Samford Athletics has unveiled a new program for the benefit of student-athletes across campus.
CHAMPS, which stands for Community, Health and wellness, Academics, Meaning, Professionalism and Success was founded on September 13th. The mission statement of the program reads: “The mission of the CHAMPS Program is to invest in our student-athletes through comprehensive development in all aspects, including athletic & academic competitiveness, personal growth & wellness, career growth & professionalism, faith formation, and community engagement to have meaningful success that will create champions for life.”
David Moore, general manager of Ticket Sales and Operations at Samford, provided some insight into the thought behind the program.
“Samford is being very intentional in its efforts to invest in our student-athletes, not just from an athletic standpoint, but as a total person. The sport they compete in is something they do, not their entire identity”, said Moore.
The program will involve numerous steps to ensure student-athlete growth. The career growth & professionalism branch will allow the athletes to utilize sports industry connections both at Samford and nationally. CHAMPS will also include multiple events throughout the year for student-athletes like a career fair, community breakfast and various workshops.
The CHAMPS program’s creation comes on the heels of one of the best calendar years for Samford Sports ever. 11 conference championships were brought home to 800 Lakeshore Drive, and the hope is that programs like CHAMPS will continue to sustain success for student-athletes both on and off the field.
Sports Editor
