Earning Criteria

• Teamwork/Teambuilding and the benefits/responsibilities of athletic participation (1 point) - First year student-athletes will be presented with concepts, strategies, and activities designed to build and lead effective teams. Participants will also be exposed to the expectations of being on a team locally and being a University ambassador more broadly.
• Leadership Theory/Leadership Styles/Leadership of Self (1 point) - First year student-athletes will be introduced to selected, widely recognized, foundational leadership theories. Discussion will focus on identifying leadership skills and developing personal leadership styles. Participants will be confronted with the idea self-leadership and the challenges of team and organizational leadership.
• Overcoming adversity/Conflict and Change management (1 point) - Adversity may manifest itself as a misfortune, a troubling situation, or hardship. Everyone will face adversity at some point in their lives and will encounter conflicts. Second year student-athletes will be discussing adversity and strategies for dealing/coping with it. Participants will further examine conflict and change within a team/organization/person and discuss resources and strategies for managing conflict and change.
• Real-World Leadership with Alumni Guest Speaker (1 point) - Second year student-athletes will be invited to attend a presentation by a former CUW Falcon. Presentation will focus on the alumnus’ daily leadership opportunities, challenges, and strategies. Alumnus will be asked to correlate the lessons learned as a student athlete with how they have or have not prepared them for leadership in the professional setting.
• Group Dynamics (1 point) - Third Year student-athletes will be introduced to group dynamics and the processes and outcomes involved when people in a group interact with each other. Students will learn how groups are constructed, how they behave, and the influence of teamwork on innovation and productivity within an organization.
• Leaders Give Back (1 point) - Third year student-athletes will be led through discussions and exercises designed to focus on the humility required to be an effective leader. Participants will cover topics to include service, gratitude, self-awareness and purpose. Students will identify people or groups that have been positive influences, sources of inspiration, and role models in their lives.
• Planning as a Leadership Skill (1 point) - Fourth year student-athletes will develop planning skills to become effective leaders. Planning is a critical skill for leaders to guide their organizations towards success. This presentation will cover both theoretical and practical skills to enhance learning and application.
• Leadership Communication (1 point) - Fourth year student-athletes will be exposed to the importance of clear and compelling communication in a leadership role, as well as strategies for engaging and inspiring team members. Participants will gain an understanding of the role of effective communication in motivating and influencing others, as well as in managing conflicts and resolving conflict.