Division II conferences and schools can strengthen their game day experience through the division’s Make Game Day Yours initiative that is intended to provide a more positive game environment and provide excellent customer service at the division’s athletics events.
Division II worked with the Disney Institute and a group of 21 individuals from the Division II membership to create a baseline guest service training and game environment standards for administrators and game managers to promote appropriate fan behavior at Division II contests. The initiative includes learning tools that define a positive game environment for Division II regular-season and championship contests and conflict resolution training.
The Make Game Day Yours initiative centers on the following common purpose for the Division II game day experience:
We create a respectful and engaging educational environment through athletics, for everyone.
To have the best possible game environment, the initiative focuses on four service standards and behaviors:
- Safety: Providing an environment for the health and wellbeing of our student-athletes and all others.
- Responsiveness: Anticipating and effectively addressing situations that arise.
- Dignity: Demonstrating respect and value for others.
- Experience: Creating a positive atmosphere.
A conflict resolution tool is available for the membership to use in situations that require a discussion with a fan. The tool, known as LEAD2, encourages game day staff to:
- Listen
- Empathize
- Apologize
- Decide
- Deliver
Several resources are available for the Division II membership, including a service card game day staff can reference that highlights the common purpose and service standards and behaviors, a trainer’s guide for schools to train their game day staff and a PowerPoint trainers can refer to during their training. An on-campus training using the trainer’s guide and PowerPoint can take about 90 minutes of time.
Division II University modules are available in the NCAA Learning Portal for schools and conference offices to evaluate, learn and improve game environment and customer service standards, with a focus on encouraging and supporting appropriate fan behavior. The modules can be completed by game day staff in one sitting in about 75 minutes or they can be broken up and taken at different times. After the modules are completed, individuals will receive a certificate for being a game day champion and can access a resource to debrief the information they learned.
