WILMINGTON, North Carolina – Fresh off a study abroad experience near London, England, junior track and field standout Josh Cooper represented UNCW's 300+ student-athletes at the recent Colonial Athletic Association Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) Summit.
 
The two-day meeting took place in Newark, Del., and featured at least one student-athlete from every CAA institution. An international business major from Charlotte, Cooper was joined by staff member Shannon Pease, assistant director of Student-Athlete Support Services at UNCW.
 
"I had a great experience in England, but definitely missed home," reflected Cooper. "My study abroad experience was worth it because it showed me how other cultures operate."
 
The SAAC Summit attendees listened as a pair of speakers on Friday addressed two important topics facing today's student-athletes – mental health and nutrition. Dr. Jarrod Spencer a sports psychologist and president and founder of Mind of the Athlete, LLC, a sports psychology company committed to improving emotional health of athletes, spoke on the importance of sleep and mental health. University of Delaware nutritionist Kelly Rossi also presented to the group on health and nutrition.
 
Cooper learned about SAAC as a freshman during the 2016-17 school year and joined the UNCW SAAC Board during his sophomore year as head of the group's social media and public relations committee. That involvement peaked his interest in attending the CAA's summer meeting.
 
"(Past President) Blair Pearce suggested that I go to the SAAC Summit. It was an awesome experience to go there and meet other student-athletes from other schools," Cooper said.
 
On the second day of the meeting, the group discussed national SAAC legislation, conference initiatives and NCAA legislation. The student-athletes capped off the day by creating care packages for military members overseas. Overall, Cooper said the meetings were beneficial and worth the long journey.
 
"It didn't feel awkward at all being around the other student-athletes," he said. "We all had an understanding of where we were coming from and were honored to be representing our schools.
 
"I learned a lot about conducting meetings and how we can get more involved in community service projects. I learned how important it is for SAAC to be more involved in events and be a bigger entity on campus."
 
The group capped the meeting late Saturday by writing and taping a public service announcement message stressing proper mental health. "It was very interesting to hear other student-athletes talk about mental health at their schools. Our major point was that it was "It's okay not to be okay."
 
Pease echoed Cooper's thoughts on the effectiveness of the meeting.
 
"It was a great opportunity for CAA student-athletes and advising professionals to collaborate on the importance of SAAC and student-athlete development initiatives on our campuses. This summit allowed the student-athlete representatives to understand NCAA legislation and the importance of the student-athlete voice on our campuses, in the conference and on the national level and how imperative that is in creating change."