OpEd: The Time is Now
Dr. Christopher J. Parker
President & CEO / National Junior College Athletic Association
The time for two-year college athletics to shine is now, right now. The NJCAA has been providing athletic and academic opportunities to young men and women since 1938, but right now is the perfect time for us to be our best.
As the landscape of higher education and intercollegiate athletics evolves, you will not find a better return on investment in higher education than your local two-year college! The performances of NJCAA student-athletes both in athletics and in the classroom are at an all-time high. Student-athletes and families alike truly understand the benefits of the NJCAA and the doors that can be opened after one to two years of the JUCO experience!
At the same time, exposure through social media, television broadcasts, and other platforms to highlight these individuals is also at an all-time high. Simply look to ESPNU and ESPN+ to see some of these student-athletes in action or tune into the NJCAA Network for weekly shows, such as NJCAA All-Access or JUCO Jam, that highlight the best the association has to offer!
However, it doesn't only start with the student-athletes, it also begins with those who are leading these young men and women through their junior college experience. Some of the best and brightest coaches of all time started their careers in the NJCAA such as Steve Forbes, current Wake Forest Head Men's Basketball Coach, or Yolett McPhee-McCuin, current Ole Miss Head Women's Basketball Coach. Individuals like Mary Young, Central (NE) Athletic Director and Head Volleyball Coach, and Steve Demeo, Northwest Florida State Head Men's Basketball Coach, pour into the lives of freshmen and sophomores daily to help them reach their academic and athletic goals.
So, if you are wondering "why" JUCO, it's because the time is now. Opportunities are endless for each and every NJCAA student-athlete, no matter what their interests or desired outcomes may be. As a national association, we are shining bright and proud of the endeavors of everyone who is a part of this great organization.
Yours in sport and education,
Dr. Christopher J. Parker
NJCAA President & CEO