OK folks. First, forgive the length… I wrote a novel. Second, I need to put in a disclaimer here. I have made it very public that I am a member of the NCVF, but I need to inform you all that this post and those previously I have made are not formal stances of the NCVF by any means. I have not been “told” to tell you that from NCVF folks, but I think it’s important for anyone reading this to know the distinction. My views are simply my views, and meant to be informative to teams that are in the process of making decisions for 2010 collegiate club volleyball nationals.
The more I learn in my own efforts of NIRSA transparency, the more I am realizing the NCVF made a good decision to take the tournament in a different direction.
Recently, I’ve been curious about the 29 schools that NIRSA tells us have “expressed their intention to compete” and in another announcement states 18 schools “have expressed their verbal commitment to participate”. So which is it? 29 or 18 schools? Are both men’s and women’s teams coming from each school? Who is doing this verbal commitment and intention? Who is NIRSA talking to when they get these commitments?
I ask these questions, because I have been a player, club president, men’s and women’s club coach, club league commissioner, women’s national ranking committee member, and NCVF member. I’ve experienced club volleyball from all levels; local to national. I have had little direct contact with NIRSA except when registering teams after the registration packet came out every Winter and a couple minor issues over the years.
Who is NIRSA talking to on campus in early September when students have hardly arrived back on campus, tryouts are just now taking place, new club presidents are being elected, league meetings are being scheduled, and preseason tourneys are being organized?
I turned to the internet to find out the answer to this question, and I believe the answer is that NIRSA is talking to the NIRSA membership. With the exception of 3 schools (Columbia Univ., Washington Univ. and Clayton State who just started a women’s team in 2008) I found VERY strong connections to NIRSA from the remaining 26 schools.
My findings are below, and links below that to corroborate it. I know that simple connections and affiliations are not enough evidence to draw a conclusion, but the connections I found were convincing… see for yourself:
FYI - NIRSA/NCCS/NSC are all somewhat nebulous when it comes to the administration of the club volleyball national tournament. My understanding is that NIRSA is the parent organization and a non-profit. NSC is a subsidiary of NIRSA and is for-profit but can use NIRSA and NCCS logos. NCCS is operated by the NSC. Clear as mud?
NIRSA = National Intramural Recreational Sports Association
NCCS = National Campus Championship Series
NSC = NIRSA Services Corporation
The teams below are listed NIRSA’s website as committed to the NIRSA 2010 tournament. After each school, I have listed formal connections to NIRSA and below that links to the websites I found the information from to verify.
www.nirsa.org/Content/NavigationMenu/Sports/Volleyball/2010_Team_Listing.htm1. Alabama – 1 current member of the NIRSA Governance commission, 1 NIRSA Outstanding sports facilities award, 1 NIRSA Student award
2. Arizona – 1 former NIRSA President, 1 current member of the NSC Board of Directors, 1 NIRSA Outstanding outdoor sports facilities award, 1 “Peer Advisory Review Team Member” on NIRSA Governance commission, 2 National Service Award winners, 4 NIRSA Student award winners, 2 NIRSA endowment winners, 3 NIRSA Foundation scholarship award winners
3. Arizona State – 1 former NIRSA President, 1 NCCS committee member, 1 current NIRSA state director, 4 NIRSA national service winners, 5 NIRSA student award winners, 1 NIRSA scholarship winner
4. Arkansas – 1 current NIRSA State Director, 1 NIRSA Foundation Scholarship winner, 1 NIRSA endowment winner
5. Baylor – 1 NIRSA national service award, 1 NIRSA Outstanding sports facilities award
6. Binghamton– 6 NIRSA Student Award winners, 1 NIRSA Foundation Scholarship winner
7. Brown– 1 former NIRSA President, 1 NIRSA Honor Award
8. Colorado – 1 former NIRSA President, 1 NIRSA Honor Award
9. Creighton - 1 current “Peer Advisory Review Team Member” on NIRSA Governance commission
10. DePaul –1 current member of the NIRSA Governance commission, 1 former NIRSA President, 1 NIRSA Outstanding sports facilities award, 4 NIRSA national service awards, 4 NIRSA student award winners
11. East Carolina – 10 NIRSA student award winners
12. Florida – 1 current NIRSA Board member, 1 current NIRSA Regional director, 1 current NIRSA State Director (all 3 previous are the same guy) 1 NIRSA national service award, 3 NIRSA Student award winners, 1 Student Leader NIRSA Governance commission, 1 “Young Leader Advisory Group Member” NIRSA Governance commission, 1 NIRSA Foundation Scholarship winner
13. Georgia – 1 current NIRSA Board member, 1 “Peer Advisory Review Team Member” on NIRSA Governance commission, 1 NIRSA Endowment winner
14. Kansas - 1 “Young Leader Advisory Group Member” on NIRSA Governance commission
15. Maryland – 1 current NIRSA Board member, 1 current NSC board member, 1 current NIRSA Regional director, 1 former NIRSA State director, 12 NIRSA Student award winners, 1 Student Leader NIRSA Governance commission, 1 “Young Leader Advisory Group Member” NIRSA Governance commission, 1 NIRSA Foundation Scholarship winner, 1 NIRSA Outstanding sports facilities award
16. Millersville– 2 NIRSA student award winners
17. Mississippi – 1 NIRSA national service award, 1 NIRSA Student award winner
18. North Texas – 1 former NIRSA President, 1 NIRSA Honor Award, 1 NIRSA national service award, 1 current NIRSA State director, 3 NIRSA Student award winner
19. Ohio University – 1 former NIRSA President, 2 NIRSA national service awards, 3 NIRSA student award winners, 2 NIRSA Scholarship winners
20. Tennessee – 1 former NIRSA President, 1 current member NIRSA student leadership team
21. Texas at Austin – 1 former NIRSA President, 1 NIRSA Honor Award, 1 current NIRSA Foundation Board Member, 1 current NSC Board member, 1 current NCCS Board member, 2 NIRSA national service award, 1 NIRSA Outstanding sports facilities award, 5 NIRSA Student award winners, 3 NIRSA Foundation Scholarship winners, 1 NIRSA endowment winner
22. Texas at San Antonio – 1 NIRSA national service award
23. Texas State University, San Marcos – 1 current NCCS committee member, 1 NIRSA Outstanding outdoor sports facilities award, 1 NIRSA endowment winner, 1 NIRSA Scholarship winner
24. University of California, Irvine - 1 NIRSA Outstanding sports facilities award, UCI has a close relationship with Irvine based “Star Trac” which manufactures work out equipment and is a NIRSA partner contributing to the NIRSA scholarship programs. Many folks on “LinkedIn” have worked for both UCI and Star Trac. Link below has photo of Star Trac CEO and NIRSA execs at a visit to NIRSA’s Corvallis, OR offices.
25. University of California, San Diego – 1 current NIRSA Foundation Board member, 1 NIRSA Student award
26. Western Illinois –1 Student Leader on NIRSA Governance commission, 4 NIRSA Student award winners, 1 NIRSA Endowment winner
Of these 26 schools:
9 former NIRSA presidents are associated with these schools
5 of 13 NCCS Committee members are associated with these schools
3 of 11 current NIRSA Board members are associated with these schools
2 of 7 NIRSA Foundation Members are associated with these schools
3 of 7 NSC Board members are associated with these schools
12 members of the NIRSA Governance Commission are associated with these schools
NIRSA members from these schools have won 17 NIRSA National Service awards in the past 5 years.
So on and so on…
Maybe even more illuminating is that the current NIRSA president is from Dayton University and the Dayton men’s team was one of the first teams to commit to NCVF Nationals. Also, UC Davis men are committed to NCVF Nationals and their Rec Director is a current NIRSA Board member.
Links below
www.nirsa.org/Content/NavigationMenu/AboutUs/Awards/NationalServiceAward/Past_Award_Winners.htmwww.nirsa.info/know/2008/04/news007.htmlwww.nirsa.org/Content/NavigationMenu/AboutUs/NIRSAServicesCorporation/BoardofDirectors/NSC_Board.htmwww.nirsa.org/Content/NavigationMenu/AboutUs/History/PastPresidents/Past_Presidents.htmwww.nirsa.org/Content/NavigationMenu/AboutUs/NIRSAGovernanceCommission/roster.htmwww.nirsa.info/know/2007/09/foun001.htmlwww.nirsa.org/Content/NavigationMenu/AboutUs/NIRSAFoundation/BoardofDirectors/Board_of_Directors.htmnirsa.humankinetics.com/showproduct.cfm?isbn=0990035433www.nirsa.org/Content/NavigationMenu/AboutUs/Awards/WilliamNWassonStudentLeadershipAcademicAwards/Past_Winners.htmwww.nirsa.org/Content/NavigationMenu/AboutUs/Awards/HonorAward/Past_Honor_Award_Wi.htmwww.nirsa.org/Content/NavigationMenu/AboutUs/Awards/HonorAward/Past_Honor_Award_Wi.htmwww.nirsa.info/know/2008/03/news004.htmlwww.nirsa.org/Content/NavigationMenu/Networking/StateProvincialDirectors/directors_inc.htmwww.nirsa.org/Content/NavigationMenu/Networking/StateProvincialDirectors/State_Provincial_Di.htm