Rev. 8/1/16
Athlete Leadership Programs Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q:Why is Athlete Leadership Programs (ALPs) important?
A:There are numerous reasons why ALPs is important:
Puts athletes in a position to drive the program forward
Needed because athletes are the customer and need to held accountable to the mission
Q:What makes a good athlete-leader?
A:Someone who is willing to learn, which also means they are willing to struggle and step outside their comfort zone and challenge themselves.
Q:What makes a good mentor?
A:Someone who is committed to the overall goals of ALPs and is willing to give constructive criticism toand not coddle the athlete they are mentoring in order to hold them accountable.
Q:When/how do I declare a major?
A:Each athlete must take “Intro to ALPs” at their first ALPs University. At the completion of this course, each athlete is asked to write a personal mission statement that will help them declare a major. They will end up choosing two majors they’re and ranking them by interest level.
Q:How do I pick my course schedule once I have determined my major?
A:Athletes will pick a total of 16 credit hours’ worth of classes from their major and then must pick one elective outside their major. In total, athlete-leaders need a total of 20 credit hours to graduate not including their Intro to ALPs or Capstone courses.
Q:When must the homework be completed for each course?
A:Homework for each course must be completed 3 weeks PRIOR to the next scheduled ALPsUniversity.
Q:Can mentors whose athlete is going through the coaching major become a certified coach as well?
A:Mentors may count the general session, principles of coaching, concussion and CPR trainings toward their coach certification process, however, they must attend a separate sport specific training outside of ALPs University, but be mindful that the focus in the first coaching class will be on the athlete-leaders first and the mentors second.
Q:What is the Leadership Capstone?
A:The Leadership Capstone is the final course that must be taken prior to graduation. This will include a final project that must come back to benefit SOMO in some way. If you choose to declare another major after graduation, you will need to re-take the Capstone class again as the focus will always be on your major at that time.
Q:What majors are currently offered through ALPs University?
A:As of August 2016, we currently offer Communication, Technology, Governance and Coaching. We have courses in the leadership for life track that can be taken as electives but we do not currently offer it as a major.
Q:Can I only graduate from one major?
A:Absolutely not! You may graduate from multiple majors, but would ask you to consider only taking on what you think you can do to succeed as there is homework and practicum hoursassociated with all courses.
Q:Do I have to have a mentor to go through ALPs University?
A:Yes, we ask that you have a mentor and that the mentor NOT be a family member. We encourage family members to be mentors for athletes who are not related to them. Coaches and Unified Partners are great places to start to look for mentors.
Q:What if I do not have a mentor?
A:SOMO staff will work with you to help find you a mentor, but you must let us know ASAP.
Q:How do people become mentors?
A:Mentors must fill out a Class A application and provide a copy of their photo ID to their area program staff. The Class A Volunteer Application can be found on our website at
Q:Is there a fee to participate in ALPs University?
A:Yes, there is a registration fee which varies depending on the location of the ALPs University. You can check pricing at
Q:How do I register for ALPs University?
A:Registration is available online (preferred method). The online registration requires payment by credit/debit card so if you do not have either, then you may submit a paper registration form.
Q:Should the athlete and mentor register together?
A:Yes, we ask the athlete and mentor to register together. If you do not have a mentor assigned yet, you may enter “TBD” for your mentor.