CORVALLIS, Ore. – In 2013, the Cascade Collegiate Conference established the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) and Sarah Freeman has been there every step of the way.
“It’s been such a privilege to see the growth of this group and be involved from day one,” said Freeman. “Student-athlete experience is one of my highest priorities in my position and getting to work with the conference and our student-athlete leaders across our institutions to impact and enhance student-athlete experiences is such a joy. I am such a strong supporter of and advocate for the Cascade Collegiate Conference, so being able to be part of the conference in this way is an honor.”
Freeman is the Associate Athletic Director at Bushnell University, where she oversees budget management and compliance. She has been there for 14 years and also serves roles in retention, Title IX, accreditation, new program development, and advising or leading student groups on campus.
“I try to be involved on campus as much as possible and have sung in the community choir, led mission trips, advised clubs, and taught courses,” said Freeman, who just started her 15
th class. “We are a relational campus and getting to know each of our student-athletes is of the utmost importance to me. I pride myself on learning everyone’s names the first few weeks of school, which is proving very difficult now that we’re all wearing masks, but I’ll get there.”
When Freeman graduated from Oregon, she spent four years in aviation technology and airport management and received her private pilot's license. She was pursuing her commercial license in Southern California when she decided spending eight hours a day in a cockpit was not the direction she wanted to go.
Being in a cockpit wouldn’t allow Freeman to make the connections with student-athletes like she does now.
“I love the relationships with students,” said Freeman. “I get to partner with our students as they go on a journey to discover who they are and what they want to be. I get to cheer them on from the sidelines, figuratively and literally. Being there for the game-winning shot or a personal record is always fun, but I cherish the one-on-one conversations in my office, seeing obstacles they overcome, their personal growth, and eventually the walk across the stage at graduation. Those are the moments that make my job so rewarding. I also love to travel and have gotten to go to some pretty great places with our student-athletes.”
Freeman was an obvious choice for an advisor since she already loves making those connections with athletes at Bushnell, but as the CCC SAAC advisor, she gets to broaden her reach.
“I love getting to know the amazing student-athletes across our conference,” said Freeman. “I love showing up to other campuses, CCC events, and nationals with the ability to cheer on student-athletes from across our institutions because of the relationships formed through SAAC. Walking into an opposing school’s gym and getting a hug from one of their student-athletes is a pretty great feeling.”
The CCC SAAC has 24 representatives – two from each institution – that assist the conference in order to perpetuate a positive student-athlete experience.
Each year’s SAAC group looks different. There are veterans who have served before, but there are always new athletes filling in holes left by graduating athletes. While the student-athletes compete against each other on the court or field or track or mat, as members of the CCC SAAC, they put that aside and come together for SAAC – something that has always impressed Freeman.
“I’m continually impressed with the level of leadership, maturity, and service that comes from our CCC SAAC members,” said Freeman. “I get the privilege of working with the best of the best from all of our campuses and the students do not disappoint. As the years have passed, I have seen such a willingness to support each other and to serve one another. Our athletes are competitive by nature, but our SAAC reps also want what’s best for our conference collectively, so it’s been great to see that perspective from our students.”
SAAC allows the student-athlete representatives a platform to discuss and provide feedback on conference issues affecting student-athlete welfare, assist in educating student-athletes about CCC/NAIA issues on their home campus, increase and improve student-athletes' understanding of the CCC and NAIA Legislative process, promote student-athlete participation in department-wide Champions of Character programs, and provide a forum for addressing student-athlete concerns.
“My favorite part about being a SAAC advisor is giving our student-athletes a platform and making sure their voices are heard,” said Freeman. “I also want to equip our SAAC reps so they can be effective leaders on each of their campuses. In a year with so many uncertainties and challenges, it’s imperative that we hear from our student-athletes. They’re the ones who are smart enough to lead us through this!”
Usually, the CCC SAAC will meet in person toward the beginning of the year to get to know each other and get fired up for the year. Due to the coronavirus pandemic, this year that won’t happen.
“I love our in-person meetings and getting the student-athletes together with our group of Athletic Directors,” said Freeman. “Getting the students physically in the same room creates an environment for collaboration, community, and fun! This year we will be meeting virtually, but I think we have new opportunities to connect more often and to go deeper in ways we previously were not able. I’m looking forward to a new year, with new reps, and new opportunities.”