INDIANAPOLIS – Select student-athletes from three institutions represented the Great Midwest Athletic Conference at the 2017 NCAA Leadership Forum recently in Washington D.C., where they honed their leadership skills in the heart of the nation’s capital.
Alex Harter (Findlay baseball), Diana Corzine (Trevecca women’s soccer) and Ally Dipre (Lake Erie women’s soccer) all attended and participated in various team-building exercises. Ryan Scanlan (Lake Erie administration) also attended to represent the league.
Even more importantly, Harter, Corzine and Dipre, recognized some takeaways that will benefit them as part of their respective sports program and their life in general.
The forum, conducted November 16-19, also included an evening activity to encourage continued networking opportunities for the participants.
Attendees were also educated by NCAA Governance staff about the Association and Divisional structures within the organization along with a better understanding of how different committees operate.
The keynote speaker was Jacqie McWilliams, commissioner of the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA).
Below are a few of the closest personal thoughts from each student-athlete that traveled to the NCAA Leadership Forum.
Diana Corzine – Trevecca – Women’s Soccer - Senior
“I definitely came away from this weekend changed. I hadn't expected to meet and become friends with so many amazing people in just four days, or learn so much about myself, and what it means to be a leader. I loved getting to talk through hard topics and learn from the speakers and facilitators and other student athletes. And I loved giving back to the community around D.C. with the "Blessing Bags" that we packed. I can't remember what the total was for the entire group, but my team, which was 1 of 4, packed almost 650 bags and I was (and still am) honored to be a part of that project. Honestly, I'm just so grateful to have been a part of this entire event. I can't even fully express how much I enjoyed my 4 days in (Washington) D.C. or how much it is has impacted me and taught me, but I hope to continue reflecting on the questions like "what is my why?" and "how can I lead with a growth mindset?" because those kinds of questions matter. So anyway, that's the kind of stuff I learned in D.C. and also my biggest takeaways. I'd only like to add that I can't thank the NCAA, my conference, and my school enough for this opportunity. I definitely do not take it for granted!”
Alex Harter – Findlay – Baseball – Junior
My trip to Washington D.C. was an incredible one and an experience I will never forget. They were very long days with a lot of information, but it was worth every second. The days consisted of morning speakers and breaking out into out “color” groups that had about 20 people in each group. After splitting into the groups, you really start to grow with these people. You get student-athletes, former student-athletes, and current athletic administrators from all different backgrounds. You get people from every division, basically every sport, and from all over the country. This brought the most out of us, everyone had something to say, and had different perspectives from different situations. This really had my mind thinking and listened closely trying to soak in as much information as possible. There was no judgement and our facilitators did a great job of starting conversation, and my group was even better at speaking out and giving their opinions.
Showing up was difficult for me because I had never been to D.C. or been to a leadership forum like this. I had no idea what to expect, but in those four days I have grown more as a leader and as a person than I ever could imagine. I have taken away so many new ideas and new thoughts that I think can improve not only myself but also the people around me. The biggest things I took away are to be yourself as a leader, lead by example, listen to people, try to understand people, and lead people in ways that are effective. Everyone communicates and responds to leadership differently, to be an effective leader you must be able to listen, learn, and adapt to who you are leading to get the most out of yourself and others.
I can’t thank the University of Findlay, G-MAC, and the NCAA enough for giving me this opportunity. The people I met are relationships that I plan on keeping throughout my life. I also want to thank my group (Navy group) and my facilitators for being the best support group and helping me grow over the time we were together. I went into this forum not being confident if I would even fit into this “leadership” role, but I am more confident than ever in what I have learned and taken away to become the best person and leader I can be.
I end this with a quote that was talked about at the forum and really spoke to me:
“Nobody cares how much you know, until they know much you care.”
Ally Dipre – Lake Erie – Women’s Soccer - Senior
Heading into an event like this was kind of overwhelming. i didn’t really know what to expect in terms of activities or lessons that would be taught and knowing there would be 400 new faces awaiting my arrival was nerve wracking in and of it self. But i can truthfully say those four days in DC changed me. The information i learned about leadership and myself is going to stick with me beyond my days at Lake Erie. i learned the importance of keeping an open mind, knowing how to lead with my strengths and reach out to people who make up for my weaknesses, and knowing that leaders can be the one with the loudest voice or even the one in the background creating the plan. i thank Lake Erie for giving me this chance to attend, the NCAA for providing this chance, and all the other participants for sharing their experiences with me!