April 10, 2008
FARMVILLE, Va. - Longwood University women’s basketball junior Amber Sims/Lawrenceville (Brunswick Senior) is among a select group of student-athletes picked to participate in the annual NCAA Student-Athlete Development Conference that will take place in Orlando, Florida. Sims will meet with fellow NCAA student-athletes from across the country at the Walt Disney World Resort May 25-29 to discuss issues concerning student-athletes.
The conference also provides them with the opportunity to enhance leadership, communication, decision-making and problem-solving skills. They will learn to improve communication among student-athletes, coaches, administrators, faculty, staff and the community.
"I am excited to get to represent Longwood and meet other student-athletes who go through the same things as me," Sims said. "I do not really know what to expect but I am just really excited."
Sims said she wanted to take on this project to help her with being a senior leader of her team next year, despite being one of the team’s tri-captains last season as the 5-10 forward believes she still has improving to do.
"I am looking forward to being evaluated as a leader," Sims said. "There is still plenty of stuff that I need to learn. I do not think that we are ever done learning to improve ourselves."
Sims was among a group of four finalists at Longwood who were nominated to attend the conference. The Longwood athletics staff initially narrowed the field to four candidates, then forwarded their credentials to the NCAA, which made the final decision on who would attend.
“This is a tremendous opportunity for Amber,” Assistant Athletic Director for Compliance/Senior Women's Advisor Michelle Meadows said. “I know she will represent Longwood University with the utmost integrity and bring back a wealth of knowledge to enhance the entire program.”
Every NCAA institution that features a CHAMPS/Life Skills Program on its campus is encouraged to nominate student-athletes to attend the conference.
In the end, more than 233 student-athletes will have participated in the five-day event.
Sims, who has played in more than 70 games the last three seasons, is also a member of the Longwood Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC).
