SPRINGFIELD, Mass. - Approximately 150 athletic administrators and coaches from all 10 Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) member institutions gathered at Western New England University on Thursday, August 9 for a presentation on managing social media in regards to diversity and gender equity by nationally recognized Title IX expert Janet Judge. The program was funded through the NCAA Division III Strategic Initiatives Conference Grant Program.

Judge, president of Sports Law Associates LLC, opened the presentation by discussing that the information coaches, administrators, and student-athletes put online through social media can be used in either a positive or very negative manner. She stressed that even if certain privacy settings are used, others may still be able to easily access one’s personal information and see things that posters may have thought were hidden.

The 2011 Administrator of the Year for Athletic Organizations as named by the National Association of Women Athletic Administrators (NACWAA), Judge emphasized that coaches and administrators need to take action to protect themselves along with their student-athletes from portraying a negative image of themselves through the use of social media. She stressed the importance of monitoring student-athletes use of social media without invading their privacy.

Judge called attention to how a coach's use of social media can directly influence a team's culture and the best way to change a culture is to monitor oneself first. What anyone puts out into the world of social media will never go away, once something is put online, it will remain online indefinitely. She challenged the group to begin looking at their own information first and to understand how a simple picture or phrase that is posted could be a negative portrayal of oneself.

"I hope that the coaches and administrators have discussions with their student-athletes and that they explain and understand how social media affects them not just as student-athletes but how it will affect their futures as well," stated Judge. "I believe strongly that coaches are educators that can make a positive impact on student-athletes."

“The most enlightening aspect from the presentation was a reminder of how many pieces of the puzzle are connected through social media," stated Nichols College Director of Athletics Charlyn Robert. "As administrators and coaches we need to impress upon our students the immediate impact of simply hitting a send button. This presentation really opened my eyes and I believe many others' eyes to the reality and challenges of social media and the power it has to create and effect image and reputation not only instantaneously – but for a lifetime.”

“It was extremely interesting to learn how social media reaches well past interaction with friends, family and followers,” stated CCC Commissioner Gregg Kaye. “As our conference will be focusing on diversity and gender equity this year, it helped all of us in attendance to see how racism, sexist behavior and homophobia can be propagated through various social media outlets. Our athletic administrators and coaches received an eye-opening look at issues that have surfaced throughout our industry and I look forward to helping cultivate awareness among our student-athletes through similar presentations that will take place on our campuses throughout the year.”

Judge will return to the CCC throughout the year to conduct presentations at each institution where she will discuss the importance of managing and regulating how student-athletes use social media and other topics that CCC members see fit.

(Release Courtesy of the Commonwealth Coast Conference Office)