Managing Social Media

My grandmother once told me a story about being mindful of my actions. My Dad had done something in his early teens that was a bit embarrassing for the family, but made for some great teaching moments. But I always remembered her saying that I need to be aware of my actions – they don’t only reflect me.

When you become a collegiate athlete, a lot changes and you need to be truly aware of your actions more than you realize. You not only represent yourself, but your team, your athletic department, and your entire University.

And social media plays a huge role.

While athletes are highly encouraged to use social media to positively promote our teams, our conference and our sport, the difficulty is finding the balance between what is and isn’t appropriate to post.

At the college level, with the outreach that some people have (I have teammates with more than 10K followers), you have to be aware of your audience.

Who will see this post? How does my post reflect on me and what I do?

Your posts are no longer just for friends. They’re reaching families, future employers, and little kids who hope to be like you one day.

In fact, the NCAA is involved. There are specific guidelines student athletes have to follow with regard to social media when it comes to recruits, promoting businesses and context.

Universities often have standards they hold their athletes accountable to as well.

Here’s how to make it easier:

• Understand your audience: Who will see this post?
• Is it appropriate? If you have to ask, it usually isn’t
• What is the purpose of the post? If it’s because you’re angry or upset, the world doesn’t need to see it

When you become a student-athlete, everything online reflects yourself and the University you represent. From your coaches to the athletic director, your image is a representation of a variety of people.

So, don’t post anything you wouldn’t want your Grandma seeing.