Athlete & Coach Mentorship Programs Now Available On-Demand

Champion Conduct LLC today announced the launch of its transformational conduct and character-building mentorship program that brings lessons from some of the biggest names in sports to competitors at the high school, collegiate, and professional levels.

Champion Conduct will initially be available as a mentorship mobile app, featuring cinematic videos of athletes sharing their candid insights on social issues, real-life challenges, and charitable activities. Among the stars contributing to the project are Troy Vincent Sr., All-Pro cornerback and NFL executive vice president of football operations; Mark Bruener, a former first-round pick of the Pittsburgh Steelers and current pro scout; as well as athletes and coaches across the sports landscape, including other legends, gold-medal Olympians, Hall of Famers, topic experts and survivors of misconduct.

Content and technology for the Champion Conduct platform are being developed in partnership with Rochester Institute of Technology’s MAGIC Spell Studios, a multidisciplinary research and production hub that encourages students from the university’s nationally ranked programs from the School of Film and Animation, the School of Interactive Games and Media, and the School of Design to collaborate and push the boundaries of technology, art, and design.

Pro franchises, NCAA programs, high school athletic departments, and coaches at all levels will be able to license or subscribe to Champion Conduct to start their sports mentorship journey in late 2021.

“Coaches build champions on the field. We are building champions in life. This app provides the inspiring, gritty, first-person stories that competitors respond to—it’s everything they need to know about conduct in one place, as told by experts, sports stars, and survivors,” said Kathleen Neville, founder, and CEO of Champion Conduct.

“I’ve seen it all as a player, executive, and advocate. Firsthand, I have watched others come to grips with the consequences of their actions. Being part of this project allows me to give back not only to those in sports but also to youth in communities across the country. It allows me to be part of something bigger than teaches up-and-comers what it means to be a champion—advice that will change lives for the better,” said Vincent.

“This is an exciting project for MAGIC Spell Studios. We are bringing the Champion Conduct platform to life through the mobile app, and our students are getting professional experience producing meaningful video content. We can be proud knowing that athletes are bettering themselves—learning to be more character-driven, community-minded, and socially aware—through our work,” said RIT MAGIC Spell Studios Director David Long.

The Champion Conduct app will include:

• The Locker Room featuring firsthand accounts from those who have been subjected to harmful or hateful conduct. Coaches, experts, survivors of assault, and victims of discrimination will drive home the idea that conduct is personal and powerful—and can have lifelong effects. Champion Conduct students will gain a deeper understanding of issues involving social injustice; diversity, equity, and inclusion; bullying; domestic violence; sexual assault and harassment; gender and implicit bias; and more.
• The Film Room featuring coachable moments from former and active players. Off-field challenges, game-changing personal victories, the real-life consequences of poor decisions and addiction—it’s all on the table. Champion Conduct students will be inspired to look back, look within, and look ahead as they work to be their best.
• The Game Room featuring episodes on media training, public speaking, social media presence, leadership, brand promotion, being a responsible influencer, hiring effective advisors, and tips from pro scouts on what character traits they look for in a student-athlete. Champion Conduct students will gain a valuable playbook to represent their personal brands and tackle compensation opportunities—such as brand sponsorships—that may arise during their careers.
• The Community Room featuring episodes on the impact of giving back. By learning from successful philanthropic athletes, Champion Conduct students will come away with information on how to get involved with respected causes and nonprofits, as well as the know-how to develop and manage a foundation. The Community Room will also provide a space for any approved nonprofit organization, allowing student-athletes to find and connect with the cause that is right for them.
• The Training Room, coming in 2022, will contain customized content that would address the specific needs or areas of focus of a university, athletic department, or team.

Graduates of the Champion Conduct mentorship program will receive a certification. Students will be required to participate in a Champion Conduct–approved nonprofit organization for at least one year to be considered for graduation.

Champion Conduct was founded by Kathleen Neville, a published author and longtime consultant to the National Football League, for which she created the league’s first dedicated workplace guidelines on conduct and sexual harassment. A global authority on sexual harassment, gender equality, discrimination, and misconduct, Neville has conducted more than 500 educational initiatives to audiences from Wall Street to competitive arenas.

For more information, visit ChampionConduct.com.