NCAA inclusion hosts Common Ground retreat for leadership team

The NCAA office of inclusion recently held a two-day retreat with current and newly appointed members of its Common Ground leadership team.

The NCAA Common Ground program was created in 2014 to provide LGBTQ individuals, individuals of faith at public and private NCAA member schools, LGBTQ organizations and faith-based organizations with an opportunity to discuss differences and commonalities and to identify best practices for working more cohesively within athletics and campus surroundings. Common Ground programming is structured to break down barriers of fear, lack of trust, misunderstanding and judgment between communities and individuals. Common Ground focuses on dynamics within intercollegiate athletics that could threaten initiatives and programs committed to the inclusion and well-being of all student-athletes and coaches.  

The office of inclusion brought the leadership team to the NCAA headquarters in Indianapolis for the two-day strategic meeting. The leadership team, which consists of staff, former athletes, NCAA members, advocates and subject-matter experts, will help develop future Common Ground resources and programming, including the annual Common Ground experience for student-athletes, coaches and administrators. 

"The Common Ground leadership team comprises people with a diverse set of identities, beliefs, perspectives and lived experiences, who remain steadfastly committed to the shared value of humanity," said Jean Merrill, NCAA director of inclusion. 

"This retreat was the first time team members had been in physical proximity since 2019, which allowed for a renewed, meaningful and vulnerable exploration of faith and LGBTQ inclusion in intercollegiate athletics. As we find ourselves in an increasingly divisive society, this leadership team aims to model a dialogical approach to address differences and to support our member institutions in creating inclusive athletics experiences for student-athletes, coaches, administrators and fans, regardless of sexual identity, gender identity or faith perspective."

No dates for a future Common Ground experience have been determined, but discussions will continue leading up to the NCAA Inclusion Forum, which will be April 21-23 in Indianapolis.

The Common Ground leadership team roster is as follows:

• Schuyler Bailar, CEO, Pinkmantaray LLC.
• Helen Carroll, retired sports project director, National Center for Lesbian Rights.
• La Shonda Coleman, associate vice president, university Title IX coordinator, Pepperdine.
• Liz Darger, senior associate athletics director/senior woman administrator, Brigham Young.
• Clyde Doughty Jr., vice president of intercollegiate athletics and recreation, Bowie State.
• Jess Duff, associate athletics director, Smith.
• Pat Griffin, professor emerita, Massachusetts.
• H. "Skip" Lord, national director of athletics engagement, Houghton.
• Resa Lovelace, assistant athletics director — student-athlete development, Maryland.
• Drew Martin, executive senior associate athletics director for external affairs, Texas.
• Emet Marwell, manager of policy and programs, Athlete Ally.
• Jean Merrill, director of inclusion, NCAA.
• Karen Morrison, president, Folding Chair Consulting.
• Gary Pine, director of athletics, Azusa Pacific.
• Tanya Williams, social justice educator and consultant, Authentic Coaching and Consulting.
• Amy Wilson, managing director of inclusion, NCAA.