The development of this relationship also often translates into recommendations for transfers to either four year schools, graduate schools or work. More than a few times, team members who have been empowered through involvement with the team have come to me with newly constructed resumes in their often novice attempt in the work world. Coaching, in many respects, is a primary vehicle for positively influencing a student's performance, not only in competition but in all phases of the college career. The lower economic standing of the at-risk student has multiple repercussions. The most obvious is that often the at-risk student is involved in a continuous struggle between the desire to stay in school and the economic need to work and achieve financial security.
Many students are single mothers and are plagued with the financial problems that result.
Many students have never been able to travel outside their neighborhood and have quite provincial experience with little exposure outside their social milieu. For the forensicator, the opportunities to travel to other schools, often outside their state, stay in hotels, and perhaps in the case of Nationals, travel by plane, are important experiences. In addition, students get to interact, not only with students from other races and backgrounds, but intra-racially with students from different class levels. Their vistas are broadened immeasurably. While this is often impossible for many at-risk students at large colleges, the involvement in decision making as it relates to the forensic team can certainly have many of the same positive effects.