Coffey's position as a New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) representative to the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) of the NCAA made him eligible to be nominated to attend the conference. Coffey was nominated by Athletic Director Peter Gooding.
According to the NCAA website, there are separate national SAACs for NCAA Divisions I, II and III and all NCAA member institutions must have SAACs on their campus. Allison Aldrich '04 is the other member of the Amherst College SAAC. Only SAAC members who were nominated and selected, like Coffey, will attend the winter conference.
The SAAC was established in 1989 to "enhance the total student-athlete experience by promoting opportunity for all student-athletes; protecting student-athlete welfare; and fostering a positive student-athlete image, while maintaining the tenants of the Division III philosophy," according to the NCAA website.
"We nominated Brad because he's very responsible and conscientious in the classroom and he's an exceptional athlete," said Gooding. "Ever since he has arrived at Amherst he has expressed an interest in the global issues surrounding athletes and sports in the academy."
Coffey's role on the SAAC gives him the opportunity to bring the philosophy of NESCAC to the NCAA as a whole.
Coffey plans to bring his primary area of interest, the balance between academics and athletics, to the conference. "Athletics on the Division III-especially NESCAC-level is not about winning at all costs, but building up the characters of the students who play, giving them a more diverse and enriched education," said Coffey.
The potential broadening of NCAA championships is one issue that requires student input. "It seems like a good idea, but really it just means our players are going to miss more classes, which has become a big problem for a lot of sports teams," said Coffey.
Coffey said that he is excited about the opportunity to serve on the committee and to influence athletic regulations. "It used to be only coaches and athletic directors had any say in the process. But then they instituted SAAC to give students a say, which is important, because we are the ones who are playing the games," said Coffey.
Gooding said that over the last few years, sports in the world of higher education have been subject to a high level of scrutiny. "This has led to a negative attitude on the part of some of the academic faculty," Gooding said. "Students need to be heard. They can often be more reasonable than coaches and faculty," he added.
SAAC members who attend NESCAC schools meet throughout the year to discuss issues relevant to their schools. Coffey and Aldrich attended a conference in November where they discussed limiting practice time and season length with their counterparts at other schools. "I think Brad and I both took a lot out of [the conference]" said Aldrich. "I think it's really important for students to get involved."
The conference this winter will be a family affair. Coffey will travel with his mother, Suzanne R. Coffey, who is the Athletic Director at Bates and serves on the Division III management committee, which works closely with the SAAC. We'll be flying out to Anaheim together," said Coffey.