Red Raider Athletics – Honoring Christ through Excellence in Athletics

STUDENT – ATHLETE

HANDBOOK 2021-2022

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Red Raider Athletics – Honoring Christ through Excellence in Athletics

Northwestern College Department of Athletics Student-Athlete Handbook

I. MISSION 3

II. ORGANIZATION AND ADMINISTRATION OF VARSITY ATHLETICS 3 “Raider” Definition Affiliations Core Values Department Contact Information

III. ELIGIBILITY 7 24-Hour Rule Minimum GPA Progress towards Graduation Term Limits COVID Reminders for 2021-2022

IV. ATHLETIC TRAINING POLICIES 9 Secondary Insurance Athletic Training Clinic Procedures

V. CODE OF CONDUCT 10 Statement of Purpose Athletic Department Covenant Behavioral Guidelines Conduct and Discipline Board Statement of Consequences Appeal Process

VI. DRUG TESTING 12

VII. AMATEUR CODE – NAME, IMAGE AND LIKENESS (NIL) 13

VIII. NWC PERFORMANCE TRAINING 13

IX. MEDIA RELATIONS 14 Statement of Purpose Accountability Team-Related News Respect Privacy Appropriate Grammar Interview Pointers Social Networking Website Policy Twitter Guidelines

X. NWC STUDENT ATHLETE CONSENT FORM 19

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Red Raider Athletics – Honoring Christ through Excellence in Athletics

Raider (raid-er) (1882) – One who is fearless, confident and prepared to finish the task through discipline, sacrifice and the relentless pursuit of excellence

NORTHWESTERN COLLEGE MISSION STATEMENT Northwestern College is a Christian academic community engaging students in courageous and faithful learning and living that empowers them to follow Christ and pursue God’s redeeming work in the world.

NAIA The purpose of the NAIA is to promote the education and development of students through intercollegiate athletic participation. Member institutions, although varied and diverse, share a common commitment to high standards and the principle that athletics serve as an integral part of education. The NAIA embraces the concept of the student and recognizes the importance of the individuality of each member institution, the value of the conference and independent structures, and the benefits of membership in a national association.

GREAT PLAINS ATHLETIC CONFERENCE (GPAC) The purpose of the GPAC shall be the mutual promotion and supervision of intercollegiate athletics consistent with the dignity and high purpose of Christian higher education. The member institutions of the GPAC, an athletic conference of faith-based institutions of higher learning, are committed to an intercollegiate athletic environment that is grounded in an educational athletic model, recognizing the centrality of the GPAC institutions’ academic missions and encouraging integration of the athletic and educational experiences of its student athletes. Members are collectively committed to the conference by involvement in conference activities and events.

GPAC Schools College of St Mary Concordia University Dakota Wesleyan University Mount Marty College Northwestern College

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Red Raider Athletics – Honoring Christ through Excellence in Athletics

NORTHWESTERN ATHLETIC MISSION STATEMENT Honoring Christ through excellence in athletics.

RED RAIDER ATHLETIC CORE VALUES

1. Faith in God  Faith in God is the foundation of all aspects of a meaningful life  Recognition that salvation is by grace through Christ alone, by faith alone  Knowing that God is sovereign in all areas of our life, including athletics 2. Integrity  Is a choice of correct behaviors displayed in small daily decisions  That your actions follow your words and beliefs  “If you have integrity, nothing else matters and if you don’t have integrity, nothing else matters” (Brown) 3. Respect  Is distinguished by unselfishness  Is directed toward self and others  Demonstration of humility 4. Responsibility  Is focused attention and effort! This is applicable to your entire life!  Examples of being responsible are: A. Discipline – attentiveness, enthusiasm, commitment B. Mental toughness – only worry about those things you can control C. Academic responsibility – enthusiastic pursuit of knowledge 5. Sportsmanship  Respect authority of officials – value your opponent  Compete within the rules of the game  Demonstrate self-control and ownership of behavior 6. Servant Leadership  Is being the first to serve and the last to be served!  Being a leader means you are choosing to serve your teammates – it is a privilege to serve, not a right to be served  Nothing in life is free but service to others The Core Values identified above are consistent with the NAIA Champions of Character initiative, but also reflect Northwestern College’s mission as a distinctively Christian college. NORTHWESTERN COLLEGE ATHLETIC TEAMS (21) Men Women Co-Ed Football Athletic Band Cross Country Cross Country Cheer Soccer Soccer E-Sports Basketball Dance Track and Field Track and Field Tennis Golf 4 | Page

Red Raider Athletics – Honoring Christ through Excellence in Athletics

ATHLETIC DEPARTMENT CONTACT INFORMATION

Administration and Support Staff Vice President of Athletics Dr. Micah Parker [email protected] A.D. Office Manager Jacki Goebel [email protected] Assistant Athletic Director Rik Dahl [email protected] Assistant AD - Facilities Director Patrick Sinnema [email protected] Faculty Athletic Representative Byron Noordewier [email protected] FAR Assistant/Registrar Stephanie Bosgraaf [email protected] College President Greg Christy [email protected] Vice President for Advancement Jay Wielenga [email protected] Concessions Manager Billy Kirch [email protected] Athletic Laundry Supervisor Tim Vander Ploeg [email protected] Directory of Financial Aid Eric Anderson [email protected]

Media Services/ Sports Information Director of Marketing Duane Beeson [email protected] Director of Athletic Communications Steven Carlson [email protected] Assistant Sports Information Morgan Swedorski [email protected] Assistant Sports Information Jared Kirkeby [email protected] Assistant Sports Information Shannon Andringa [email protected]

Athletic Training Director of Athletic Training Seth Wolles [email protected] Assistant Athletic Training Kayla Tindall [email protected] Graduate Assistant AT Bennett Sikkink [email protected]

Athletic Performance Director of Athletic Performance Kyle Ochsner [email protected] Assistant Athletic Performance Coach Maria Fruechte [email protected] Graduate Assistant Coach Colin Snyder [email protected]

Coaching Staff Athletic Band Director Steve Connell [email protected]

Baseball Head Coach Brian Wede [email protected] Assistant Coach – Pitching Jared Kirkeby [email protected] Assistant Coach Jeff Schouten [email protected] Assistant Coach Matt Van Schepen [email protected] Graduate Assistant Nolan Hoff [email protected]

Basketball (Men’s) Head Coach Kris Korver [email protected] Assistant Coach Ben Miller [email protected] Assistant Coach Austin Schlatter [email protected] Assistant Coach Colton Kooima [email protected] Assistant Coach Tony Krogman [email protected]

Basketball (Women’s) Head Coach Kristin Rotert [email protected] Assistant Coach Macy Miller [email protected] Assistant Coach Gary Richardson [email protected] Assistant Coach Morgan Swedorski [email protected] Graduate Assistant Taylor Deniston [email protected]

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Red Raider Athletics – Honoring Christ through Excellence in Athletics

Cheerleading and Dance Head Coach Taylor Nygren [email protected] Assistant Coach Julia Goodburn [email protected]

Cross Country Head Coach Scott Bahrke [email protected] Assistant Coach Carrie Krohn [email protected]

Esports Director of Esports Cole Prescott [email protected] Assistant Coach – Rocket League Joshua Fischer [email protected]

Football Head Coach Matt McCarty [email protected] Offensive Coordinator Josh Davis [email protected] Defensive Coordinator Billy Kirch [email protected] Assistant Coach – Linebackers Brad Zeutenhorst [email protected] Assistant Coach – D-Line Ross Fernstrum [email protected] Assistant Coach – Receivers Brice Byker [email protected] Assistant Coach – Tight Ends Gabe Davis [email protected] Assistant Coach – D-Line Sam Van Ginkel [email protected] Graduate Assistant – Quarterbacks Samuel Rall [email protected] Graduate Assistant – D-Backs Tarence Roby [email protected] Assistant Coach – Linebackers Tanner Machacek [email protected] Assistant Coach – Running Backs Benji Kasel [email protected] Assistant Coach – O-Line Levi Letsche [email protected]

Golf (Men’s) Head Coach Aaron Aberson [email protected] Assistant Coach Austin Reitz [email protected]

Golf (Women’s) Head Coach Courtney Den Herder [email protected] Assistant Coach Shayla Dahl [email protected]

Soccer (Men’s) Head Coach Dan Swier [email protected] Assistant Coach – JV Tyler Limmer [email protected] Assistant Coach – Goalkeepers Michael Simmelink [email protected]

Soccer (Women’s) Head Coach Shannon Andringa [email protected] Graduate Assistant Taylor Harvey [email protected] Assistant Coach Nancy Dickmann [email protected] Assistant Coach – Goalkeepers Michael Simmelink [email protected]

Softball Head Coach Shane Bouman [email protected] Assistant Coach Scott Miller [email protected] Assistant Coach Meagan Wallinga [email protected] Assistant Coach – JV Travis De Jong [email protected]

Tennis (Men’s) Head Coach Monte Tilgner [email protected]

Tennis (Women’s) Head Coach Jamie De Jong [email protected] Assistant Coach Emma Van Drie [email protected] 6 | Page

Red Raider Athletics – Honoring Christ through Excellence in Athletics

Track and Field (Men’s and Women’s) Head Coach Scott Bahrke [email protected] Assistant Coach – Hurdles and Jumps Tim Vander Ploeg [email protected] Assistant Coach – Distance Carrie Krohn [email protected] Assistant Coach - Sprinters Matt Johnson [email protected] Assistant Coach – Throws Scott Phelps [email protected]

Volleyball Head Coach Kyle Van Den Bosch [email protected] Assistant Coach Wayne Westenberg [email protected] Assistant Coach Kaitlin Hoogeveen [email protected] Head JV Coach Bailey Van Ginkel [email protected]

Wrestling Head Coach Rik Dahl [email protected] Graduate Assistant Dylan Costello [email protected] Assistant Coach Luis Rivera-Santiago [email protected] Assistant Coach Jon Groskreutz [email protected] Assistant Coach Jacob Hergott [email protected]

ELIGIBILITY In order to compete in intercollegiate athletics there are certain eligibility requirements which must be met. These include policies established by Northwestern College, the Great Plains Athletic Conference and the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics. It is the responsibility of all student athletes to know the eligibility standards which they are governed by and each student athlete will receive an information sheet summarizing the academic guidelines, complete information is available in the Northwestern student handbook and at the registrar’s office. To be eligible to participate as an athlete representing Northwestern College, you MUST: 1. Be Cleared and Certified a. Before participating in the NAIA, each student must be cleared by the NAIA Eligibility Center i. First time freshman ii. Transfers from other institutions outside the NAIA iii. Continuing students who have been deemed ineligible on initial review b. Before participating for Northwestern, the FAR and the institution must certify each student – clearance and certification are not the same thing!

2. Be a Student in Good Standing a. You cannot participate in competition while on academic probation.

3. Be a Full Time Student a. You must enroll in 12 credit hours or more. b. Can include only one repeat class previously passed with a D or higher.

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Red Raider Athletics – Honoring Christ through Excellence in Athletics

4. Make Progress toward Graduation Term by Term (24-Hour Rule) a. You must pass 24 credit hours of academic work or more in your previous 2 terms. (average 12 hours per term) b. You must have completed 9 credit hours after first term c. Repeated classes previously passed do not count toward your 24-hour rule d. Cannot count Basic Algebra (MAT090)

5. Maintain a Minimum GPA Based on Total Credits Completed: a. You must have at least a 1.75 GPA after your first term b. You must have at least a 1.90 after your second term c. You must have a 2.00 GPA in your junior year and beyond d. FOR 2020-2021 and 2021-2022 FRESHMEN – If you did not take the ACT/SAT to gain eligibility, you must have a 2.0 after your second semester to remain eligible (COVID Exception) e. BEGINNING IN AUGUST 2022, To compete in your second season in a sport, all students must have and maintain a total of a 2.0 cumulative GPA.

6. Make Progress toward Graduation Season by Season a. You must have earned 24 credit hours for second season of competition b. You must have earned 48 credit hours for third season of competition c. You must have earned 72 credit hours for fourth season of competition

7. Stay within 10 Terms (Semesters) of Attendance (TOA) a. Per Article V, Section B, Item 8, a term of attendance as any academic term in which a student is enrolled in 12 institutional credit hours. b. Once a student-athlete has reached 10 terms of attendance, the student must cease all participation in all sports.

8. COVID-19 REMINDERS a. Spring sport students were not charged a season of competition for Spring 2020 ONLY. b. Fall and Winter sport students were not charged a season of competition for the 2020-2021 academic year. c. Spring sport students WERE charged a season of competition for the Spring 2021 season IF they competed in more than 50% of that sport’s maximum allowable contest limits. d. Students-athletes in ALL sports will be charged a season of competition for competing in more than 20% of the that sport’s maximum allowable contest limits for the 2021-2022 academic year. e. The following terms will not count as TOA towards the maximum limit (but will count towards 24 Hour Rule and Progress towards Graduation): i. Spring 2020 semester will not count towards 10 semester limit for spring sports only ii. 2020-2021 academic year will not count towards the maximum TOA limits for any student-athlete, regardless of sport

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Red Raider Athletics – Honoring Christ through Excellence in Athletics

ATHLETIC TRAINING AND INSURANCE Northwestern College provides an accidental injury policy for all students participating in intercollegiate athletics. Since this is a limited policy, it is important for you to know some things about the nature of the policy.

 The coverage provided by Northwestern College is a secondary policy on an excess basis. The policy also carries a $1,000 deductible. This means that the medical bills will be submitted first to your primary coverage. We ask your cooperation in filing claims with your own insurance company. Northwestern College requires that each student- athlete obtain his/her own primary medical coverage. Note: Some coverage outside of the local northwest area may not cover you in this area. It is recommended that you check with your current carrier as to how coverage will work in Iowa. It is still necessary to submit these charges to your insurance company in order for the Northwestern College policy to cover the injury.  If a student-athlete is injured while participating in intercollegiate athletics, they must see the Northwestern College Athletic Training Staff prior to (unless it is an emergency situation) seeking medical attention from any other certified medical personnel. If the Athletic Training staff determines the injury needs further medical attention they will refer them to a doctor, etc. The student-athlete must then see a doctor, etc. within 90 days of the injury. If they do not see a doctor within this timeframe, the college policy will not cover the care for that injury.  The College policy has a time limit for coverage of medical expenses incurred from an injury of two years from the date of the injury. Only medical treatments occurring during this time frame will be paid by the College policy.  Please do not expect the College to be responsible for medical expenses not covered by your carrier or the College policy.  The College also purchases lifetime catastrophic athletic injury insurance. Student- athletes are covered when participating in officially recognized intercollegiate sports. Benefits include a $10,000,000 limit for lifetime rehabilitation, medical and dental expenses as well as limited loss of earnings coverage in the case of total disability. Benefits become payable after $25,000 of medical, dental and/or incurred within two years of the date the covered accident occurred to the covered person.

If you have any questions about Northwestern College athletic insurance coverage, feel free to contact Seth Wolles, Director of Athletic Training by phone (712-707-7287) or email ([email protected]).

When a student-athlete is in need of services provided by Northwestern College Athletic Training Clinic, it is important they abide by the following procedures and policies:

 Treat athletic trainers and athletic training students with respect.  Report injuries in a timely manner.  Leave all bags, cleats, and equipment in the hallway outside of Athletic Training Clinic.  Cell phones and head phones are not permitted in Athletic Training Clinic.  Do not remove anything from the Athletic Training Clinic without permission.  Remember the Athletic Training Clinic is a co-ed facility. Please dress, talk, and act appropriately. This includes wearing a shirt while in the clinic.  To schedule an appointment to see an athletic trainer, go to the ATS portal at www.nwciowa2.atsusers.com (computer), or www.nwciowa4.atsusers.com (smartphone).

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Red Raider Athletics – Honoring Christ through Excellence in Athletics

CODE OF CONDUCT Statement of Purpose The Northwestern College Athletic Department is committed to the development of student- athletes in the areas of character, academic success and athletic excellence within a Christ- centered environment. Student-athletes not only represent themselves, but also God, their families, teammates, coaches and Northwestern College. Our goal is to develop and reinforce a climate of positive behavior wherein our coaches teach and student-athletes embrace a life- style which will enable them to positively impact all who come in contact with them and allow them to leave a legacy of Godly men and women. Athletic Department Covenant As a part of Northwestern College’s athletic department, athletes and coaches are expected to compete, practice, learn, and make decisions in a manner that illustrates commitment to Northwestern College, their team and Christ’s example. This is accomplished through continual growth in the areas of integrity, discipline, and accountability.

 Integrity – choosing wise behaviors in the small daily decisions athletically, academically, socially, and spiritually.

 Discipline – understanding that in order to be successful individually, and for the team to be successful collectively, discipline must be embraced.

 Accountability – taking responsibility and action for what happens. One of the greatest compliments one can receive as a member of a team is that one can be counted on. Behavioral Guidelines Student-athletes are expected to live within the boundaries established by Northwestern College campus policies for community living. In addition, student-athletes are expected to meet any behavioral guidelines established by the Athletic Department or by the coaches of their particular team from the time they report to campus until the time they leave campus at the end of the academic year. In addition, student-athletes shall also be subject to discipline if they break any criminal laws during the summer. Athletic Conduct and Discipline Board The Athletic Conduct and Discipline Board will review activity of student-athletes that is not consistent with prescribed behavioral guidelines. The Board is composed of two members of the Athletic Department and one member of Residence Life. The Vice President of Athletics, the Associate Dean of Residence Life and the Assistant Director of Athletics will serve in these roles. However, in their absence each department must designate a substitute. If one of the members of the board is a head coach and a case involves an athlete in their program a substitute member from the Athletic Department will take their place. Function of the Athletic Conduct and Discipline Board A student-athlete will first be subject to policies and due process outlined in the Northwestern student handbook. If a student-athlete commits a campus infraction, the initial portion of the disciplinary process will be headed by the Vice President for Student Life in conjunction with the Associate Dean of Residence Life. 10 | Page

Red Raider Athletics – Honoring Christ through Excellence in Athletics

If an infraction occurs which indicates a need for action involving the Athletic Conduct and Discipline Board, the Associate Dean of Residence Life will contact the Athletic Director who will then contact the other members of the Board and schedule a meeting of the Board. The meeting of the Board will take place in a timely fashion for the benefit of the athlete, team, Athletic Department and Northwestern College. The head coach of the athlete involved will be contacted by a Board member and made aware that an infraction has occurred and that the Board is making an initial review of the case. After an initial review of the case, the head coach will be invited to discuss the case and become involved in the process of determining an appropriate action in response to the violation. The final decision will lie with the Athletic Conduct and Discipline Board. Following the decision by the Athletic Conduct and Discipline Board, the Vice President of Athletics or his/her designee will inform the student-athlete and head coach in writing of the Board’s decision. Coaches, in cooperation with the Athletic Conduct and Discipline Board, will be responsible for carrying out the provisions set down in the board decision. Statement of Consequences The Athletic Department retains the right to establish consequences for failure to meet any guidelines established by the department in general or by a coach of a particular sport. In light of the increased visibility of the athletic arena and the potential impact of inappropriate behavior on fellow team members, the coaching staff, the total Athletic Department and Northwestern College, the Athletic Conduct and Discipline Board retains the right to expand the domain of jurisdiction over student-athletes beyond that which is indicated in the general student handbook. Consequences for behavior that is not in concert with the mission of the Athletic Department or Northwestern College may include: counseling, probation, suspension from practice and/or games, and in severe cases reduction or loss of scholarship and dismissal from a team. Consequences for behavior may vary according to the situation being considered. In some cases the consequences will be limited to the contract developed by Residence Life. Repeat infractions will generally result in heavier penalties. Appeal Process A student may appeal any disciplinary decision made by the Athletic Conduct and Discipline Board. This appeal will follow the procedures for any appeal of disciplinary decisions made by Student Life staff. All appeals must be made in writing (either printed or emailed) to the Director of Athletics or Associate Dean of Residence Life within two (2) business days of notification of the disciplinary decision. Upon receipt of your appeal request, the Vice President for Student Life will forward the request to the faculty chair of the discipline appeals board. The chair will decide if the appeals hearing will be heard. If the chair deems it unnecessary to hear the appeal, then the appeal will not be granted and this is the final decision. An appeals hearing will be granted if one or more of the following conditions are satisfied: 1. The ruling was based on insufficient evidence. 2. New evidence is now available that was not known at the time of the ruling.

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Red Raider Athletics – Honoring Christ through Excellence in Athletics

3. The sanction was too severe. 4. Due process was not followed. If a hearing is to be held, the chair will assemble a representative group of 2 faculty/staff members and 2 students to serve as the student discipline appeals board and to hear the appeal. In the event of a tie, the faculty chair has the right to vote in order to break the tie. The appeal over academic calendar breaks will be handled as soon as possible but not later than one week after classes resume following the academic calendar break. During the appeal period, a student may continue his/her normal activities as a student unless the Student Life Office deems the student’s presence on campus to be detrimental to the campus community. The Student Life Office reserves the right to enact interim measures (i.e. restricting access to campus) until the appeal hearing. Faculty Chair The faculty chair is appointed by the Vice President for Academic Affairs and is trained on discipline procedures, appeals processes, and HIPPA/FERPA by the Vice President for Student Life. The role of chair involves selecting the appeals board members, training those members on student discipline policies and practices, leading of the appeals meetings, and writing a report of the discipline appeal board’s findings. Appeal Hearing The hearing allows the appellant to present his/her case. The board has the right to call witnesses as part of the hearing. Following the appellant’s presentation, the Student Life staff will have an opportunity to share the reasons for their prior ruling. The board will then deliberate and make a ruling within two (2) business days. That ruling will be shared in writing with the appellant and with the Vice President for Student Life. This decision is final and cannot be appealed. DRUG TESTING The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics, Northwestern College, Northwestern College’s Athletic Department, and individual sports teams all have policies which address substance abuse. Substance abuse, including the use of performance enhancing drugs which may give unfair competitive advantages at the expense of personal health, will not be tolerated. Northwestern College has a screening program which is primarily one of observation and referral by appropriate campus personnel. Student athletes may be asked to submit to a drug test, given reasonable suspicion of use or abuse. Also, as a member of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics, athletes may be asked to submit to drug testing, as a condition of participation or as a measurement of fair play, in post-season competition. Drug education is provided by the NAIA through the NAIA Academy.

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Red Raider Athletics – Honoring Christ through Excellence in Athletics

AMATEUR CODE – NAME, IMAGE AND LIKENESS (NIL) COMPENSATION In partnership with the NAIA, Northwestern College is committed to offering a competitive experience to amateur student-athletes. Amateur rules and reinstatement procedures can be found in Article VII of the NAIA’s Official Handbook. New in 2020, the NAIA began allowing students to receive compensation for the use of name, image or likeness to promote any commercial product or enterprise (VII Section B.8). It is the responsibility of the student-athlete to notify Northwestern College’s Vice President of Athletics in writing of any compensation the student could receive for the use of their name, image and likeness in relation to their school or status as a Northwestern student-athlete. Although we value your opportunities to receive compensation, it is important that your use of Northwestern’s name and likeness line up with our mission as a Christian academic institution. NAIA bylaws require student-athletes to notify and receive approval from the Vice President of Athletics using the NIL Request Form. Contact the Athletic Administrative Assistant or the Assistant Athletic Director to obtain the form. Upon receipt of this form, you will be contacted by the athletic administration. If approved, you will be encouraged to inform the NAIA of your opportunity by visiting the NAIA Website and completing the online form. NWC PERFORMANCE TRAINING Policies: 1. Raider athletes will not attend training in the KAPC if they have any symptoms of sickness. 2. All coaches and observers will wear masks during training in the KAPC and when extended physical distancing required for projected speaking (10-15ft) is not possible on the Juffer turf. 3. KAPC training will be limited to a capacity of 75 athletes (approximately 25 per the west racks, east racks and red turf space) plus any performance training staff and sport coaches at one time. 4. Training routines that require the use of a spotter will limited. 5. The Director of AP (Kyle Ochsner) and the Assistant AP Coach (Maria Fruechte) will not be present together during training sessions.

Procedures: 6. Temperature checks and verbal screenings (consistent with Athletic Training) will be completed prior to morning training sessions and in the afternoon for all off-season and/or non-team practicing teams each day (i.e. if they were not already evaluated by AT that afternoon). 7. Athletes will enter the KAPC via the south double doors and exit via the west door. 8. Raider athletes will wash their hands or use hand sanitizer before and after training sessions. 9. The athletes that used the equipment will clean equipment after each team training session. 10. Facilities (floors, touchpoints, etc.) will be disinfected twice daily – after the completion of all morning sessions and after the completion of all afternoon sessions by NWC Performance staff.

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Red Raider Athletics – Honoring Christ through Excellence in Athletics

MEDIA RELATIONS

Most opportunities for media interviews will be coordinated through the Sports Information Office. During any interaction with the print or electronic media, the student-athlete is representing Northwestern College and projecting an image of the athletic program.

As a member of NWC Athletics, you are public figures, meaning people are interested in who you are both on and off the field. You should view your role as an opportunity to promote yourself as well as your team and sport. Use the media and social media to develop a positive image.

How you conduct yourself on the playing field matters just as much as what you say and how you act off the playing field, whether it is in interviews or on your personal social media accounts. The last thing you want is to receive publicity for an unfortunate off-the-field performance.

Remember, the media members are not your personal PR staff and are required to present the information in an objective way that reflects the contest. Do not develop an adversarial relationship with media representatives by complaining about coverage. Be courteous to fans and even make time to speak with them, even after a tough loss. Be polite when out in public. If you feel uncomfortable with a media request or interview, refer people to your coach or a sports information contact. Also, make an effort to support other programs within the College, including other sports programs, as well as involving yourself in community outreach activities. Accept all criticism that comes with being a student-athlete or coach with a positive attitude.

Accountability

Represent NWC with honor. You are accountable and responsible for everything you post, including retweets and sharing content on Facebook. Speech is free, but not free from consequences. You must avoid inappropriate language, ethnic slurs, personal insults or any criticism of your team, coaches, officials, opponents, fans or College. If you would not say something in front of your grandmother or a five-year old, do not post it! Same goes for photos and videos, do not post anything inappropriate. You may not “say” words with a picture, but they can say something to your audience.

Breaking Team-Related News

Your role as a student-athlete or staff member includes many responsibilities, but breaking news related to your team or NWC Athletics is not one of them. Let your sports information staff do it for you! Do not post news related to injuries suffered by you or your teammates, roster or lineup changes, verbal commitments, signings, etc. If you are excited about some news, share it with your Sports Information Director.

Stay Positive

Always stay positive, no matter what. Whether you had the game of your life or the most frustrating one, stay positive and portray your program, your teammates and NWC in a positive light. Do not post anything negative on social media in a heated moment. If someone makes negative comments to you in person or through social media, do not retaliate back at them. It can fuel the fire and give material for an opponent.

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Red Raider Athletics – Honoring Christ through Excellence in Athletics

Respect Your Privacy

Set your accounts to private and only approve people you know. Use your best judgment when accepting followers. Never post personal information such as your address, social security number, phone number, class schedule, hotel information, etc. Be cautious of stalkers.

Appropriate Grammar

Take the time to be as accurate as possible and double-check for mistakes. The value of your message suffers greatly if it has incorrect information, misspelled words or bad grammar. If you need help with it, ask your SID for help. Avoid tweets where “u talk like dis”.

Interviews

The main way you will deal with the media (NAIA, GPAC, Sioux City Journal, NW Iowa Review, Capitol Democrat, KCAU, KTIV, KMEG, etc.) is through interviews. Most interview topics are about your team and you. Think of interviews as an educational experience, helping you develop communication skills that can assist you in not only the classroom but in future professional and business careers. The more interviews you do, the better you will become at handling them.

We ask the media to direct all interview requests through the Sports Information Office. We will contact you and work around your athletic, academic and social schedules. In addition, following the conclusion of games/competition, coaches and athletes are expected to make themselves available for interviews within a reasonable period of time (generally after a ten-minute “cooling off” period).

Social Networking Website Policy

Social media can be a fun and useful tool, but it can also spread information in a negative way that exposes your personal life to the world. Because you are a student-athlete, the public scours your accounts for any hint of inappropriate scandal. Posting such material could jeopardize your future. Everything posted on the internet is permanent. Even if you delete something, it is probably still out there somewhere. Google has a good memory.

YOU are accountable for your social media presence. Understand that inappropriate postings can follow you for life, even past your collegiate athletic days. It is important to note employers often Google potential candidates to see what will come up through social media sites as well as images. Do not post anything that would embarrass NWC, your team, your family or yourself. A general rule would be, if you believe something you posted would upset your parents or grandparents, know it’s probably going to upset the University, too.

The NWC Athletics Department encourages student-athletes to be concerned with any behavior that might embarrass themselves, their families, their teams, and/or Northwestern College. This includes any activities conducted online. As a student-athlete participating in intercollegiate sports at NWC, you are a representative of the College and are always in the public eye. The following guidelines should be adhered to with regards to your participation on social networking websites. 1. Before participating in any online community, understand that anything posted online is available to anyone in the world. Any text or photo placed online is completely out of my control the moment it is placed online – even if I limit access to my site.

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2. Student-athletes at NWC may not post information, photos, or other items online that could embarrass themselves, family, team, the athletic department Northwestern College. This includes information, photos and items that may be posted by others on their site/ page. 3. As a student-athlete, I am required to exercise caution as to what information is posted on my website about my whereabouts or plans. I agree that I will never post information regarding team travel dates, locations or contact information for my team. 4. I must be aware of who I add as a friend to my site – I realize that many people are looking to take advantage of student-athletes or to seek connection with student-athletes to give them a sense of membership on a team. 5. Student-athletes could face discipline and even dismissal for violation of team and athletic department policies. In addition to the unfortunate reality of online predators, potential employers and internship supervisors also use these sites to screen candidates. Many graduate programs and scholarship committees now search these sites to screen applications. The athletic department advises student-athletes to exercise extreme caution in their use of social networking websites.

47 Twitter Tips for Student-Athletes

1. Don’t be tempted by the speed of Twitter. Take a breath before each tweet and ask, “If I were a follower, would I want to read this?” If not, delete it. 2. Your Twitter account is one of many mediums through which you can build your “personal brand.” People are investing in your brand because they believe you can add value to their timeline. Don’t craft useless tweets—you know the kind… they’re the ones you skip over every day while looking for something worthwhile. 3. After composing a tweet, but before you hit send, ask yourself: “Would I be comfortable saying this in front of my parents, my grandmother, my pastor?” If the answer is no, discard it. 4. Turn off the “enable location data” option on your Twitter app. Do you really want everyone knowing where you are at all times? 5. Take pride in who/what you represent. In addition to representing your family, hometown and church, you also represent your University and your team. 6. The visual elements of your Twitter account (avatar, background) are how other Twitter users form a first impression of you. 7. Twitter hasn’t made the text message obsolete. tweet things worthwhile that are appropriate to share publicly. Don’t tweet about the get-together you’re hosting tonight. Instead, text the get-together details to friends you want to show up. 8. It’s perfectly fine to display your sense of humor on Twitter. Fans in particular love it when student-athletes show their personality. But don’t tweet at the expense of others. Making fun of people or Tweeting a photo of the overweight family in Wal-Mart is inappropriate. 9. Don’t allow the impersonal nature of Twitter lull you into a false sense of security. It’s easy for a thought that materializes in your head while you’re lying in bed or sitting on the couch to suddenly find its way into a tweet. Once you hit send, it’s there for the world to see. 10. Don’t use Twitter as an outlet to complain about how rough your life is. You are getting a college education, traveling to interesting places, and getting unique opportunities to compete in a sport you love. Thousands of people would enjoy the opportunities you have. 11. If a fan tweets at you telling you how much they enjoy watching you play or how much their son/daughter looks up to you, Retweet them and add a “Thanks” at the start of the

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tweet. You can make someone’s day just by granting them that simple, public acknowledgement. 12. Chances are there are some young kids who view you as a role model and follow you on Twitter. Do their parents a favor and keep your tweets “family friendly.” 13. When you tweet something clever or funny, try to leave around 15-20 characters free. It’s easy for fans to retweet you without having to edit your tweet. 14. Don’t tweet about how much you hate school. You chose to become a college student- athlete. If you hate school so much you should have joined the Marines. 15. Speaking of the Armed Forces, use Twitter as a way to engage your fans. Ask if any of your followers are in the military. Thank them for what they do, then Retweet the ones who respond. The same goes for schoolteachers, police officers, firemen, etc. 16. Maintain a decent follower/following ratio. 17. Retweeting profanity is no different than using it in your own original Tweets. Don’t do it. 18. And while we’re on that topic, remember it’s not ok to tweet about how your finance professor is “on some boring ish.” Assuming your followers don’t know what that ish means is insulting. 19. Avoid replying to or retweeting Twitter users with vulgar names. 20. Don’t tweet daily about how hard you’re working on the field/court/diamond/weight room/etc. If you were really working that hard, you wouldn’t be on Twitter to tell us all about it. 21. That’s an awfully nice Twitter background you have… looks like it was designed by a professional. Keep in mind that if the person who designed it for you for free typically charges for his/her design work, you may be receiving an improper benefit. 22. If you wouldn’t say something in a media interview, don’t tweet it. You’re being naïve if you think the media isn’t keeping an eye on your Twitter feed (and locking your account is not a failsafe way of ensuring only your friends are following you). 23. Don’t tweet a photo of someone who doesn’t know they’re being photographed. You’d be angry if someone did that to you. 24. Look over your recent tweets. Chances are you could delete one out of every 10 tweets and not feel as though anything worthwhile was being lost. 25. Follow at least one news feed that will keep you informed on major current events. 26. Don’t allow yourself to be photographed while holding a “red cup”. If you’re posing for a photo, put your “red cup” behind your back or on a counter out of the frame. Even if you’re only drinking water. 27. Don’t air your dirty laundry on Twitter. 28. Don’t Tweet after a tough loss. You pour your heart and soul into training to become a champion, and losses are emotionally draining. Sleep on it. Your followers will still be there tomorrow. 29. Enjoy a big win? Take 30 seconds to tweet a “Thank You” to the fans who were there to cheer you to victory. 30. Don’t allow a hater with 20 followers to bait you into a “Twitter beef.” Ignore them and remember their actions are usually fueled by jealousy. 31. If you don’t like something a media member wrote about you, your coach or your teammate, ignore it. Engaging in a public Twitter argument is a battle you won’t win. You’ll only end up looking foolish. 32. It’s the morning of a big game/match, you feel like you have the flu and it looks like you won’t be playing tonight. Don’t announce that on Twitter. 33. You know that 10-second period after you type a tweet during which you re-read it and ask yourself if you really ought to hit “send?” Take two more seconds to ask yourself, “Is this going to give my Coach and/or SID an ulcer?”

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34. Consider polarizing topics off limits on Twitter. Avoid commenting on sexual orientation, race, politics and religions. 35. Know the type of tweets that are boring and painfully unoriginal. They include such gems as A) Just got a great workout in; B) Wattup Twitter?? 36. Don’t tweet about how much you respect your mamma and grandmamma if, 10 minutes later, you’re going to tweet about something inappropriate. See the irony? 37. Your tweets and retweets reflect who you are; are they reflecting the best you? 38. There are many other teams and student-athletes at your school. Take the time to give them a shout-out on Twitter when they do big things. 39. Smile in your avatar or background picture! 40. People want their experience on Twitter to be fun. Make a real effort to tweet far more positive content than negative. 41. What happens in the locker room stays there. Things that are said in private team settings should never find their way onto Twitter. 42. Don’t Tweet during class. That’s like disrespecting someone (in this case, your professor) behind their back. And always be mindful that your professors may be monitoring your Twitter account. 43. One of your Twitter followers may be in a position to hire (or draft) you someday. Evaluate your tweets and ask yourself, “Would I want to hire this person?” 44. If you feel like the Twitter guidelines your coaching staff and/or athletic administrators expect you to comply with prevent you from “keeping it real,” then that should probably be your cue to re-evaluate your definition of “keeping it real.” Your team support staff has your long-term best interest in mind. 45. Share photos when your team takes part in community outreach projects. Remember, all students entering ninth grade and older are considered prospective student-athletes (PSAs), and should not appear in any photos (for men’s basketball, PSAs are all students entering seventh grade and older). 46. Twitter can be a tattle-tale. For instance, you told your coach you missed a team meeting because your phone’s battery was dead and you didn’t get the call/text about the meeting. But if your Twitter timeline shows a tweet from a mobile app during that time, you’re busted. 47. Don’t let these rules prevent you from enjoying your Twitter experience. It’s perfectly acceptable to show your personality and have fun on Twitter—it’s encouraged. But like anything else, the key is to enjoy it responsibly.

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NWC STUDENT ATHLETE CONSENT FORM I have familiarized myself with the policies of Northwestern College and the NAIA with regard to eligibility, insurance, substance abuse, behavioral/code of conduct expectations, the “Champions of Character” program through attendance at the fall athlete meeting and/or by reading the issued handouts, and the Northwestern College Student-Athlete Handbook. With my signature, I verify my eligibility and my willingness to abide by these policies, including, if necessary, drug testing as described in the handout on athletic participation. PLEASE NEATLY PRINT YOUR NAME: ______ID#: ______PLEASE LIST SPORT(S) YOU PARTICIPATE IN ((if you are in a sport that has men’s and women’s, please specify which one) 1. ______

2.

DATE: ______SIGNATURE: ______

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