Willis Bears BC, ACC Standard at the NCAA Level

It all started with a desire to meet other student-athletes.

Myles Willis – the Eagles' senior running back and explosive kick returner – got to campus in the fall of 2013 and just wanted to meet more athletes.

That desire led him to join Boston College's Student-Athlete Advisory Council (SAAC), a group that exists on every campus under the NCAA's auspices. Each campus also has representatives on its conference's SAAC, which in turns sends at least one league representative to the NCAA's national SAAC.

Per the NCAA, "The mission of the NCAA Division I Student-Athlete Advisory Committee is to enhance the total student-athlete experience by protecting student- athlete well-being, fostering a positive student-athlete image and inclusive student-athlete environment, and promoting student-athlete engagement at the national, conference and local levels."

"Initially I got involved in BC's SAAC just to meet other athletes," Willis said. "Especially when you play football, you can get stuck in your own bubble working out in the Yawkey Center, where all the other sports work out and pass each other every day in Conte Forum. I wanted to get involved and meet other student-athletes here.

"And also, if you work with BC SAAC you can help plan the themes for the different events, like the Golden Eagles and the dance afterwards. So I figured that it would be cool," Willis said.

Once he became active in the group – which generally meets as a whole once a month in addition to smaller sub-committee meetings – he realized it was more than just making sure everyone had a great time at annual events and keeping his team apprised of news. Currently a member of BC's board as the marketing chair, Willis has grown his involvement and earned a leadership role with the group.

"Once I got involved, I realized there were so many more opportunities available and I could really take this a step forward," Willis said.

Entering his junior year, Willis realized he wanted to broaden his experience and applied for a spot in Indianapolis as part of its Division I SAAC. While he didn't yet have enough local SAAC experience to warrant selection then, Willis was undeterred.

"They're really looking for the football student-athlete voice, so I'd originally applied for the NCAA position my junior year but I didn't get," Willis said. "I applied for it again this summer, but I wasn't really expecting anything because it's such a high honor; there's only one representative from the whole conference. I decided early on I'd send my application out again this year, so I did more community service and made sure to keep my grades up. But I wasn't sure if I'd have a chance."

What Willis did have a chance for was a spot on the ACC SAAC. Selected by the BC administration, he was ready to head to Winston-Salem, N.C., for the conference's annual meetings in early July.

But he didn't get there. Instead, he was headed to Indianapolis.

"When I got the (acceptance) email, I was so surprised," Willis said. "I knew I was going to the ACC meetings because (Director of Athletics) Brad Bates selected me as the school's representative to the ACC event. So I was prepared to go to North Carolina for those meetings. But when I got the email from the NCAA, I found out I was headed to Indianapolis instead."

"It's critical to have student-athlete leaders contributing to NCAA policies regarding their developmental experiences," Bates said. "We're very fortunate to have an extraordinary leader in Myles. He epitomizes the ideology of being a Boston College student-athlete and he will not only continue to be a leader here at BC, but he has now been selected to the NCAA SAAC where he can have an even greater impact. Generations of future student-athletes will benefit from his contributions to this important group and we are excited by his selection and leadership."

The NCAA Division I SAAC has 31 members, including Willis. The group convened in Indianapolis last weekend – July 15-17 – to meet and review priorities for the upcoming academic year. Chief among the issues: demands on student-athletes' time.

While the NCAA limits how much time student-athletes can commit to athletic-related activities during the school year, it still eats heavily into their time outside of the classroom – way more than for the average college student. Because of practice, travel and competitions, there is rarely time for activities common to "normal" students.

This isn't just a case of FOMO (fear of missing out) on activities at college: the time required of student-athletes can infringe on time other students use preparing for live post-college.

"The biggest topic we dealt with is time demands," Willis said. "It really marries with the current climate of how a lot of student overall are struggling to get jobs after college. Everyone wants to have that step above to have a better resume.

"As a student-athlete, you don't always have time to get a full internship or study abroad or do certain things, so it can make it difficult when you get out of college. For those who don't go pro – which is the overwhelming majority of student-athletes – you get out of college and you potentially have lesser opportunities because your resume may not stack up as well as other students," Willis said.

With Boston College students and student-athletes alike set to return to campus in a month, Willis plans to take what he's learned and experienced with SAAC – both locally and nationally – and help the Eagles' student-athletes as he enters his final year at The Heights.

"My main thing is to educate other student-athletes," Willis said. "In recent times, the NCAA has received a rough vibe. I have the opportunity to educate other student-athletes and let them know that there are things being done and a lot that has already been implemented. And we need to do a better job at taking full advantage of all the things this great association has done for us. The overwhelming fact is that most of us wouldn't have the opportunities we have if it weren't for the NCAA."

And as for his post-graduation plans? Well, his trip to Indianapolis may have just given Willis more to think about in that area.

"I have no idea," Willis said laughing. "Of course I'd love to have a great senior season and get a shot at the (NFL), but even still – it's tough when you go to BC. It's not about getting 'a' job or getting 'a' career started, it's 'which' career because you have so many opportunities.

"The event in Indianapolis was great, but it also threw another wrench in my thoughts because you get to speak with ADs and people who work for the NCAA in marketing, public relations – all over – and you think about those opportunities. So it makes it difficult. So it's still up in the air," Willis said.

What we do know, however, is that Willis is ready for 2016 – on the field, in the classroom and in the SAAC meeting room – and has positioned himself for greater impact once he walks away from Chestnut Hill, thanks in large part to his initial rationale of wanting to meet other student-athletes back in the fall of his freshman year.

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Willis Bears BC, ACC Standard at the NCAA Level

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