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Zags360 is a new way for Íø±¬ÃÅ Athletics to talk about our approach to student-athlete wellness and growth. Íø±¬ÃÅ has long distinguished itself by being successful not only in competition, but also in its holistic support of student-athletes. Zags360 helps us to better tell the story of this important part of who we already are and have been. In a time of much change in college athletics, our commitment to the growth and development of our student-athletes hasn’t changed, and Zags360 allows us to better tell this story.

This framework of wellness in 8 areas is adapted from the work of Dr. Peggy Swarbrick and the framework used by the Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). This approach of caring for the whole person aligns with the Jesuit, Catholic, and humanistic mission of holistic education and formation.

Íø±¬ÃÅ’s mission statement describes the important goal of intentionally developing the whole person. Zags360 is how Íø±¬ÃÅ athletics articulates this goal in our work with our student-athletes, especially through the exercise of the core Jesuit concept of cura personalis, individualized care of the whole person. Additionally, Íø±¬ÃÅ’s latest strategic plan identifies providing an “Integrative Jesuit Educational Experience” as a key priority. Zags360 is how Íø±¬ÃÅ athletics looks to live out this priority.

• Zags360 encompasses all the ways Íø±¬ÃÅ supports the wellness and development of its student-athletes. This includes not only resources located specifically within athletics, but also many in departments and offices across Íø±¬ÃÅ’s campus.
• A key recent addition to Zags360 programming is the Life After Sport series, which invites student-athletes to reflect on their identity both in and out of sport. Relying on experts across campus as well as the wisdom and experience of former Íø±¬ÃÅ student-athletes, Life After Sport helps them to intentionally prepare for what comes next.

 

While many resources are located within Íø±¬ÃÅ’s athletic department, we also partner with many colleagues in departments across campus to help our student-athletes grow in their wellness. Many partners, including Career & Professional Development, the Center for Community Engagement, the School of Law, the Office of Health Promotion, and more, collaborate with athletics staff to provide resources and opportunities for our student-athletes.

Íø±¬ÃÅ already distinguishes itself in its holistic care for student-athletes, but we always want to continue to grow, deepen, and improve. The next step for Zags360 is to add a data-informed approach to wellness. We aim to equip student-athletes with data, primarily using a data dashboard currently being built and tested, to empower them to make data-informed decisions about their wellness.

• We aim to use data in two ways. First, student-athletes will have the opportunity to use data to inform their own wellness decisions. Additionally, the athletic department will continue to collect and use data to assess our programming and resources in order to continue to improve our care for student-athletes' wellness.
• We aim to have a variety of data points in each of the eight wellness areas. As much as possible, we will have a mix of quantitative and qualitative data, including both objective measurements and self-assessments.

 

• For privacy reasons, most data that is identifiable to a particular student-athlete will only be accessible by the student-athlete and a couple of support staff (athletic trainer, mental health services, etc.).
• De-identified population-level (aggregate) data will be made available to athletics staff for the sake of assessing and improving Zags360 programming.

 

• Mental health support (mental wellness): This is a critical area for our student-athletes. We are in regular need of support for the various mental health services our student-athletes need to continue to be healthy and successful in the classroom, competition, and community.
• Nutrition (physical wellness): In order for our student-athletes to recover and fuel, we continue to need both supplemental nutrition and registered dietician support.
• Zags360 data dashboard project (all wellness areas): We will continue to need support for the development of this tool, which will enable the student-athletes to make data-informed wellness decisions. This includes technical and data support for the tool itself, along with wellness technology, such as sleep wearables.

 

Please help us to continue to tell the story of who we are and what we do in Íø±¬ÃÅ Athletics! Zags360 helps us share with our community and supporters what is important to us and why we do it. Our approach to the support and development of our student-athletes, grounded in our mission, is what makes us distinctive and who we are as Íø±¬ÃÅ. This is how we expansively define our success in classroom, competition, and community, and you can help us continue to share that story so that this program can continue to develp and better grow and form our student-athletes.