Sports Industry Update: Competitive college sports had the most challenging year in history, and there was no shortage of stressors and “unknowable” situations for businesses, administrators, coaches, players and families to continuously adapt around.
Coaches were given an opportunity to lead through this adversity, and those who reached out to collaborate with us forged bonds within their teams even through restrictions of in-person team interaction, administrative decision-making, civil unrest, completely remote teams, and their academic requirements as student athletes.
AEP Edge: Our digital workshop developed into our 4-part “Signature Series” (which is now 5+ parts), and teams learned critical skills for getting through these stressful times as well as the critical moments in games, and for doing so as a team with on-field chemistry and meaningful bonds off the field.
All of the teams who worked with us advanced to their conference playoffs, including a first-year program establishing itself in the NCAA, which made it to the Conference Championship Game (results TBD), and another team which was re-establishing itself after years of being deactivated as an NCAA program. Our college brands have a particular focus on amplifying their culture across an AEP social media platforms. To bolster recruitment and retention for our clients' programs, we provide a unique inside-look at a team so recruits, parents, donors and administrators can see a team's culture in action, and reinforced by AEP's perspective.
Below, you'll find a recap of our work with two of our client-partners in college sports:
"12R Culture"
Head Coach Nat St. Laurent
Ohio Northern University Polar Bears: Men's Lacrosse
ONU approached the 2021 Season in the hunt for leadership and an outlier mindset willing to "draw first blood" on the field. The tone of our AEP Signature Series, for this particular program, drove that messaging home while creating a culture fully bought-into the the "12R" culture. Breathwork by Ceci Craft, CMPC and "A Warrior's Pause" are techniques this squad tapped into quite often, and their team innovation session allowed a sense of "first blood" as their message included a concept of hitting the road all season to play anyone, anytime, anywhere, and in any division.
Brand-New NCAA Program
Penn College of Technology Wildcats: Men's Lacrosse Excerpt from the 2021 Championship Game Recap:
(Season) One for the History Books:
"In just its first season as an NCAA program, Penn College defied the odds by reaching the title contest. In that journey, they earned six NEAC player of the week honors, landed nine players on the all-conference team, including the Rookie of the Year and the Coach of the Year.
'This season exceeded all of our expectations on and off the field. We transitioned from a club program and found success at Division III level right away, which no one including myself saw coming. I am extremely grateful for the young men who took the leap of faith to be a part of year one,' Williams said. 'We look forward to building off the solid foundation we laid this year with the addition of our incoming class and are excited about the opportunity to compete for a NEAC title again next season.'"
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