Conference Carolinas Announces Second Semester SAAC Programming Schedule
REENVILLE, S.C. – The Conference Carolinas Student-Athlete Advisory Committee will hold six virtual programs, three community service initiatives and a pair of leadership development sessions throughout the final five months of the academic year to benefit student-athletes across all 14 member institutions.
Annie Anderson, MS, RD, CSOWM, LS, CSSD, a registered dietitian/nutritionist at Prisma Health will kick off the virtual seminars on Monday, Jan. 22 as she discusses healthy eating. The third installment of the Conference Carolinas mental health series will take place at 7 p.m. Students can register HERE.
The fourth session in the mental health series features Dr. Marina Harris, licensed psychologist and CEO of Bloom Psychology Group, PLLC and will take place on Sunday, Feb. 11 at 6 p.m. Dr. Harris will be focusing on coping with comparison and perfectionism. A former Division I gymnast, Harris understands the pressure felt by high-achievers and perfectionists. She's an expert in anxiety, eating disorders, sports psychology and trauma. She helps strivers worry less so they have more space to achieve their dreams. Register to reserve your spot in the virtual session HERE.
Dr. Shea Fontana, D.O. continues the focus on mental health on Monday, Feb. 19 at 7 p.m. ET with a presentation on the effects of substances on athletes. Dr. Fontana is the Associate Program Director for the Upstate psychiatry residency program and a Clinical Assistant Professor at University of South Carolina School of Medicine Greenville. She has a Certificate of Additional Training in Sports Psychiatry awarded by the International Society for Sports Psychiatry (ISSP). She focuses on providing care to athletes, college students and adults utilizing a combination of lifestyle modifications (sleep hygiene, nutrition, and physical activity), psychotherapy and psychopharmacology. Register for the virtual session by clicking HERE.
The Conference Carolinas professional development series continues on Sunday, Feb. 25 at 7 p.m. as a trio of former conference student-athletes talk about the transition from being a student-athlete. Brenna Everette, a former women's lacrosse student-athlete at Converse, Hailey Gass, a former softball student-athlete at Belmont Abbey, and Ben Elliott, a former men's soccer student-athlete at Mount Olive, discuss how being a student-athlete prepared them for a career. To save your spot, register HERE.
Dr. Harris kicks off the March programming with another installment in the mental health series as she discusses understanding bullying in sports on Monday, March 11 at 6:30 p.m. Registration is available HERE.
The virtual programming wraps up on Monday, March 18 at 7 p.m. with a professional development seminar on how to dress for success in an interview. Those interested can register HERE.
In addition to virtual programming, Conference Carolinas SAAC is launching a community book drive on individual campuses to take place from Feb. 5 - March 10, 2024. SAAC is also taking part in the NCAA Make-A-Wish Day and will have a league-wide on-campus community service event to be announced.
The SAAC leadership team will meet two more times during the semester and the year will be capped off with a video, to be released on May 1, featuring tips and tricks on how to prepare for finals.
A complete list of Conference Carolinas SAAC programming is available at ConferenceCarolinas.com/SAAC.