MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – Coach Neal Brown has announced that WVU football is formally introducing the 5th Quarter Program – an initiative that educates its student-athletes and continues building the culture by serving and developing total Mountaineers.
"We are here to develop young men," Brown said. "The 5th Quarter Program is an integral part of the WVU football student-athlete experience. We want to position our players for success on the playing field and for life beyond graduation. We want to develop the whole person in the mental, physical, tactical, technical and behavioral areas of their lives."
Included as part of the 5th Quarter program are partnerships already in place. A recent announcement was made about WVU Football teaming with brand marketing expert and author Jeremy Darlow to educate the student-athletes and develop their skills in growing their personal brands. WVU Football also has an affiliation with INFLCR. This program assists the student-athletes by providing creative content to build their brands.
Brown, the football administrative staff and Tangela Cheatham, director of student-athlete enhancement, will implement and oversee each step of the 5th Quarter program, tailored specifically for Mountaineer football.
The five pillars of the 5th Quarter Program include character development, leadership development, real life, career development and social responsibility.
Character Development – WVU football student-athletes work to discover and develop their personal beliefs, habits, morals and ideals. The education areas include but are not limited to academic integrity, core value training, drugs and alcohol, healthy relationships and mental health and well-being.
Leadership Development – WVU football student-athletes discover their leadership style and develop a personal leadership philosophy. The education areas include but are not limited to accountability teams, individual development plan, speaker series, team culture building and training retreat.
Real Life – WVU football student-athletes are educated on issues and topics they will encounter in everyday life. The education areas include but are not limited to agent education, financial literacy, nutrition, personal branding and time management.
Career Development – WVU football student-athletes are exposed to career paths, major exploration and practical career experience. The education areas include but are not limited to alumni engagement, internships, interview preparation, networking and resume building.
Social Responsibility – WVU football student-athletes positively impact society through civic engagement, social awareness and community service. The education areas include but are not limited to campus involvement, community engagement, cultural education, current events and youth programs.
Another component of the 5th Quarter program is the Bridge Program. It's goal is to introduce the student-athletes to the college experience when they first enter WVU and then gives them their final training and prepares them before they embark into life after graduation.
Bridge Program – The Bridge program provides student-athletes with structured programing to assist in their transition to college and ultimately into their lives after college athletics. The Freshman Bridge program prepares the student-athletes to navigate college and educate them in the areas of college transition, academic preparation, campus resources, social development and more. The Senior Transition Bridge program prepares the student-athletes to navigate life in the areas of mentorship, career preparation, identity development, personal finance and more.
"Football has given these student-athletes a valuable opportunity that is not afforded to everybody, but it is up to them what they do with it," Brown said. "We are coaching them on the field to develop their physical skills within the team. With the 5th Quarter program, we are going to give them the tools and knowledge to build their confidence in a variety of areas while they earn their degrees. We are hopeful that the end result will allow them to be successful, productive and valuable alumni once they leave Morgantown."
"We are here to develop young men," Brown said. "The 5th Quarter Program is an integral part of the WVU football student-athlete experience. We want to position our players for success on the playing field and for life beyond graduation. We want to develop the whole person in the mental, physical, tactical, technical and behavioral areas of their lives."
Included as part of the 5th Quarter program are partnerships already in place. A recent announcement was made about WVU Football teaming with brand marketing expert and author Jeremy Darlow to educate the student-athletes and develop their skills in growing their personal brands. WVU Football also has an affiliation with INFLCR. This program assists the student-athletes by providing creative content to build their brands.
Brown, the football administrative staff and Tangela Cheatham, director of student-athlete enhancement, will implement and oversee each step of the 5th Quarter program, tailored specifically for Mountaineer football.
The five pillars of the 5th Quarter Program include character development, leadership development, real life, career development and social responsibility.
Character Development – WVU football student-athletes work to discover and develop their personal beliefs, habits, morals and ideals. The education areas include but are not limited to academic integrity, core value training, drugs and alcohol, healthy relationships and mental health and well-being.
Leadership Development – WVU football student-athletes discover their leadership style and develop a personal leadership philosophy. The education areas include but are not limited to accountability teams, individual development plan, speaker series, team culture building and training retreat.
Real Life – WVU football student-athletes are educated on issues and topics they will encounter in everyday life. The education areas include but are not limited to agent education, financial literacy, nutrition, personal branding and time management.
Career Development – WVU football student-athletes are exposed to career paths, major exploration and practical career experience. The education areas include but are not limited to alumni engagement, internships, interview preparation, networking and resume building.
Social Responsibility – WVU football student-athletes positively impact society through civic engagement, social awareness and community service. The education areas include but are not limited to campus involvement, community engagement, cultural education, current events and youth programs.
Another component of the 5th Quarter program is the Bridge Program. It's goal is to introduce the student-athletes to the college experience when they first enter WVU and then gives them their final training and prepares them before they embark into life after graduation.
Bridge Program – The Bridge program provides student-athletes with structured programing to assist in their transition to college and ultimately into their lives after college athletics. The Freshman Bridge program prepares the student-athletes to navigate college and educate them in the areas of college transition, academic preparation, campus resources, social development and more. The Senior Transition Bridge program prepares the student-athletes to navigate life in the areas of mentorship, career preparation, identity development, personal finance and more.
"Football has given these student-athletes a valuable opportunity that is not afforded to everybody, but it is up to them what they do with it," Brown said. "We are coaching them on the field to develop their physical skills within the team. With the 5th Quarter program, we are going to give them the tools and knowledge to build their confidence in a variety of areas while they earn their degrees. We are hopeful that the end result will allow them to be successful, productive and valuable alumni once they leave Morgantown."
