Christen Clontz Named to Represent Region 10 on NJCAA Student-Athlete Council
Sandhills Community College sophomore Christen Clontz has been selected to represent the 33 member institutions of Region 10 on the newly created NJCAA Student-Athlete Council.
The Graystone High School graduate from Mt. Pleasant, NC is a member of the Lady Flyers volleyball team. An excellent student, Clontz was an All-Region 10 first team selection as a freshman. She was also voted Team Defensive MVP by her teammates and coaches.
A female and a male student-athlete have been selected from each of the 24 regions. The August 31, 2020 press release from the NJCAA states that the council will provide student-athletes with tools for involvement at both the regional and national levels of the association.
According to council chairman Heather Conger, the aim will be to provide student-athletes from all 24 NJCAA regions the opportunity to engage and grow while attending their two-year institution, at a national level. Participants will meet via Zoom throughout the year to discuss relevant dynamics surrounding student-athletes at the two-year college level.
Council members will also attend the annual NJCAA Convention, serve a variety of roles on the council, assist with decision making, as well as propose new ideas in meetings with NJCAA leadership and national office leadership.
"It will create additional leadership opportunities for our student-athletes, and their voices will assist in the direction of our organization," Conger said.
Sandhills Volleyball Coach and Associate Athletic Director Alicia Riggan, and Athletic Director Mike Apple nominated Clontz.
"We were looking for someone with an outgoing personality who would be interested in serving on this council," Riggan said before an early morning practice on Monday. "Christen is active in her community and church back home and I thought this is something she would enjoy.
"It is such an honor to have someone from Sandhills on the first council and I think Christen is going to do a great job."
Clontz has been contacted about the first meeting in November and is been trying to picture all 24 representatives on one page of Zoom.
"When coach told me about it I did some research," she said. "It really excited me because it's brand new and I get to start a brand new process with everybody else.
I'm a little nervous about it, but at the same time I'm kind of proud that I've put myself in the position to be selected. As an athlete it's always been hard to focus on your sport as well as school. I'm excited to hear what the others have to say and what ideas we can come up with.
"I'm just happy to represent our region and I'll work hard to be the best I can be."
The NJCAA press release goes on to say," Goals for the committee include but are not limited to: Advance NJCAA student-athlete voices to include them in national dialogue, create new opportunities for the student-athletes experience, encourage student-athlete opinions on current or proposed legislation, provide recommendations based on student-athlete involvement, and increase engagement and participation by NJCAA Student-Athletes at a regional and national scope".
Clontz is in the associate in arts transfer program at Sandhills and plans to go on to pursue a business degree at a four-year college.
"Christen is an outstanding representative of junior college athletics not to mention Sandhills Community College," Apple said. "She does an outstanding job on the court as well as in the classroom where she carries a high grade-point average."
C. Bergmann