Quarterbacks communicate with receivers, catchers communicate with pitchers and point guards communicate with centers, all to be successful in their game. Just as communication and unity are important between these athletes; interaction between athletes, coaches and school administration are 
vital as well.
The Student Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) is being established on college campuses all over the country. The SAAC was formed by the NCAA in 1989 to review and offer student-athlete input on NCAA activities and proposed legislation that can affect student-athletes welfare. Male and female student-athletes from Divisions I, II and III have the responsibility of assisting the NCAA in the review of proposed legislation, as well as representing student-athletes in the NCAA governance structure.
Recently two Bluffton student-athletes along with head volleyball coach and assistant athletic director Sara Wakefield had the opportunity to attend a SAAC Regional Leadership conference in Indianapolis, Ind. The two day event provided seminars on nutrition, NCAA legislation, as well as how to start a better SAAC committee on individual college campuses.
Sophomore student-athletes Brittany Shultz, Hudson, Ind./Prairie Heights (volleyball) and Jake Slager, Hopedale, Ill./Olympia (football) attended the conference, and came away with valuable insights on starting a SAAC committee on Bluffton’s campus. This committee 
will become the “voice of the athletes,” Shultz said. Team members from all varsity sports would be eligible to join this organization, committee members would be responsible for planning events, getting people involved and keeping the campus informed.
Slager said that communication and unity between athletes and the administration is very important to a successful SAAC organization. “Keeping the athletes informed about new legislation and rules would be another role of SAAC,” Shultz said. Committee members would work closely with the athletics administration to stay current on new rules and regulations around the NCAA.
During the conference Shultz and Slager had an opportunity to meet with other SAAC delegates from around the Heartland Conference, to discuss ideas, and set up connections. “Networking between the individual schools and the HCAC is vital to a strong SAAC committee,” Slager said. SAAC members from all over the Heartland Conference would attend meetings and voice their opinions concerning current issues in athletics.
The SAAC committee at Bluffton University will be student run. “My role as the Bluffton SAAC advisor is to help facilitate and oversee the student-athlete committee,” Wakefield said. Wakefield will pass along communication from the NCAA to the SAAC committee members.
