Student-athletes set sail on leadership voyage at NCAA forum

On day one of the 2025 Student-Athlete Leadership Forum, learners were asked to interpret a quote by Thomas S. Monson:

"We can't direct the wind, but we can adjust our sails." 

Across the four-day program held Thursday through Sunday in the Dallas area, 245 student-athletes, administrators and coaches all embarked on a journey to learn more about navigating the ever-changing tides of leadership.

Organized and hosted by the NCAA leadership development staff, the Student-Athlete Leadership Forum annually provides participants with the opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of their core values, develop emotional intelligence, embrace vulnerability, grow their personal network and develop leadership skills. Division I and II conference offices and Division III schools nominate select student-athletes and administrators to attend the forum.

"Each year, I am blown away with the engagement, energy and impact that comes with the leadership forum," said Mark Trumbo, NCAA director of leadership development. "The amount of growth that happens with our learners over four days is immeasurable and immediately felt on each campus and conference office as soon as they depart."

Building relationships was a key focus of the program and was encouraged through small-group activities. Learners 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.

"Being surrounded by student-athletes is so uplifting," said Becca Kvam, a softball coach at Martin Luther. "As a coach, everything we do is for our athletes, so to be able to interact with such a great generation of young people that are going to be the next steps in driving forward sport but also leadership across so many different places, it's awesome to see that."

"Being in an area where you don't know anyone … you're forced to make these connections and talk to these people around you. Otherwise, you're just going to be awkwardly sitting there all weekend," said Xavier Palmer, a baseball student-athlete at Bethany Lutheran. "So, you're forced to make these connections and find bridges between a bunch of different people. It's very good for your social skills. And then also, you meet people that you would have never met before that maybe down the road you'll be able to stay in contact with."

This year's program theme, "Adjust Your Sails," aimed to equip student-athletes with leadership skills and empower them to take on greater responsibilities and apply the lessons learned when they are on campus and out in the world.

"I think it's good to step back and take in this experience because I feel like there's a lot of aspects in my life that I still need to work on, and the only way that I'm gonna get better for them is by diving in to how I can be a leader for myself and for those around me," said Ana Rojas-Zamora, a women's wrestling student-athlete at Chadron State. "I just hope to be more honest with myself and really be who I am and trust that I can be a good person who does the right things … and I'm hoping eventually that will rub off on some other people."

In day two's opening session, Felicia Martin, NCAA senior vice president of inclusion, education and community engagement, spoke with learners about how their values anchor the decisions they make in life.

"Elvis Presley once said, 'Values are like fingerprints. Nobody's are the same, but you leave them all over everything you do,'" Martin said.

Student-athletes also had the opportunity to attend division-specific governance sessions and participate in a community service activity to support domestic violence survivors.

For administrators and coaches, Lamarr Pottinger, CEO of Determined To Be Great Consulting, facilitated an interactive workshop with administrators and coaches on the leadership pipeline framework, addressing the different levels and responsibilities of leadership. 

"Lamarr's session really put into perspective each step of the ladder that you have to climb in the professional world, and it really makes you think about how you manage yourself and those around you in a really meaningful and positive way," said Aaron Tully, a communications assistant at the Northeast Conference.

All learners attended sessions surrounding their well-being during day three. Angel Brutus, president and CEO of Synergistic Solutions, talked with student-athletes about the importance of monitoring their well-being and overall health, while Nyaka NiiLampti, vice president of wellness and clinical services for the NFL, led coaches and administrators through discussions on maintaining their mental health.

Keynote speaker Will Baggett from Emergent Executives closed out the program on the final day by speaking about the best ways to overcome adversity and how to position yourself for success. He challenged learners to not wait for the change they want to see, but to step outside their comfort levels to lead that change.

"I'm not the biggest vocal guy, but I feel like this weekend has really led me to be able to speak up in my color team groups. And I've gained a lot of new friends that I feel like I'm going to stay connected to in the future," said Tyler Bogusz, a baseball student-athlete at East Texas Baptist. "That's not something I've done in my past. I sometimes stay in my lane and hope others follow doing what I enjoy doing. I feel like going outside of my bubble will help me get to the next level of leadership and growth."