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James Madison University | Official Athletics Site
Alicia Cooperman Q&A - NCAA SAAC Representative
4/29/2019 8:51:00 AM | Field Hockey, Administration, Student-Athlete Services, Student-Athlete Advisory Committee
Alicia Cooperman is wrapping up her junior season as a field hockey student-athlete at James Madison as well as her first of two years serving as the Colonial Athletic Association's national representative to the NCAA Student-Athlete Advisory Committee. Below is an expanded version of an interview that was published in the Spring 2019 edition of Madison Magazine.
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About Alicia Cooperman
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Name: Alicia Cooperman
Year: Junior
Major: Nursing
Minors: Spanish, Chronic Illness
Hometown: Zionsville, Pennsylvania
High School: Emmaus
Years in SAAC: Third
Role in SAAC: JMU Vice President & CAA National Rep
Term on NCAA SAAC: Two years (2018-2020)
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Q&A
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Why did you get involved in SAAC?
Freshman year I had heard about SAAC from the upperclassmen and nobody really knew too much about it. And I thought it would be a great opportunity to get my foot in the door in a leadership role and really take charge of what opportunities I had, while trying to help create a greater voice for the student-athlete. I've always tried to be an advocate for other people who don't have that opportunity.
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Why is it important for student-athletes to be involved in the vitality of an athletics department?
I think the student-athlete voice is very impactful and very powerful to create motions for change and changing the perception that people who aren't in the athletic field have about athletics in general. It brings more awareness that may be hidden under the rug that people aren't aware of, as well. That's one of the key points of SAAC, giving the student-athlete a voice to help make change and make the student-athlete experience the best it can possibly be.
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What is your role with the National SAAC as the CAA rep?
I represent all the student-athletes of the Colonial Athletic Association. There's one representative from each conference, so 32 members on the Division I SAAC. I take all the information all of the opinions and voices from the institutions within the CAA and present that to the national SAAC. It's really important for me to take a step back and not speak on it from my own personal beliefs, but rather the beliefs and the opinions of the entire conference. That can be challenging sometimes because you need to separate your way of thinking from what would be best for everyone involved, taking into consideration different sizes of universities, different ways of doing things for different people and the challenges that universities and campuses may face when trying to implement these changes. It's really important to take what everybody else is saying and think about it in the best way possible to help as many people as you can. Then I also take the information from the National SAAC and deliver it down to the conference and then to my university at JMU to help implement changes, things that we've been talking about that may not necessarily be going into effect but will be great if we can get a head start on.
Â
What has that experience been like to interact with different representatives from all over the country and different size conferences?
It's been an incredible experience and we get along so well. We have people coming from all parts of the country, and even internationally, representing their conferences and we just mesh so well. We all have the same goals. We want what is best. Even though we may have disagreements in a meeting or on a certain policy, when you're outside of that room, we all get together and nobody holds that against you. It's a really great atmosphere where you feel there's no judgment you can open up and present different sides to a case, because we know we're all there for the right reason. And we all know that we're trying to provide different perspectives so that we can make the best decisions. Going into it, I had no idea what to really expect. But, as I got into more meetings and got to know the people, I felt more comfortable and understood that my voice is really impactful. And if you have something to say, you need to bring it up, especially if it could be changing the perceptions that other people have, and just giving a different viewpoint.
Â
How many times have you gotten together in person, or are there additional phone calls?
There's a meeting in the summer in June, in October and then the national convention that I just attended in January. Because of competitive seasons, it's hard to make all the meetings. I was unable to go to the October meeting but I had someone from my conference fill in, but then we do have conference calls every month or two. We do stay on top of things and have different working groups creating educational material or other groups that are constantly doing things behind the scenes and collaborating together.
Â
How has this experience impacted how you view college athletics as a whole?
That's actually really interesting. I think it makes me take a step back and see everything that goes on behind the scenes, because it's easy to get stuck in just your sport that mentality of what's going on that day and time. But this role really forces me to take a step back and take into consideration everything that's going on and what is being changed or modified to make things even better. It's really cool to see what's going into effect or not going into effect as well. It's a different perspective to see who takes initiative in different aspects and how that really impacts culture and impacts the team. It gives you more of an administrative look. Not that I'm an administrator at all when it comes to athletics, but it definitely can give you that perspective and shift in outlook on certain things within the realm of athletics.
Â
You're a nursing major, does this glimpse into the administrative side make you consider that at all as a career path?
Honestly, I don't think so. If anything, I would implement, nursing to help student-athletes if possible. With my healthcare background, I do try and use that sometimes when we're talking about different things that could be changed for student-athletes. I always try to have mental health care and health care in general, in the back of my mind and present that side if the opportunity arises, because it's always important to take into consideration the physical well-being of the student-athlete. I don't think that I'll actually get into administration but you never know.
Â
With student-athlete well-being, mental health, concussions, etc. being such big topics in the NCAA currently, have you seen that nursing background come to your benefit in these meetings?
It definitely has because not only are you giving your opinion but you have evidence and background. You have knowledge to help support what you're saying and expertise that could alter what people are thinking. So I think it definitely can come into play. You can have that healthcare background, but if you don't actually do the work to look into what's going on, your words are no more valuable than someone who doesn't have that background. So I think it does, but I also need to stay on top of all the scholarly articles just like anybody else.
Â
So JMU talks about providing a holistic experience to its student-athletes, what does that mean to you to have this holistic NCAA model experience?
When you talk holistic, you're talking about every single aspect of a person, not only in their athletics, their academics, but their well-being on and off the field. I think that is crucial for someone's health, not only physically but mentally, emotionally and every other facet of health. It's really important to see the student-athlete, not just as an athlete but to see them as a person and to think about their background as well, what they've come from, their family life, how that impacts how they view things, how they view medicine, how they view treatment, how they view criticism, etc. So, I think that's really important. It is challenging. It takes a lot of effort on the student-athlete and the coaches' and the team's part to just have a better understanding of their teammates and what people are going through. But I think having a holistic approach and really trying to make decisions that will better them as an athlete and on all other aspects of their life will just help to create a better culture, a better team and hopefully a more successful program as well.
Â
Do you feel you made the most of the opportunity to develop as a well-rounded, whole individual here at JMU?
I believe I have. I always wish that I could do more and that I had more time on my plate to get involved with different organizations, but I do feel satisfied with what I have been able to do. I never thought that I'd be on a national SAAC as representative and I think having this opportunity has really been humbling and eye-opening.
Â
How do you balance the demands of being a student-athlete and success in the classroom as well as all the additional other involvements?
Growing up I always had a lot on my plate. I always wanted to keep myself busy. I never really liked having too much downtime. So I've kind of had it ingrained in me from high school moving up into college. Growing up I did martial arts for a large majority of my life because of my family background and that taught me a lot of self-discipline, a lot of respect. Using those two principles really shapes me and shapes how I attack what I have in front of me,knowing what's important and what's priority, whether that's athletics, academics or just my overall well-being and the well-being of others. I try and make everybody else happy as well. That can be very draining, but I really try and focus and get done what needs to be done and save whatever else is extra. If I can get to it, then I get to it, but I just know what needs to be done. And I'm not afraid to make the decisions that need to be made. So I think having that confidence in what you need to do and just really taking initiative with your time and your priorities is really impactful.
Â
One of the NCAA's slogans is most student-athletes go pro in something other than sports, so how do you feel that being a JMU student-athlete and this opportunity with national SAAC are helping to prepare you for life after collegiate athletics?
JMU has done a great job implementing the Dukes Lead workshops. It's really neat to have that opportunity to get insight into different spaces. Whether its financial literacy, job fairs or career planning, I think that helps set us up for the future outside of athletics and outside of college. On the national level, having the opportunity to work as a team and collaborate and voice your opinion is very important. As well as being able to take the opinions of others without having to hurt your feelings and knowing it's not a personal attack. That collaboration on a large scale to help individuals that you may not even meet is really impactful, because you might be doing that in the workforce. Another thing that I think is really important is the focus on diversity and inclusion. It isn't always talked about because it can be a sensitive topic, but you have to face it, and if you don't, you're not going to make any leeway on it. You may have to make challenging conversations with individuals and you may have to talk about things that aren't the most fun things to talk about, but they're important and they're pressing topics.
Â
What else do you do besides your academic pursuits, field hockey, SAAC or other significant pulls on your time?
I'm also involved with Delta Phi Epsilon professional foreign service fraternity. We do work with local refugees helping the international community on a local basis, so that's been a really incredible opportunity to get involved. I'm also a Peace Corps Campus Ambassador this year. So I'm promoting the Peace Corps and trying to target underrepresented communities who may not know much about the Peace Corps, spreading the word about it. Traveling and helping the global community is really important to me, and that's also why diversity and inclusion is really close to my heart. It's important to open your view of the world and not just be strictly focused on what's going on in front of you.
Â
With the global pull and a health nursing background, will you look into some kind of international mission work or something similar after graduation?
I would love to do some international travel with nursing, going to a third-world country and making an impact there using the skills and the knowledge that I've gained and providing it to people who aren't as fortunate. I think it's really important to use every opportunity that you have to make a difference for those who may not have the same opportunity. It's something that I would definitely love to do, whether it's right after graduation or whether it's in 20 years, it's something that is on my bucket list and will happen at some point in time.
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About Alicia Cooperman
Â
Name: Alicia Cooperman
Year: Junior
Major: Nursing
Minors: Spanish, Chronic Illness
Hometown: Zionsville, Pennsylvania
High School: Emmaus
Years in SAAC: Third
Role in SAAC: JMU Vice President & CAA National Rep
Term on NCAA SAAC: Two years (2018-2020)
Â
Â
Q&A
Â
Why did you get involved in SAAC?
Freshman year I had heard about SAAC from the upperclassmen and nobody really knew too much about it. And I thought it would be a great opportunity to get my foot in the door in a leadership role and really take charge of what opportunities I had, while trying to help create a greater voice for the student-athlete. I've always tried to be an advocate for other people who don't have that opportunity.
Â
Why is it important for student-athletes to be involved in the vitality of an athletics department?
I think the student-athlete voice is very impactful and very powerful to create motions for change and changing the perception that people who aren't in the athletic field have about athletics in general. It brings more awareness that may be hidden under the rug that people aren't aware of, as well. That's one of the key points of SAAC, giving the student-athlete a voice to help make change and make the student-athlete experience the best it can possibly be.
Â
What is your role with the National SAAC as the CAA rep?
I represent all the student-athletes of the Colonial Athletic Association. There's one representative from each conference, so 32 members on the Division I SAAC. I take all the information all of the opinions and voices from the institutions within the CAA and present that to the national SAAC. It's really important for me to take a step back and not speak on it from my own personal beliefs, but rather the beliefs and the opinions of the entire conference. That can be challenging sometimes because you need to separate your way of thinking from what would be best for everyone involved, taking into consideration different sizes of universities, different ways of doing things for different people and the challenges that universities and campuses may face when trying to implement these changes. It's really important to take what everybody else is saying and think about it in the best way possible to help as many people as you can. Then I also take the information from the National SAAC and deliver it down to the conference and then to my university at JMU to help implement changes, things that we've been talking about that may not necessarily be going into effect but will be great if we can get a head start on.
Â
What has that experience been like to interact with different representatives from all over the country and different size conferences?
It's been an incredible experience and we get along so well. We have people coming from all parts of the country, and even internationally, representing their conferences and we just mesh so well. We all have the same goals. We want what is best. Even though we may have disagreements in a meeting or on a certain policy, when you're outside of that room, we all get together and nobody holds that against you. It's a really great atmosphere where you feel there's no judgment you can open up and present different sides to a case, because we know we're all there for the right reason. And we all know that we're trying to provide different perspectives so that we can make the best decisions. Going into it, I had no idea what to really expect. But, as I got into more meetings and got to know the people, I felt more comfortable and understood that my voice is really impactful. And if you have something to say, you need to bring it up, especially if it could be changing the perceptions that other people have, and just giving a different viewpoint.
Â
How many times have you gotten together in person, or are there additional phone calls?
There's a meeting in the summer in June, in October and then the national convention that I just attended in January. Because of competitive seasons, it's hard to make all the meetings. I was unable to go to the October meeting but I had someone from my conference fill in, but then we do have conference calls every month or two. We do stay on top of things and have different working groups creating educational material or other groups that are constantly doing things behind the scenes and collaborating together.
Â
How has this experience impacted how you view college athletics as a whole?
That's actually really interesting. I think it makes me take a step back and see everything that goes on behind the scenes, because it's easy to get stuck in just your sport that mentality of what's going on that day and time. But this role really forces me to take a step back and take into consideration everything that's going on and what is being changed or modified to make things even better. It's really cool to see what's going into effect or not going into effect as well. It's a different perspective to see who takes initiative in different aspects and how that really impacts culture and impacts the team. It gives you more of an administrative look. Not that I'm an administrator at all when it comes to athletics, but it definitely can give you that perspective and shift in outlook on certain things within the realm of athletics.
Â
You're a nursing major, does this glimpse into the administrative side make you consider that at all as a career path?
Honestly, I don't think so. If anything, I would implement, nursing to help student-athletes if possible. With my healthcare background, I do try and use that sometimes when we're talking about different things that could be changed for student-athletes. I always try to have mental health care and health care in general, in the back of my mind and present that side if the opportunity arises, because it's always important to take into consideration the physical well-being of the student-athlete. I don't think that I'll actually get into administration but you never know.
Â
With student-athlete well-being, mental health, concussions, etc. being such big topics in the NCAA currently, have you seen that nursing background come to your benefit in these meetings?
It definitely has because not only are you giving your opinion but you have evidence and background. You have knowledge to help support what you're saying and expertise that could alter what people are thinking. So I think it definitely can come into play. You can have that healthcare background, but if you don't actually do the work to look into what's going on, your words are no more valuable than someone who doesn't have that background. So I think it does, but I also need to stay on top of all the scholarly articles just like anybody else.
Â
So JMU talks about providing a holistic experience to its student-athletes, what does that mean to you to have this holistic NCAA model experience?
When you talk holistic, you're talking about every single aspect of a person, not only in their athletics, their academics, but their well-being on and off the field. I think that is crucial for someone's health, not only physically but mentally, emotionally and every other facet of health. It's really important to see the student-athlete, not just as an athlete but to see them as a person and to think about their background as well, what they've come from, their family life, how that impacts how they view things, how they view medicine, how they view treatment, how they view criticism, etc. So, I think that's really important. It is challenging. It takes a lot of effort on the student-athlete and the coaches' and the team's part to just have a better understanding of their teammates and what people are going through. But I think having a holistic approach and really trying to make decisions that will better them as an athlete and on all other aspects of their life will just help to create a better culture, a better team and hopefully a more successful program as well.
Â
Do you feel you made the most of the opportunity to develop as a well-rounded, whole individual here at JMU?
I believe I have. I always wish that I could do more and that I had more time on my plate to get involved with different organizations, but I do feel satisfied with what I have been able to do. I never thought that I'd be on a national SAAC as representative and I think having this opportunity has really been humbling and eye-opening.
Â
How do you balance the demands of being a student-athlete and success in the classroom as well as all the additional other involvements?
Growing up I always had a lot on my plate. I always wanted to keep myself busy. I never really liked having too much downtime. So I've kind of had it ingrained in me from high school moving up into college. Growing up I did martial arts for a large majority of my life because of my family background and that taught me a lot of self-discipline, a lot of respect. Using those two principles really shapes me and shapes how I attack what I have in front of me,knowing what's important and what's priority, whether that's athletics, academics or just my overall well-being and the well-being of others. I try and make everybody else happy as well. That can be very draining, but I really try and focus and get done what needs to be done and save whatever else is extra. If I can get to it, then I get to it, but I just know what needs to be done. And I'm not afraid to make the decisions that need to be made. So I think having that confidence in what you need to do and just really taking initiative with your time and your priorities is really impactful.
Â
One of the NCAA's slogans is most student-athletes go pro in something other than sports, so how do you feel that being a JMU student-athlete and this opportunity with national SAAC are helping to prepare you for life after collegiate athletics?
JMU has done a great job implementing the Dukes Lead workshops. It's really neat to have that opportunity to get insight into different spaces. Whether its financial literacy, job fairs or career planning, I think that helps set us up for the future outside of athletics and outside of college. On the national level, having the opportunity to work as a team and collaborate and voice your opinion is very important. As well as being able to take the opinions of others without having to hurt your feelings and knowing it's not a personal attack. That collaboration on a large scale to help individuals that you may not even meet is really impactful, because you might be doing that in the workforce. Another thing that I think is really important is the focus on diversity and inclusion. It isn't always talked about because it can be a sensitive topic, but you have to face it, and if you don't, you're not going to make any leeway on it. You may have to make challenging conversations with individuals and you may have to talk about things that aren't the most fun things to talk about, but they're important and they're pressing topics.
Â
What else do you do besides your academic pursuits, field hockey, SAAC or other significant pulls on your time?
I'm also involved with Delta Phi Epsilon professional foreign service fraternity. We do work with local refugees helping the international community on a local basis, so that's been a really incredible opportunity to get involved. I'm also a Peace Corps Campus Ambassador this year. So I'm promoting the Peace Corps and trying to target underrepresented communities who may not know much about the Peace Corps, spreading the word about it. Traveling and helping the global community is really important to me, and that's also why diversity and inclusion is really close to my heart. It's important to open your view of the world and not just be strictly focused on what's going on in front of you.
Â
With the global pull and a health nursing background, will you look into some kind of international mission work or something similar after graduation?
I would love to do some international travel with nursing, going to a third-world country and making an impact there using the skills and the knowledge that I've gained and providing it to people who aren't as fortunate. I think it's really important to use every opportunity that you have to make a difference for those who may not have the same opportunity. It's something that I would definitely love to do, whether it's right after graduation or whether it's in 20 years, it's something that is on my bucket list and will happen at some point in time.
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