by Jackie McBride
UW Volleyball
In early February I was presented with the opportunity to apply for the annual Student-Athlete Leadership Forum, a program designed to strengthen the leadership skills of student-athletes, coaches and administrators in the NCAA. Come March, I was informed of my acceptance into the program. Utah State track and field athlete Kyle Brost and I were selected to represent the Mountain West Conference at the national level. I felt both humbled and excited!
Over 400 members of the NCAA from Division I, II and III schools across the nation engaged in stimulating conversation and activities. The goal of the forum was to further participants' understanding of communication, personal core values and the NCAA as a whole.
The conference was set to take place April 11 to 14, 2019 in sunny Orlando, Fla. As my departure neared, so did a spring snowstorm. My Thursday morning flight out of Laramie was cancelled, resulting in a late arrival.
Fortunately, I was able to identify the value in my misfortune and embrace it. Being thrown into a group of other passionate leaders who already had the chance to acclimate to the forum environment was intimidating at first, but it forced me out of my comfort zone.
Upon arrival, I was shown to my "color group"—the pink team! This was a group of 34 student-athletes and staff members intended to promote intimate and productive conversation. Each day of the conference began with a guest speaker, followed by a meeting about NCAA legislation and then we split up into our color teams.
One of the most impactful moments of the weekend was a presentation by Chris Norton, a former Luther College football player who experienced a life-changing spinal cord injury. When doctors told him that he would never walk again, he became motivated to disprove them. Norton worked tirelessly and was able to reach the goal of walking across the stage at his college graduation. He finished his presentation by encouraging us to push past life's challenges and then actually stood up out of his wheelchair. It was a special feeling to hear from an individual as profound as Norton!
Another focus of the weekend was community service. We began by exchanging ideas on how our schools' Student-Athlete Advisory Committees support those living in our communities. After our brainstorming session, we participated in an act of service alongside the Harbor House of Central Florida, an organization that aims to assist victims of domestic violence. Within 30 minutes, we packed over 1,000 hygiene packages for people that seek help from the Harbor House. This portion of the forum refreshed my memory on how valuable community service is, something that I hope to emphasize in my remaining time at UW.
Over the course of the weekend, I learned that I'm not a finished product; improving my abilities as a student-athlete, teammate and leader require a lot of reflection and intentional practice. I am hopeful that I can share some of the key takeaways from the forum with my peers on campus and in the Laramie community.
Each person that attended the forum came from different divisions, conferences, states and sports, resulting in tons of unique leadership styles. It was very enlightening to be surrounded by people who shared my passion to lead, but had contrasting contributions to the conversation. This theme inspired me to learn from those around me throughout the weekend and will continue to do so in my athletic and professional careers. The Student-Athlete Leadership Forum served as a great reminder of my gratitude to the sport that I play, the people that support me and the opportunities I have as a student-athlete at UW.
