"This week is about learning, growing and building upon all the leadership skills you already have to be the best possible version of yourself every day."
In his role as emcee, Chris Grant, deputy commissioner of the Southland Conference, opened the 2021 NCAA Student-Athlete Leadership Forum by articulating the purpose of the program experience to the room of 250 student-athletes, coaches and athletics administrators as they embarked on the four-day learning journey.
The NCAA Student-Athlete Leadership Forum is an annual leadership development offering, designed to provide a transformative learning experience for student-athletes from across divisions and sports in the NCAA membership. The 2021 forum took place Nov. 18-21 in Houston, providing a venue for meaningful connection among the participants and marking a return to in-person engagement for the first time since the spring of 2019.
Division I and II conference offices and Division III schools nominated select student-athletes to attend the forum. These participants returned to campus after the four-day learning experience with invaluable leadership skills, a refined understanding of their core values and personal strengths and the support of a close network of peers.
"We had an incredible week with the NCAA Student-Athlete Leadership Forum and were so glad to have our student-athletes back in person and ready to engage with leadership and interactive training," said Sable Lee, assistant director of NCAA leadership development. "The athletes and attending conference/campus representatives were eager to learn, lead and engage with each other. Delivering the program reemphasized the profound importance of leadership programming and peer connection within today's society."
Members of the green color team identify their core values in an activity at the 2021 Student-Athlete Leadership Forum, which took place Nov. 18-21 in Houston.
The heart of the Student-Athlete Leadership Forum was the color team experience, during which the participants were broken into groups of 30 student-athletes, coaches and administrators. This small group setting created space for meaningful connections and thoughtful discussion surrounding key elements of leadership. Each color team was led by a pair of college athletics administrators, who facilitated sessions on topics including leadership identity, emotional intelligence, crucial conversations and more.
"In four days, I was able to completely break down everything that I thought I knew about myself, my leadership philosophy, my values, my beliefs, what I thought was right and wrong. I was able to strip it all down, place it in front of me and rebuild a whole new foundation," said Aaron Goodwin, a senior business and marketing major and sprinter on the track team at Kennesaw State. "I learned so much and gained so many friends for life. It's crazy how in four days you can meet people that you felt that you had known forever. The experience changed my life. It really did."
In addition to the smaller group setting, participants gained insight into the NCAA governance process and the role of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee at the conference and national level. Attendees participated in an interactive workshop on wellness and its many components, learning strategies and resources to prioritize their personal mental health and well-being. The program featured two keynote speakers, Olympic softball player Haylie McCleney and motivational speaker Jonathan Sprinkles, who provided inspiration and thoughtful takeaways.
"The SALF represents a truly transformational opportunity for those who embrace the process," Lee said. "The ability for our participants to dive headfirst into four days of thoughtful leadership curriculum, form meaningful relationships with one another and share all they learned with others makes for a truly impactful experience. We were thrilled to provide this necessary programming and cannot wait to follow along as the 2021 cohort members implement all they learned on their campuses and in their communities."
"I learned a lot about myself aside from softball," said Morgan Adams, a graduate student at Grambling. "I just want to be an all-around better person, and I feel like being at the forum put me in a position to do that."
The next Student-Athlete Leadership Forum will take place in spring 2023 to maximize opportunities for student-athletes competing in fall sports who might have missed the opportunity to attend this year.
After more than two years, the Student-Athlete Leadership Forum was able to be held in person this fall, giving student-athletes and other participants the chance to engage with one another.
