By Kenny Berkowitz
Kenny Berkowitz is an Assistant Editor at Athletic Management. He can be reached at: kb@MomentumMedia.com.
Athletic Management, 18.6, October/November 2006, http://www.momentummedia.com/articles/am/am1806/fromtheworld.htm
At the University of South Carolina, Academic Advisor Earleen Michels recites a laundry list of things that can go wrong when working with international student-athletes. It starts with recruiting and continues through graduation, with plenty of opportunities in between for culture shock, miscommunication, unrealistic expectations, homesickness, missed classes, extra tutoring, lost paperwork, money woes, and complying with NCAA regulations.
“Working with internationals can be extremely time-consuming,” says Michels, who currently advises women’s basketball and volleyball student-athletes from Canada, Croatia, the Czech Republic, the Dominican Republic, Romania, Russia, and Serbia. “All at once, they’re adjusting to the language, the college, the dormitory, the food, the culture, the coaching, the American game.”
For Michels, advising student-athletes is like watching someone drive a car down the highway. If her advisees can stay within the yellow lines, her job is simply to offer encouragement. If they can’t, she needs to watch them much more closely, steadying the wheel to keep them pointed straight ahead.
Her experiences at South Carolina are echoed by counselors at other schools, and as college coaches recruit more international student-athletes, athletic departments need to keep pace with the changes. That means providing support for your international student-athletes in many different ways.
EASING THE TRANSITION
Helping your international athletes begins during the recruiting process, when you should strongly encourage them to make an official visit. “In the past, we’ve had some international students who weren’t able to make a campus visit,” says Laura Barnum, Associate Athletic Director and Senior Woman Administrator at the University at Buffalo. “They arrived at UB without really knowing what to expect, and received a total culture shock. They get here, the semester starts, they’re going to classes, and there’s so much going on that there’s no time to really connect. Before you know it, they’re in their season, and that can be very overwhelming.
“If they visit, they’ll get a sense for the area, meet teammates, and learn about our academic programs, which helps make them confident they can succeed at our institution,” Barnum continues. “If they have that confidence, they’re going to adjust more quickly, be better able to contribute more to the team, and stay better focused on and off the court. In turn, there will be fewer issues for coaches and student-athletes during the year.”
Barnum also encourages her coaches to offer a lot of information to international recruits. Working across cultures, where it may even be considered rude for young people to ask questions of their elders, coaches should be prepared to provide recruits with answers to begin the discussion: What is the program like? What are practices like? What are class schedules like? What kind of support is available to international student-athletes? “You can’t effectively recruit someone unless they fully understand what they’re getting into,” says Barnum.
Another way to ease the transition is to encourage international student-athletes to come to campus early. “Now that we can bring in more student-athletes for summer school, some of our teams are taking advantage of the opportunity,” Barnum says. “It gives them time to adjust to the college environment and the demands of academic coursework before they’re busy with preseason practices. It might not be right for everybody, but it’s an option your international student-athletes should consider.”
At the University of Nebraska, athletic administrators work with the school’s international affairs office to help things go smoothly. The office provides a wealth of information on government policy and procedures, ensures that paperwork is processed correctly, and helps integrate international student-athletes into the campus community at large.
“There’s no reason to reinvent the wheel,” says Ragean Hill, Academic Counselor and Coordinator of Multicultural Programs at Nebraska. “Allow each office to handle the tasks it does best.”
David Graham, Director of Student-Athlete Support Services at the Ohio State University, which currently has close to 100 international student-athletes, echoes Hill’s advice, and adds that establishing a liaison between the athletic department and other resources on campus helps avoid duplicating effort. “Identify a person on your staff to maintain and strengthen the relationship with the university’s international office,” he says. “Make them accountable for all the paperwork deadlines, information updates, and questions that come up on your staff. Also have them think about creating workshops, improving the cultural sensitivity of your program, and engaging with international student-athletes to design programming that suits their needs. Choosing someone to focus on these issues will make a big difference.”
Ohio State also makes sure international athletes are welcomed into the OSU athletic community by insisting they have a presence on the student-athlete advisory committee. “We always have one seat to represent the interests of internationals,” Graham says. “They provide the rest of the committee with valuable information about the different things international students experience, constantly raising the cultural awareness of the greater student-athlete body.”
Another way Nebraska helps ease international student-athletes’ transition is through an information packet about multicultural resources in the local community. “I give them a guide to help them find stores in the Lincoln area that offer some of the food they have at home,” says Hill. “For example, it lists places to find Chinese groceries and Russian delicacies. I always have international students bringing me candy and saying, ‘I got this from the store that was in your guide.’ So we know they use it.”
PEER SUPPORT
Like all incoming students, international athletes respond best to support from peers. At Nebraska, the athletic department begins the fall semester with a series of International Forums for new and returning student-athletes.
“When we started doing this, we found out a lot of our international students didn’t know each other,” Hill says. “Instead of just letting them stick with their teams, these forums help them connect across teams. And to help them connect with international students who aren’t athletes, we make sure to keep our athletes aware of programs the international affairs office runs.”
The forums usually consist of monthly meetings sponsored by the athletic department that mix dinner with discussions. Domestic student-athletes are also welcome, and specific topics include academics, career development, test preparation, graduate school applications, and resume writing. There is also time for athletes to socialize informally with one another. “It’s a great break from their schoolwork and their sport,” says Hill. “It’s a chance for people to meet each other and make connections. It’s a very welcoming environment, which is why it’s been so successful.”
In 2004, Buffalo started a formal peer-mentoring program for its international student-athletes called Bridges. “We wanted to provide a connection for incoming international students from the moment they arrived for orientation,” says Barnum. “At that point, they don’t have any friends or family in the area, so the Bridges program has been a really great addition. It’s essentially a social network for student-athletes with oversight by the academic services department to help them learn to support one another.”
Student-athletes in Bridges meet regularly to talk about the issues they face and build connections. In one of its most successful annual events, Bridges works with the department’s academic services and SAAC to host a multicultural fair where students-athletes mark their home countries on a wall map, prepare a dish of traditional food from their home country, and show examples of regional crafts.
“A lot of people in the university are invited to attend, including faculty, staff members, and people in the athletic department,” says Barnum. “It’s an opportunity for us to meet all our international student-athletes, talk with them, and learn about their cultures. But the best thing about it is they can connect with and learn about each other.”
At Michigan State University, Jim Pignataro, Associate Athletic Director and Director of Student-Athlete Support Services, also sees the value of peer mentoring. “Being a student-athlete sets you apart, and being an international student-athlete makes it that much more difficult to integrate into the rest of the community,” he says. “Having a mentoring relationship with a peer is an absolute necessity. We have our academic coordinators identify upperclassmen to be mentors early on, create those peer relationships before the start of classes, and keep following up with mentors individually.”
In its first year, Michigan State’s peer-mentoring program was very formal, starting with a sit-down orientation that included more talking than discussion. In its second year, the orientation was transformed into a much less formal meet-and-greet, a change that made a world of difference. “What worked well about having a large, informal event was that everyone met face-to-face, talked with each other, and traded e-mail addresses,” says Pignataro. “It was a great way to kick things off, and our kids really enjoyed it.”
For Pignataro, the advantages of peer mentoring are clear. “With a peer, international student-athletes feel free to open discussions that couldn’t happen with a mentor from a different generation,” he says. “The Division I experience is so unique, and to talk with someone who’s going through the same sort of thing as you really means a lot.
“It’s very common for programs to tell their athletes, ‘Don’t do this, don’t do that,’” continues Pignataro. “But when they have a peer walking them through those dangers, it’s a different message. What does it mean to be a student-athlete at Michigan State? What’s it like to walk into a classroom wearing a Michigan State athletics sweatshirt? When people look at you, what do they think? When they hear the answers from someone their own age, the message really hits home.”
COMMUNITY SUPPORT
Along with a peer mentor, international student-athletes will also benefit from the adults in their lives being responsive to their needs. Pignataro says this support should start with the coach. “If the coach can keep communication strong, acclimation for the athlete will be a lot easier,” he says. “Coaches need to keep asking questions and listen and communicate clearly, particularly if English isn’t the athlete’s first language. This is a new culture for internationals, and coaches need to be extremely sensitive because their student-athletes may rely on them to be a parent figure.
“It’s not enough to just refer an athlete to the international students’ office,” continues Pignataro. “Coaches need to go there with them, seek out someone who can help, and get their questions answered.”
The international athlete’s academic advisor is also a key support mechanism. At Nebraska, international student-athletes meet with their advisor at least once a week during their freshman year and are assigned eight hours of mandatory study hall each week. “If they can get through the first semester without going home, they’re well on their way,” says Hill.
“The keys are to provide a lot of contact with their athletic advisor, make sure they’re meeting regularly with their tutors, and get weekly updates on their progress in the classroom, at the dormitory, and on the team,” she continues. “How are they adjusting? Are they finding everything they need? Are there any cultural differences that need to be addressed? Staying in constant contact helps ensure they’re adjusting well.”
“Relationships are absolutely key,” adds Pignataro. “People stay in school because they’ve connected with a faculty member, an academic advisor, or a coach. In our exit surveys, 90 percent of the seniors talked about having a positive relationship with their academic counselors. More than anything, that’s why we’re effective.”
Some administrators also provide opportunities for international student-athletes to meet people in the community, outside their team and institution. At South Carolina, for example, a community organization not affiliated with the university, partners international students, including athletes, with local host families, who are free to invite them to family dinners, outings, and vacations. “Student-athletes can become very close to their host family,” says Michels. “It’s a wonderful program that provides continuity for them from one year to the next, with an opportunity to really experience life in this country. Often, host families come to home games, and if the athlete’s parent can’t attend a special event, the host parents will stand in their place. And since it’s a program for all international students, it’s not considered a special benefit for athletes.”
THE REWARDS
While schools continue to figure out how best to work with their international student-athletes, they are clear on the benefits of the experience. While these newcomers do bring unique challenges to the table, there’s also a lot they have to offer.
“All around the country, international student-athletes have a huge impact on collegiate programs,” says Pignataro. “They’re the embodiment of the university mission: to provide unique and different experiences, in and out of the classroom. Whether you meet an international student who can play cello at an elite level or an international student-athlete who’s a championship tennis player, the college experience is about understanding people with different backgrounds and experiences.
“That’s what the university is striving to do, and as an athletic department, we’re constantly talking about the benefits of diversity,” he continues. “When you have international student-athletes within your department, it helps the university achieve its mission and improves the experience for all students.”
“No matter where they come from, all your athletes have to learn new things,” adds Hill. “That’s the only way they’re going to be able to function in society, and that’s why they’re here: to learn to accept differences. If everybody is working toward the same goal, to achieve academically and athletically, then we all win.”
Sidebar: CULTURAL CONNECTIONS
At the University at Buffalo, athletic administrators have implemented team workshops to help international student-athletes learn about and bond with their teammates. Run by an assistant athletic director for student-athlete services, the meetings allow athletes to see their similarities and differences, and recognize how any differences can actually be a strength for the team.
“The biggest issue they face is communication, and I’m not talking about language,” says Laura Barnum, UB’s Associate Athletic Director and Senior Woman Administrator. “Most international students can speak and understand English well. But their communication styles may be very different, based on their culture. If they were taught to be very assertive where they grew up, someone here may take offense to it. Or the opposite: Maybe they don’t make eye contact with you, or they don’t talk unless they’re spoken to first. If that wasn’t your upbringing, it can make communication really difficult and lead to assumptions about the other person. Why doesn’t she look me in the eye? Why doesn’t he have a firm handshake?
“Through this workshop, athletes are exposed to other cultures and learn where people are coming from,” continues Barnum. “They gain an awareness of who they are as individuals, learn how other people may perceive them, and develop a new sense of respect for each other.”
In a typical workshop, facilitators begin by giving each student-athlete a questionnaire, which creates a personality profile. The results serve as an ice-breaker for discussion about the athletes’ similarities and differences. From there, participants form groups to identify things they have in common—for example, where they grew up, or how many are oldest siblings—and share more about their family histories, experiences, and challenges with the rest of the team.
“By learning about each other as individuals, they get an understanding that’s not based on stereotypes or generalizations,” says Barnum. “The diversity workshops help people see connections that exist across cultures, and show everyone they’re more alike than they think.”
Sidebar: HELP FROM THE NCAA
Starting in 2007-08, helping international athletes become American college student-athletes should be a bit easier, thanks to a new NCAA clearinghouse that will determine amateur status. Until this year, each college itself determined whether a foreign player it was recruiting was an amateur and thus could compete on an NCAA team. The NCAA’s Amateurism Certification Clearinghouse will now take over that job.
The main impetus behind the formation of the clearinghouse was to put more integrity and consistency behind the determination of amateur status. "The clearinghouse will do a few things to address this issue," says Bill Saum, Director of Membership Services and Amateurism Issues at the NCAA. "One, it will take the responsibility for determining amateur status away from schools as well as any negative backlash on them about their decisions. Two, as one entity making the decisions, efforts will be coordinated for consistent decisions. And three, institutions will know very quickly who they can and cannot recruit."
The Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) has been discussing the issue of how to best determine amateur status for several years, and is happy to see the NCAA taking a big step in the right direction. "It became apparent eight or even 10 years ago that the issue of amateurism had become confusing and difficult," says David Benjamin, Executive Director of the ITA. "If you have five people looking at an NCAA bylaw or sub-bylaw amendment, you could have three different interpretations. It logically makes sense to have one objective group of experts say yes or no."
Certification by the clearinghouse will be required of all Division I and II incoming and transfer students for the 2007-08 school year (Division III student-athletes will still be certified by their school’s athletic department). To go through the process, the student-athlete will take an Internet-based survey, containing questions that probe whether the applicant has ever compromised his or her amateur status. For example: Have they competed against professionals? Have they ever signed a contract? Have any of their teammates received money for competing? Answers to these questions may trigger more specific questions based on the response. —Abigail Funk
For more information about the NCAA Amateurism Certification Clearinghouse, visit: www1.ncaa.org/
membership/ach/index.