This week, three Bearcats attended the NCAA Student-Athlete Leadership Forum (SALF). Hosted by the NCAA leadership development staff, the four-day event aims to provide attendees 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.

Attending the forum were:

• Maris Pinheiro (Softball)

• Myles Crandall (Men's Track & Field)

They were accompanied by Lisa Ljubicic, Head Women's Soccer Coach.

About the Forum

The forum, held in the Dallas area, served 184 student-athletes, as well as nine coaches and 52 administrators. Division I and II conference offices and Division III schools nominate select student-athletes and administrators to attend the forum, which is hosted annually.

"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."

"I had a very positive experience and was surrounded by inspiring student-athletes, coaches, and administrators," said Lisa Ljubicic. "Every person at the forum had the goal of becoming better for themselves, their teams, and/or their departments, and we left with both a desire and increased knowledge on how to have a positive and deeper connection within our communities."

Program Highlights

The theme for this year's program, "Adjust Your Sails," focused on equipping student-athletes with leadership skills and empowering them to take on greater responsibilities on campus and in the world.

• Building Relationships: A key focus was encouraged through small-group activities. Learners were assigned to "color teams" with about 30 other attendees and two trained facilitators (college athletics administrators).

• Workshops: Facilitators guided attendees through a series of workshops that encouraged introspection and discussion about leadership.

• Sessions: Attendees took part in division-specific governance sessions, a community service activity to support domestic violence survivors, and well-being sessions.

Bearcat Reflections

Crandall found the experience very eventful and worthwhile. "They provided an in-depth understanding of what leadership means to us as individuals and how to handle specific scenarios we face as leaders on our teams. We also focused on our core values and on a deeper understanding of ourselves and how we can better ourselves as leaders and as individuals."

"This experience was very transformational, allowing me to truly reflect on who I am as a person and a leader. From engaging small-group sessions, activities, and inspiring keynote speeches, I learned so much about what it means to be a leader and how to effectively lead based on my strengths," Said Pinheiro. "I am so blessed to have learned from amazing speakers and professionals in the field, and I will be bringing these lessons back to campus as we work to create a stronger, more connected environment."