The NCAA recently decided to do a blog about Division III athletics. They randomly selected schools and sports and Simpson women’s basketball was chosen.

Junior guard Emily Smith has been writing the blog for the team since Nov. 12.

“I was selected by the NCAA who randomly chose schools,” Smith said. “The blog is about letting people understand what it is like to be a college athlete.”

Smith is new to writing blogs. She has written one per week so far, with her latest addition written for week three on Nov. 26.

“I have never done one before, and I was really nervous because everyone can read it,” Smith said. “I really enjoyed it though. I do one every Wednesday and give people the inside scoop about Division III sports.”

One of her blogs was about Simpson’s strength and conditioning program.

“It was good to hear an athlete’s perspective about our strength program,” Justin Snyder, strength and conditioning coach, said. “She did a good job of getting the Simpson name out.”

The first blog mentioned individual preseason workouts that the women’s team went through. The next blog was about the red and gold intra-squad scrimmage. The third blog includes a list of what to do when the shots keep missing and you don’t know what to do.

The blogs aren’t very long and they have certain rules about them.

“They are usually three to four paragraphs,” Smith said. “I don’t want to write too much and bore people. You can’t say anything against schools or officials because we don’t want to give them a bad reputation. We also don’t have to give anyone bulletin board material.”

Being chosen as one of the schools has shed some light on Simpson.

“It gives visibility to our school and its programs,” Athletic Director John Siranni said. “It is a nice compliment to the quality of the coaches and athletes in the programs here at Simpson.”

These blogs help get the Simpson name out there, along with the names of all of the other schools from every level that are blogging for the NCAA. They give other athletes information on each college, especially those looking to transfer.

“I read the blogs and it helped me get a perspective on how life at each level is like,” sophomore Jordan Buenting, a North Iowa Area Community College athlete, said. “When I transfer, I like to know what these places have to offer.”

These blogs also help increase awareness and create respect for the programs that wrote them.

“I learned a lot about the programs and how each student gets through the week,” Buenting said. “It really helps to read about them when you don’t know too much. It is nice to get the student-athlete’s perspective.”

One thing the blogs are missing, according to Buenting, is the academic side of each school.

“I wish they would have shown how hard it is school-wise,” Buenting said. “It would be nice to know what you are getting into.”

Smith will be doing the blog for the rest of the season and will continue to give insight on how the season is going each week.

The blogs are posted on www.ncaa.com/blogs.