Rock, paper, scissors united over 250 student-athletes, administrators and coaches from Division I, II and III from across the country.
It started with one student-athlete facing the other. The loser of the game trailed behind the winner, cheering them on as they challenged the next person. Soon, a crowd of 15 people rallied behind the person who kept winning. Then 45 people cheered on their teammate, while another 45 people cheered on the opponent. Then 60, then 85, then 90.
There were organized chants, rhythmic clapping, eager faces anticipating the winner of the game.
Eventually, all 250 participants gathered in the hall to watch the final two student-athletes square off. One winner took the crown as the ultimate champion, but the competition demonstrated the power of teamwork, encouraging one another and having fun through competition.
Two participants square off in rock, paper, scissors as over 200 people cheer them on.
From Thursday through Sunday, over 190 student-athletes, 15 coaches and 50 administrators attended the Student-Athlete Leadership Forum. Hosted by the NCAA leadership development staff, the four-day event provided participants with the opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of their core values, develop emotional intelligence and embrace vulnerability.
"It's eye-opening: 0.03% of NCAA student-athletes are here right now, and just seeing not only Division I but Division II and III schools here together having these similar experiences is awesome," said Ezekiel Salama, who is on the Alabama A&M track and field team.
Building relationships was a key focus of the program and was encouraged through small-group activities. Participants were each assigned to a color team with about 30 other student-athletes, coaches and administrators, as well as two trained facilitators, who serve as college athletics administrators on campuses throughout the NCAA membership.
"It's been so welcoming. We left our biases and judgment at the door. You don't experience that every day. I could 100% say that I will be talking to (the people I met) after this conference," said Kyle Wandel, a golfer at Mary Hardin-Baylor. "Someone joked around saying they might be invited to your weddings. I could see one or two guys definitely being invited to my wedding."
Yellow team members huddle in their room. Facilitators guided the learners through in-depth discussion about core values, emotional intelligence and inclusive leadership.
Facilitators guided participants through a series of workshops that encouraged introspection and discussion about leadership. Attendees also had the opportunity to attend division-specific governance sessions, participate in a community service activity to support pediatric cancer patients and attend well-being sessions.
This year's program theme, "Light the Torch," a nod to this year's Olympic Games, aimed to inspire student-athletes to come together, celebrate one another and leave ready to apply and share the lessons learned in the program on their own campuses and out in the world.
Here are three ways the student-athletes learned how to "Light the Torch" in their lives on and off the playing field:
Light someone else's torch; it won't diminish your own flame.
On the first day of the forum, Mark Trumbo, associate director of leadership development at the NCAA, told the participants that "a candle loses nothing lighting another candle." This served as an introduction into servant and inclusive leadership, which became a recurring theme throughout the four days.
The learners applied this theme of lighting the torch while discussing mental health and well-being. Keynote speaker Jhanelle Peters, athletics counseling coordinator at Pepperdine, preached to the student-athletes that it is OK to not be OK.
"It's OK to get your light from somebody that is already glowing. It's OK to ask for help. Have mentors and role models that you can borrow light from and start your own light so that other people can borrow from you," said Sneha Sundaraneedi, a member of the West Virginia Wesleyan tennis team.
Kali Barber, a compliance manager at Seattle Pacific, spoke about the importance of understanding your value even if the people around you don't.
"When someone tries to diminish your light, that is when your light shines the brightest," Barber said, "because it is when you can step up the most and prove to yourself that you are in the right spot at the right moment."
Understand your comfort zones are not progress zones.
The facilitators challenged the learners to understand that an aspect of personal growth and leadership requires stepping out of their comfort zones and adopting a growth mindset instead of a fixed mindset.
"A growth mindset is crucial to lighting your torch and lighting up those around you. Putting yourself in the position to be in the growth mindset and get out of the fixed mindset means knowing that there's always a possibility and that failure is just an opportunity," said Carly Robbins, a softball team member at Long Beach State.
Opeyemi Kareem-Ojo, a member of the track and field team at Virginia Wesleyan, said he learned a practical way to step out of your comfort zone is simply by raising your hand.
"I would say, even if you're nervous about something, just go for it. Just try. If it fails, you know you came out of your comfort zone, and you can try again next time and just keep learning."
To some administrators and coaches at the conference, stepping out of their comfort zone meant reframing the way they communicate and connect to their student-athletes.
"I've learned the importance of being vulnerable because it allows for my student-athletes to open up to me. As we try to help them be the best version of themselves, we have to show them it's OK not to be OK at times. By being able to be vulnerable, it helps them get more comfortable with us and be the best versions of themselves," said Lucy Mason, assistant director of student-athlete experience at North Carolina Central.
Use your core values in your decision-making.
Keynote speaker Kevin DeShazo talked about how fear can often be a driving force
for decision-making for student-athletes. Fear of missing a shot, fear of losing or fear of not being good enough can lead them into a negative thought pattern. Instead, DeShazo encouraged the participants to define their core values, so their purpose, instead of fear, drives their decisions.
"Fear causing you to play small limits you from living your purpose," DeShazo said. "Positive thoughts strengthen your brain."
Student-athletes were able to apply these lessons as facilitators led them to sessions that helped them look internally to define their core values to implement them into their day-to-day leadership.
"I have identified my core values, so I know that if I stick to my core values and stay authentic to myself, I can transfer that onto others that I lead and hopefully I can light their torch, as well," said AJ Powell, a Wisconsin-Parkside golfer.
Jaylan Harris, a football player at LaGrange, said the difficulty of defining values turned out to be a rewarding and worthwhile experience.
"Defining my core values was challenging, but it taught me about myself. It teaches you about how you go about everyday life, making you do self-evaluation, seeing how things impact your decision-making. It will make me a better leader as a result."
Student-athletes leave the leadership forum with new friendships and smiles on their faces.
