October 1, 1998
Villanova, Pa.--The Villanova athletic department with the help of
numerous note-worthy professors at the university, have continually offered Wildcat
student-athletes the best in academic support.
In its fifth year of existence, "The Super Study Skills For Villanova Athletes" workshop run by education professor Dr. Ray Heitzmann, is giving freshmen student-athletes the study skill tips they need to meet the heights of academic success.
"Our number one priority with freshmen is to prepare them for the
academic demands placed upon them," said Villanova Associate Athletic Director for Student
Services Mary Anne Dowling.
"In the ongoing drive for academic excellence, super study skills with the
guidance of Dr. Heitzman gives them certain academic knowledge to help them meet those goals."
This workshop, with a strong emphasis on time management, is given to
the freshman of each of the school's 24 varsity sports; Heitzmann offers the student-athletes
guidelines on how to make the most of their time given their demanding schedules. With the help of
present Villanova athletes such as football captain Jason Tenner and ex-Wildcat softball great
Bridget Baxter, they are also able to offer helpful tips from personal experience.
Heitzmann, a former successful high school and college coach and
author of such books as "Careers for Sports Nuts and Other Athletic Types" in addition to his
teaching at Villanova, begins the sessions defining and giving the importance of what he calls
"classroom power seating".
Classroom power seating stresses the fact that where you sit in class
effects the student's academic performance.
From that point, Heitzmann moves on to talk about the use of the
resources available to student-athletes. From the writing center and mathematics center to the
Academic Advising Department and on through interaction with professors, Wildcat athletes
have numerous outlets to help them reach the pinnacle of their potentials.
Utilizing his own personal super study skill tips generated from
clinical research and study, Heitzmann explained to the student-athletes numerous techniques such as
the use of the "LEAN Technique." Lean forward in class (L), be enthusiastic (E) about one's
studies, ask and answer questions (A), and nod to show awareness (N), are important and sometimes
forgotten aspects of what it takes to be successful in the classroom.
Dr. Heitzmann winds down the workshop with a section on careful
personal scheduling.
Organization of one's time through such techniques as a to-do list greatly
increases the free time a student-athlete can have after practice is over and their work for school
is done.
In the time management portion of the workshop, Heitzmann and his staff go over
several tips both on how to prepare for a test and how to take a test. Having set times throughout
the day to accomplish all that must be accomplished guides the student-athlete through their sport's season and even through the off-season.
Dr. Heitzmann's workshop is one of the many support systems given to
the Villanova student-athlete to help them reach their academic goals. "Super Study
Skills" is unique in the fact that it stresses particular study skills not learned in the classroom, but
skills that are important in a student-athletes performance in the classroom setting. As each student
leaves, they are given five booklets, "Super Study Skills for Success in College", representing the
five steps for super study skills.
These booklets titled note taking tips, test taking tips, time
management techniques, textbook study techniques and classroom power seating, were written by Dr. Heitzmann and produced by the Villanova Wildcat Club.
"My goal is that I would like to see every student-athlete at
Villanova be all-conference both athletically and academically," said Dr. Ray Heitzmann.
"Student-athletes at Villanova come with many excellent skills. This workshop aims to enhance that knowledge and skills."
