The 30 Minute Team Meeting.
I was prepared to present the healthcare info; however, we ran out of time!
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The Title IX Investigator asked…” tell me about your student athlete onboarding program.”
Student-athletes are introduced to campus by what most athletic departments call "orientation." They attend NCAA rules education sessions, complete medical screenings, sign forms, and sit through presentations about Title IX, mental health resources, and academic expectations. By the end, everyone's exhausted—and administrators check the compliance box.
If orientation is the action item, you're missing a critical opportunity. What you've completed is a transaction. Best practice is onboarding—and the difference between the two could determine whether your student-athletes thrive or simply survive their collegiate experience.
“Tell me about your onboarding process…”
What True Onboarding Should Accomplish
Onboarding is a comprehensive, developmental process that extends throughout the critical first year—and ideally beyond. It transforms a recruited athlete into a fully integrated student-athlete who understands not just the rules, but the culture, staff roles, resources, support systems, and expectations that will define their collegiate experience be it 10 months or 4+ years.
The Student-Athlete Experience Gap
I see this as an opportunity because REPS Onboarding™ teaches them how to thrive.
Orientation says: "Here are the rules. Don't break them."
Onboarding says: "Here are the resources, relationships, and strategies you need to succeed—and we're invested in your journey."
When student-athletes struggle, experience mental health crises, or feel disconnected from campus, the question shouldn't be "Why didn't they ask for help?" The question should be: "Did we onboard them in a way that made asking for help feel normal, accessible, and supported?" Did we obtain an acknowledgement or attestation from the student athlete? Did we document our due diligence and care mindset?
Time Compression Compromises Best Practices
Moving From Orientation to Onboarding
Building a comprehensive student-athlete onboarding program doesn't mean abandoning orientation, it means recognizing that orientation is just the beginning. The forms, presentations, and compliance sessions still matter. But they're the foundation, not the finish line.
The question every athletic administrator should ask is this: If orientation gets student-athletes eligible to compete, what mitigates our risk, what gets them prepared to succeed?
If orientation does not answer the interrogatory inquiry and REPS Orientation™ does, how do you begin?
Ready to build a comprehensive onboarding program for your student-athletes? Discover how REPS Onboarding™ can help your department move beyond compliance and create a student-centered onboarding experience. Contact Ralph at www.ralphreiff.com
