The Spy noticed an heartwarming and novel event during a rather chilly First Friday in downtown Chestertown a few days ago. Cross Street Realtors celebrated two Washington College athletes by participating in the new NCAA ruling allowing amateur athletes to profit from their talent and personas.
A tectonic shift in how college athletes can profit from their images has been underway since last summer with the NCAA’s decision to allow the “NIL”(Names, Image, Likeness) rule. Now there are no restrictions on amateur athletes profiting from their success and receiving endorsements similar to professional athletes.
.
Recently highlighted in the Baltimore Sun for befriending a Kent County man with autism who was having a hard time during the isolative months of the pandemic, Kain Domenech and Erik Parry, juniors on the Washington College lacrosse team, were selected for a NIL honor by Cross Street.
Both student-athletes have brothers with similar challenges and empathize with those facing the same issues. Each day, one of them would connect with their new friend to see how his day was going and plan to continue the connection after the academic year ends.
Stacy Kendall, owner and principal broker at Cross Street, sees their sponsorship as a way to recognize Domenech and Parry’s care and value for others.
Here, Sarah King, associate broke and new Executive Director of Kent County Chamber of Commerce, introduces and awards the town and College’s first NIL recipients.
This video is approximately two minutes long.
Write a Letter to the Editor on this Article
We encourage readers to offer their point of view on this article by submitting the following form. Editing is sometimes necessary and is done at the discretion of the editorial staff.