College Athletic Departments constantly look for ways to create a positive public image. One way they can do so is by involving members of the Athletic Department, and particularly student-athletes (S-As), in community service projects.

1. If you were the athletic director (AD), what might be some approaches your department could use to get your SAs involved in community service?

Who should choose the activity? S-As? Coaches? The AD? A team of people? What types of community organizations would make good partners?

How can you get coaches on board to help?

Sometimes coaches use community service projects as punishments for athletes who have broken team rules. The coaching staff for a sport will tell the S-A they have to perform a certain number of community service hours in order to make up for their poor behavior. The S-A may have no interest whatsoever in really helping the community, just in getting in their hours as mandated.

2. Is requiring someone to do community service an appropriate punishment for breaking team rules? Why or why not?

3.As an alternative, how could the athletes be disciplined?