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What could you create with a paper cup, a piece of string, two zip ties, two rubber bands, three toothpicks, three paper clips, a straw and some tape in 2 minutes? This was one of the challenges student-athletes were given at the 2010 Southern Conference Student-Athlete Leadership Institute (SALI). Groups consisting of 8-10 student-athletes and administrators from around the league created a variety of objects, including two fishing devices, a baby mobile and a sling shot.
Why, you ask? To form leadership and team-building skills, of course!
Each year student-athletes, who are actively involved in leadership roles on their own campus and athletic administrators from all 12 SoCon institutions come together for three days in July to take part in SALI. This year the Conference hosted 29 student-athletes, 12 school administrators, four SoCon staff members and two facilitators at the YMCA Blue Ridge Assembly in Black Mountain, N.C.
The SALI experience has thrived for 14 years by bringing together student-athletes, who were nominated by their athletic departments, for a unique learning experience to help them improve their leadership skills in order to use their positions to make a positive impact on campus. The goal is for these young men and women to take what they learn from the facilitators, guest speakers, fellow student-athletes and administrators and share it with their team and their school's Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC).
The program is coordinated and supervised by Associate Commissioner Sue Arakas. Two training facilitators from the Minnesota Institute of Public Health in Mounds View, Minn., Kevin Ringhofer and Martha Harding, moderate classroom discussions and guide the participants through team building activities. Group discussions revolved around a variety of topics including identifying leadership qualities, setting standards of conduct, making appropriate decisions, how to develop and enhance student-athlete advisory councils and using communications skills to effectively deal with coaches and teammates. Interaction and role-play is incorporated into many of the discussions.
A representative from Coleman-Lew & Associates along with a pair of speakers from RBC Bank joined this year's group one evening to discuss the keys to future employment and financial success. The student-athletes learned how their behavior now can impact their career possibilities in the future, from the effort they put forth in their school work, to the leadership role they adopt on their team.
Having fun and meeting new people is a large part of the weekend as well. The participants take part in various ice-breakers, games and physically challenging activities. To test what they've learned about building relationships on a team, everyone took on the Odyssey Course. This dual level 22' and 33' team-challenge course not only promotes teamwork, but requires it. Student-athletes and administrators had to support one another, communicate effectively, problem-solve efficiently and take calculated risks to make it through! The ropes course along with open swim, miniature golf, free gym time, an ice cream social and a s'mores bonfire provide many opportunities for the student-athletes to get to know each other.
In recapping the weekend, Chattanooga Women's Tennis player Annie Green stated that her favorite part of SALI was "the camaraderie between all of the schools. Working together and utilizing everyone's leadership qualities to complete goals showed the importance of various leadership styles and how different ones can compliment different situations."
Leadership skills were improved upon throughout the conference. How the simple task of determining what could be made from 14 random objects showed the student athletes the various roles a leader could actively play in a group. Each person has a different leadership style and learning more about how an introverted or extroverted teammate might interact helps the participants learn how to offer assistance and effectively communicate with their team and campus.
The student-athlete participants will serve as members of the 2010-11 SoCon SAAC. Their primary role as SAAC members is to be a liaison between the conference, athletics administration and other student-athletes. In this capacity, they will be the voice of their teammates on issues that concern them within the conference and the NCAA.