In this first session, we will be discussing what a good leader looks like and models we have to look up to for this. We will also dive into the challenges that come with being a leader and sacrifices that need to be made. We will do an activity to help us determine everyone’s individual “why”- why they want to be a leader, why they already are seen as a leader, and why these challenges and sacrifices are worth it.

We will discuss in small groups your strengths and how they can be best used as a leader. (High school based off the strengths assessment). We will talk about the importance of leaders’ individual traits and strengths and how to put our strengths together to lead in the best way possible.

We will do activities that emphasize the importance of building trust within your team and how to gain this trust. We will also dive into what it looks like to lead by example.

This session will go over the important mental performance components that come with being a leader: leading with confidence instills confidence in the team, resiliency shows that things will not always be easy but there is belief that they can be done, and having a growth mindset shows the importance of recovering from mistakes and not holding onto perfectionism.

We will discuss the implications of mental health on leaders and the importance of being vulnerable and transparent. We also will provide ways to check in with teammates and support their mental health. We will dive into what it looks like to build a team culture that is a positive environment for mental health.

This final session will circle back to “what a good leader looks like” and incorporate all of the components we discussed in the last several sessions. We will do an activity to come up with individual goals and action steps to stick to the athletes’ roles as a leader.