Holistic Support for Black Student Athletes in the Shadows of March Madness

by Henry A. Stanford

Just around the corner is one of the most electrifying times of the year, March Madness. Last-minute shots, Cinderella stories, and legends are made. Student athletes travel from coast to coast to make their dreams a reality.

Black student athletes (BSA) maintain disproportionate representation in revenue-generating college sports and the tournament. The question that institutions must ask is “How are we holistically supporting BSA in this ever-changing landscape?”

1. 1. Mental & Emotional Well-Being: With March Madness weeks away, pressure amplifies everyday life. From exposure for making the tournament to praise/criticism from outcomes. Social media commentary is everywhere. Black student athletes’ performances are celebrated in victory and scrutinized in defeat. Providing holistic support programs that are culturally competent is critical. Counseling centers and athletic departments must collaborate to ensure access to practitioners that understand the intersection of race, performance pressure, and identity development. The support is more than stress management; it’s the mental and emotional health of the Black student athletes.
   2. Financial Literacy and Long-Term Vision: Name, image, and likeness (NIL) opportunities have opened doors for student athletes to monetize their brand. Unfortunately, these same opportunities can expose student athletes to exploitation, high-pressure decision-making, and isolation from institutional support systems that would benefit their holistic growth. Student athletes need assistance in areas such as tax education, contract review guidance, fundamentals of investments, steps to building generational wealth, and money management. Institutions must be committed to collaboration with alumni, financial advisors, and faculty to mentor and instruct student athletes with credible information.
   3. Academic Anchoring in a Transient Era: Transferring for better growth, both as a player and financially through NIL, is attractive. But the frequency of transfers disrupts the academic flow of achieving a college degree. Working with students to build class schedules that meet their academic needs is a challenge, but it can be accomplished. Academic advising must be intrusive, coordinated with the mindset of being focused on their future beyond the game. In the end, holistic support ensures transfers can make educated decisions that include a degree completion roadmap.
   4. Searching for Identity Beyond the Jersey: Programming that builds self-concept beyond athletic performance, social media acceptance, and overall commercial appeal is essential. Providing seminars and workshops on purpose, civic engagement, the art of listening, communication skills, life after the game, and career exploration are critical. It is also important to provide outlets for alumni and former athletes to mentor BSA on successful navigation of the transition into workplaces, graduate education, and other avenues of success.
   5. Community Engagement and Cultural Belonging: How can a BSA grow a sense of being welcomed and sustained engagement with the community when the system encourages the behavior of seeking the best NIL deal now until the next better one comes along? Institutions must collaborate with all campus and community partners to foster an inclusive environment.
   6. Ethical Leadership in a Competitive Climate: The focus on transparency in all lines of communication about NIL structures, transfer implications, and program/conference expectations provide credibility and trust. In this climate, what is needed is honest conversations about the cause and effect of actions, what is the risk, what are the long-term effects of NIL and transferring decision-making for Black student athletes.

After March Madness has produced our next national champion, most of the student athletes that we cheer for will not advance beyond this level of competition. What remains is the person that we influenced and helped develop their identity, impacted their health, and introduced their career aspirations through our holistic approach.

As March Madness will consume our attention, institutions must focus beyond the tournament. The true measure of success is thriving BSA excelling on the court, in the classroom and graduating, which leaves a legacy beyond the final buzzer.

Henry A. Stanford is the associate director of Business & Organizational Leadership and an assistant professor of leadership at Muskingum University in New Concord, Ohio. Dr. Stanford is a graduate of Ohio State University, where he majored in psychology. He holds an MBA from Tiffin University in Ohio and a doctorate in educational leadership studies from Ashland University in Ohio.