There were 220 student-athletes that gathered for last week's NCAA Student-Athlete Forum in Orlando, Fla., in addition to more than 80 coaches and administrators across the country. Anderson University was represented by football player Elliot Murray, volleyball player Emily Hale and football graduate assistant Tyson Moore.
 
The forum was designed to cover leadership topics that are applicable with student-athletes and coaches on campus.
 
Elliot Murray - Football - Junior - Wide Receiver - Coleman, Mich. - Coleman
"Last Thursday, I left AU heading for Orlando only knowing two people who would be attending the NCAA Student Athlete Leadership Forum. When I left Orlando, I came home with many lifelong friends from all over the United States.
 
"Here are some of the lessons that I brought home with me: First, I need to do a better job of taking care of me, in order to have the energy to pour into others. Often, I over schedule and am left not having enough energy to pour into others' lives. Secondly, I need to learn to become more present where my feet are. To add more value to each moment that each day brings. To use each moment as an opportunity to grow, learn, and lead. Finally, I need to learn to stay in the deep end. To continue to put myself in uncomfortable situations, in order to grow. Comfort is fun, but comfort doesn't create growth. I believe that God used this trip to open my eyes to some of the areas of my life that I need to work on, and he affirmed some of the areas that I am strong in, despite sometimes having doubts. Overall, I am thankful for the opportunity to be stretched to grow this weekend."
 
Emily Hale - Volleyball - Junior - Outside Hitter/Right Side
"It was a great experience and the atmosphere was incredible! I learned so much and met so many great people! I am glad I got the opportunity to attend and it is definitely something I would recommend to others!"
 
Tyson Moore - Football - Graduate Assistant
"Leadership is arguably the most important factor in engineering success. Whether it is on the field or off the field, leadership never stops. This conference forum was a great opportunity for all involved. There were over 300 student athletes, coaches and administrators from all three levels of NCAA athletics in attendance. Each person had their own story, their own experiences, of which they used to impact and influence those around them and aided in the development of not only themselves, but their peers. It became clear relatively quickly that most people know what a leader is, they realize the traits that create a leader, but they do not always understand how to be a leader themselves.
 
"As a coach, I often reflect on my role as a leader, I have developed my own leadership philosophy and created my own list of core values for which I center not only my coaching style, but also my life, around. For many who never thought about it before, it was a great opportunity for them to discover their own leadership qualities and create their own core values based on their strengths and weaknesses, that will help them to become a better leader, a better teammate, and most importantly, a better person.
 
"I definitely believe I left the forum having made an impact on the people I interacted with, but also feeling that they impacted me as well. My experience provides me with tools that I am able to bring back with me to Anderson to use on my athletes and really, around campus in general. Leadership isn't a title; it is an action and being able to apply everything I took away from the past couple days and use them back here shows the true success of this conference in developing better leadership. I wish this forum was something that every student athlete could experience, but unfortunately that is not possible. Which is why it is essential for those who do get this opportunity, to share it with everyone else."