Our Model

The Level The Field Model

Intercollegiate Contests:

Our participants attend collegiate games throughout their assigned team's season. They are asked to complete observation sheets, which allows LTF to monitor each participant's progress and understanding of the lessons and concepts that are learned and discussed with them in the classroom. These concepts include: sportsmanship, teamwork and leadership. Our volunteers and staff members support our participants during the game by explaining the rules and working on their observation forms with them. Our participants often get to play exhibition games at half-time, take tours of athletic facilities and meet athletes from other sports teams.

Sports clinics:

Sports clinics are held at our partner university's facilities and are run by the university coaches. They are assisted by their players, who teach our participants fundamental skills and the rules of the game and share what sports have taught them. Our participants play with the athletes they watch during games, in addition to the various individuals who work with them in their classrooms.

Classroom Instruction:

During the classroom instruction phase of our program, our participating athletes travel to our partner middle school. LTF creates lessons geared towards athletic experiences and life goals. The LTF lessons support our participating middle school's curriculum and are designed to generate discussion of the ideals of communication, teamwork, sportsmanship and leadership. During their off-season, student-athletes support the teachers by visiting the classroom for six consecutive weeks. Generally, two or three student-athletes visit a classroom at a time. During these visits, the student-athletes share their personal experiences relating to the LTF principles from both on and off the field. The student-athletes' school visits are a unique and vital part of the Champions of Change program. These first-hand accounts allow the middle school students and student-athletes to form close bonds, while giving the LTF principles greater legitimacy in the eyes of the young students.