IU Athletics Announces Groundbreaking Initiatives

iu-logoIndiana University Vice President and Director of Intercollegiate Athletics Fred Glass today unveiled a creed that represents Indiana University Athletics’ core values, mission statement, and strategic plan all rolled into one that will be known as The Spirit of Indiana: 24 Sports, One Team. This creed will serve as the standard by which IU Athletics will set priorities, allocate resources, and make decisions. To ensure that the department meets the promise of The Spirit of Indiana, Glass also announced the establishment of The Indiana University Department of Intercollegiate Athletics Excellence Academy. Glass predicted that the Excellence Academy would soon emerge as the nation’s most innovative and comprehensive student-athlete development program.

The Spirit of Indiana: 24 Sports, One Team is uniquely of and about Indiana University Athletics and will serve to positively distinguish us from all other schools around the country”, Glass said.

The Spirit of Indiana: 24 Sports, One Team was inspired by the “Indiana Creed of Sportsmanship” written by former trustee John S. Hastings, LL.B ’24 as part of the festivities for the opening of the original Memorial Stadium in 1925. “The Spirit of Indiana” was the theme for that season, and Hastings wrote a tribute to team over self. The Creed states, in part:

 

The spirit of Indiana in athletics must be the spirit of the team. The team must be competitive in spirit and have the will to win over and above the will to star… Without this spirit of the team and this goal of school above self, we fail miserably—not only here in our sports life, but in the world of business and society after we leave this campus… With it, we exemplify the true spirit of Indiana in athletics.

The Spirit of Indiana, 24 Sports, One Team is a statement of what Indiana University Athletics represents and it consists of the following seven tenets:

We are able people of integrity who play by the rules.
We reach our highest academic potential and earn Indiana University degrees.
We reach our highest athletic potential and win championships.
We are unselfish leaders and teammates.
We represent Indiana University with passion, appreciation, respect and distinction.
We are positive, responsible, inclusive, and integrated with our University.
We are part of something bigger than ourselves.

The values and principles set forth by The Spirit of Indiana: 24 Sports, One Team will guide IU Athletics in all endeavors including, but not limited to, compliance, fiscal responsibility and fundraising, gender equity, academics, coaching, facilities, marketing, sports medicine and athletic training, strength and conditioning, student-athlete well being, and integration with the university.

The Indiana University Department of Intercollegiate Athletics Excellence Academy is a comprehensive student-athlete development program designed so that each individual student-athlete grows to embody The Spirit of Indiana.

Without the Excellence Academy to help instill its values, The Spirit of Indiana: 24 Sports, One Team would be a hollow promise; taken together, these initiatives will secure a transformative experience for our student-athletes, coaches, and staff”, Glass said.

The Excellence Academy will integrate athletic department and university resources to assess, measure and ensure progress toward specific personal development goals. The Academy fully integrates the athletic department’s academic support and life skills development programs, innovative strength and conditioning regimens, advanced sports medicine and athletic training services, expert sports psychology staff, and a full-time sports nutritionist, along with cutting-edge resources from other parts of the university, including the School of Health, Physical Education, and Recreation, the Office of the Provost, and the school of Education among others.

The Academy utilizes individualized assessment and continuous, measured reflection to integrate formal education coursework with co-curricular experiences and athletic performance improvement techniques to help student-athletes maximize their potential.

A broader description of the Spirit of Indiana and the Excellence Academy can be found by visiting http://iuhoosiers.cstv.com/ot/spirit-of-indiana.html