Student-athletes! Register now for Leadership: On & Off the Field
Sunflower Bank and the Kansas Youth Leadership Academy present a one-day leadership seminar for student-athletes in grades 9-12, November 11 at the Capitol Plaza in Topeka, Kansas.
The unique one-day workshop for high-school student-athletes features keynote speakers and is specifically for statewide student-athletes interested in improving leadership skills, is designed around pressing needs, issues and concerns of high-school student-athletes.
Curriculum materials and speakers provide student-athletes with five specialized sessions that are intended to be “life-impacting” and encourage student-athletes to “make a difference.”
“The conference is designed to empower young people with skills to put into practice positive leadership, both on & off the field,” said Chantelle Arnold, director of the KYLA, “and to serve as active citizens within their communities.”
The KYLA relies on a team of educators, facilitators, undergraduate and graduate staff to facilitate, and moderate the two-day conference. Students attended five workshop sessions led by a team of two facilitators moderating an interactive lesson. Conference facilitators include students at Fort Hays State University, coaches from Kansas high schools and junior colleges, young business professionals, and graduate students working closely with KYLA.
“The sessions really key in on parallels between players from across the state and leadership concepts that are often obvious on court, but aren’t really taught in a classroom setting in schools,” said Angie Huggard, customer service officer at Sunflower Bank and conference facilitator. “It’s motivating for a lot of these students, realizing leadership concepts they use instinctively in practice, are actually extremely valuable beyond sports and in the future.”
Students are encouraged to attend in a group from their school, and coaches and athletic directors also may attend or serve as sponsor, participating in the conference’s tandem Coaches Clinic, or simply observing and serving as a liaison for the students. The conference takes place twice a year, once in Wichita, and occurs in spring and fall, timed between sports seasons each semester. Previous speakers include former K-State Head Football Coach Bill Snyder, SADD Director Bob Anastas, Patti Phillips of WIN for KC and former NFL player Kendall Gammon.
“We’re extremely pleased to play a role in the leadership development of student-athletes,” said Phyllis Pickel, executive vice president – corporate and relationship development, Sunflower Bank. “Our future community leaders attend these conferences, and work hard every day in the classroom and on the field. As a community bank, we’re eager to help invest in their futures.”
Leadership on & off the field is sponsored by the Kansas Youth Leadership Academy in partnership with the Kansas Sports Hall of Fame, and is funded by Sunflower Bank and the McDonald’s owner-operators of Kansas. KYLA is part of the Center for Civic Leadership at Fort Hays State University.
