WASHINGTON – The Georgetown University Department of Intercollegiate Athletics hosted the First Annual Coaches Summit this past week at the Thompson Center.  All head coaches and most of the assistant coaches attended the two-day summit along with select athletics staff members, colleagues from around campus and keynote speakers.
 
"In the current landscape of intercollegiate athletics, coaches are faced with extremely complex issues as they go about the business of managing their programs and developing students-athletes," said Director of Intercollegiate Athletics Lee Reed.  "The time that was invested over the last two days speaks to their commitment to the student-athletes they serve and the University."
 
The programming began with a keynote speech from Dr. Derek Greenfield where he spoke on "Confronting Ourselves: Building for Inclusive Excellence in Georgetown Athletics".  Dr. Greenfield is a speaker, consultant and thought leader dedicated to inclusive excellence and positive change.  He works with groups from sports teams to corporations to non-profits to motivate and promote inclusion among teams and staffs.
 
As the day continued, speakers touched on topics such as the department's strategic plan and mental health.  Jon Oliver of JKO Solutions provided coaches and staff with an outline to enhance the department's strategic plan.  Additionally, Head of Athletics Counseling Services Dr. Brad Foltz partnered with team doctors Dr. Blair Heinke and Dr. Korin Hudson to speak on student-athlete mental health.  Foltz arrived on the Hilltop in November 2017 when Georgetown launched its Student-Athlete Health & Wellness Initiative. This program recognizes the unique experience and needs of student-athletes and is dedicated to helping them manage the academic, emotional and physical pressures they face. Foltz's position serves all of GU's student-athletes and is the first of its kind among the schools in the BIG EAST Conference.
 
The first day concluded with an emotional talk from Head Men's Lacrosse Coach Kevin Warne and former administrator Brian McGuire as Warne described his tumultuous journey from being hired into a storied program to winning the 2018 BIG EAST Championship.
 
The second day was highlighted by a talk from campus representatives addressing how collegiate athletics has changed in just the past 10 years and how the university has responded.  This was followed by tabletop discussions where coaches, staff members and campus representatives were given scenarios to work through.  The groups had to take into account legal, team, mental and personal ramifications while deciding the best course of action.
 
"Over two days, our coaches engaged in supportive programming aimed to better prepare them to navigate challenging situations, connect them to resources and increase levels of support within our community," said Associate Athletics Director for Administration and Varsity Sports Shannon Soares, who organized the event.  "They dove deeply into relevant and complex issues and engaged in helpful dialogue with internal athletics staff and campus partners whom are critical members of our support system. We are grateful to all of our coaches who participated in the summit as well as the more than 30 colleagues within the department and across campus who showed that investing in the development of both student-athletes and coaches can be powerful."
 
"It was great to get everyone together in the same room all hearing a consistent message," said Head Women's Lacrosse Coach Ricky Fried.  "There were a lot of valuable ideas that were shared that will prepare us for both the 2018-19 school year and in the ever-changing landscape of college athletics."
 
The summit was the first held at Georgetown that specifically brought the head coaches together to sink their teeth into the many intricacies of college athletics.  Inclusion, diversity, mental health and university best practices were an outline for a meaningful two days of fellowship between the head and assistant coaches of Georgetown's 29-sport department.
 
"We hit many different topics that affect their lives every day, and we worked through real-life scenarios to help them make the best decisions during difficult situations," said Reed.  "I am grateful to all of our coaches who sacrificed their time at the beginning of of a very busy school year to grow professionally.  I am also deeply grateful to our many colleagues from other departments and the presenters for making time for this valuable exercise."