athlete mental health and well-being.
Shortly after the clinic opened, ODU hired Rennel Marshall, a clinical social worker, as a mental health coordinator. Selig, Lund, Moses and Marshall put on a 45-minute presentation of what ODU did and how and how it has affected ODU students.
Hundreds of student-athletes have been counseled and while no one is sure if any lives have been saved, student-athletes who might have dropped out of school were persuaded to persevere.
Dr. Moses put together the presentation, which led to a number of questions from athletic directors in attendance.
"We had athletic directors who may be thinking about starting one of these programs," Dr. Selig said. "Our presentation includes information on how to get support from this from your president, how we set this up.
"The NCAA is now mandating (mental health counseling) for student-athletes, so we thought this subject was timely."
Although the seminar didn't generate a ton of publicity, it did much to enhance ODU's reputation with athletic directors.
"This event was held at Army, the Naval and Air Force academies," Dr. Selig said. "Their brand is pretty strong.
"That put us in elite company."
Minium is ODU's Senior Executive Writer for Athletics. Contact him at hminium@odu.edu or follow him on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram
Minium: National Association of College Athletic Directors Chose ODU, Naval Base Norfolk, for Spring Symposium
