UVa-Wise and the department of athletics is fully committed to promoting community engagement activities and creating a positive game environment.  The department of athletics recognizes that it is our responsibility to promote sportsmanship, respect, civility, and teamwork among our student-athletes, coaches, and fans.  In order to do everything in our power to ensure a positive game environment the department of athletics will:

• Conduct a pregame read that clearly explains the standards for fan behavior and sportsmanship.
• Include fan behavior and sportsmanship standards in our media guides and on our website.
• Clearly explain the sportsmanship expectations to our coaches, staff, and student-athletes.
• Assign an on-site administrator whose responsibility will be the promotion of a positive game environment.
• Have assigned adequate security to each event.

UVa-Wise is committed to the true spirit of competition through the five core character values the NAIA embraces which are respect, responsibility, integrity, sportsmanship, and servant leadership.  We ask each of you to abide by these polices so we can create a positive environment in which our athletes may participate, our officials may work, and you the spectator may enjoy the contest.

By hosting diverse demographics on campus for a variety of events, having staff and students provide a presence in the local schools, and formally defining our community engagement efforts, UVa-Wise demonstrates our commitment to and praxis of learning from shared experience.

Traditionally, UVa-Wise athletic teams have been very active in a variety of community service projects and we continue to see our student-athletes grow from their outreach experiences. Similarly, community engagement activities are incorporated into the culture of UVa-Wise and are the aspect of our service and outreach initiatives aimed at enhancing interactions between the athletic department and the broader community, including parents, students, alumni, faculty, staff, and donors. UVa-Wise is committed to building a strong relationship with constituents of the region.

The Student-Athlete Advisory Council (SAAC) is central to community engagement initiatives at UVa-Wise. Continued establishment of the SAAC as an activator of ideas and motivator of student-athletes leads to student-created and student-led events and projects. This group of student-athletes developing a formal program that mixes community engagement activities with service projects incorporates our goals of making UVa-Wise a transformational experience, building strong ties to the community, and fortifying a leadership foundation for the region.

Guidelines for UVa-Wise Athletics Community Engagement

Each team will participate in a minimum of one community service projects per semester.

SAAC will sponsor one community engagement event per academic year in which all teams participate.

SAAC members will begin a leadership academy which connects UVa-Wise student-athletes with local kids through mentoring, educational events, and joint projects.

Our departmental goal is for 100 percent of our student-athletes to participate in community engagement and service within the region.

Kendall Rainey, Associate AD/SWA, is responsible for coordinating community involvement through SAAC and among athletic teams, which allows for unified initiatives and provides a consistent link between members of the community and the athletic department. She can be contacted at 276-376-4584 or kmr7n@uvawise.edu.