The Colonial Athletic Association Makes Community Impact a Priority

Colonial Athletic Association Week starts now.

Each week we will break down a different conference across the D-1 landscape, giving you a look into how they are connecting with fans (and recruits) across their website and social media. Along the way, we'll elevate a few things in each conference that are best-in-class: what we can learn from the schools that make up each conference.

You can stay plugged into this journey via this blog, via the Digital Hoops Blast Facebook page (linked here) or on Twitter -- I'm @pawlow34.

We break down leagues based on how squads finished last season. Thus far we've checked out the ACC, Horizon, Big Ten, Big East, Big 12, Atlantic 10, MVC, Pac-10, Ivy, WCC, MWC, and OVC. It's time to keep moving... Up next, the Colonial Athletic Association -- thanks to Old Dominion.

Let's move.

Hit the Colonial Athletic Association Website and highlight About the CAA on the left hand side. You'll notice a callout for "Student Athlete Spotlight," which we'll dive into...

That takes you here, to a bold statement about what it means to be a student athlete in the CAA, regardless of sport. Check this mission statement:

"As CAA Student-Athletes we commit ourselves to Be the Difference. As leaders in the community we personify and instill sportsmanship, perseverance, and compassion to establish a legacy..."

I like this. It's a barometer to measure themselves against. And it is true of the conference, no matter what sport you play. But how do you reward this? Or elevate it in season? Scroll down and you'll see it...

The CAA elevates all community service moments, by school on this page, shown below. It's easy to see the impact made by student athletes in the conference.

Finally, as you'll note below, the conference also includes archives from past seasons (community service isn't just a one-year thing) and gives you easy access to share this via Facebook. Nice.

How could this be better? What does it add up to? I'd love to see not simply a listing of what the schools do but rather a way to illustrate the collective impact made by everyone focused on their impact in the world. Make this an aspirational thing -- if you join a CAA school, you can be a part of something bigger. (And make it easier to find on the site, as part of the CAA's identity).

The impact could be illustrated via a day when all student athletes support causes. Or it could be done by getting everyone to support a similar cause to amplify the impact. In any case it's amazing to see a mission statement backed up!

Colonial Athletic Association week continues tomorrow. We will take a peak at how the conference is leveraging social media. Then, we'll wrap the week up with 3 peaks into things I found fantastic across the 12-team conference landscape.

Don't forget, you can follow along via the Digital Hoops Blast Facebook page (linked here) or on Twitter -- I'm @pawlow34.

Andy