Ep 16: Community College Athletics

According to the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA), about 60% of community colleges offer sports programs. This translates to approximately 60,000 student-athletes in community colleges around the United States participating in more than two dozen sports. According to Eddie Comeaux and Eric Davidson, student-athletes have higher GPAs than their non-athlete counterparts; community colleges often provide their athletes with positive, holistic academic support; and while community college athletics programs have expanded in the last twenty years, their overall support for female athletes and their programs has remained stagnant. Yet this component of community college life often remains on the sidelines. Deconstructing community college athletics are three guests who know this world well: Dr. Dan Kinney, President of Iowa Western Community College, a college which has garnered 18 NJCAA National Championships; Dr. Brett Monaghan, Vice President of Championship, Membership, and Sports Governance at the NJCAA, and former athletic director at Indian Hills Community College; and Alaura Sharp, the Head Women’s Basketball coach at Appalachian State and a former community college athlete and coach. Spotlight on Community Colleges debuts new episodes on the third Wednesday of every month to hear topical exchanges between researchers and practitioners, learn about emerging scholarship paired with practical solutions, and consider critical analyses of possibilities for future practice. The podcast is hosted by Drs. Erin Doran, Carrie B. Kisker, and Brett Ranon Nachman. More information at: https://spotlightonccs.podbean.com/.   Spotlight on Community Colleges is the official podcast of the Council for the Study of Community Colleges (https://www.cscc.pitt.edu/). Stay Connected With Us: Email: [email protected] Instagram: @spotlightonccs BlueSky: @SpotlightonCCs.bksy.social LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carriekisker/, https://www.linkedin.com/in/erin-doran-7545a67a/, and https://www.linkedin.com/in/brettnachman/   Be sure to rate, review, and subscribe to Spotlight on Community Colleges wherever you listen to podcasts!