S.A.A.C | October 31, 2017

SEASIDE, Calif. -- Otter L.E.A.D. (Leadership Experience for Athlete Development) was developed to offer specific leadership training to CSUMB student-athletes. The program is a direct answer to student-athlete feedback about wanting leadership programming.

The four-session program is designed to give student-athletes information and practical experience that they can use as leaders in the classroom, among their teams, and in the professional world. Just like a coach, the Otter L.E.A.D. facilitators will challenge and support each participant through self-reflection, practical application, and critical thinking.

Assistant Athletic Director for Student Success and program facilitator Channing Kimball says, "The chance to create a leadership development program for our student-athletes was an exciting project for me. I envision the program growing and developing to become a valuable and unique part of the MB student-athlete experience."
I want the participants to think of themselves as another MB team. Through the course of the program they will get to know one another, develop trust, show care, ask questions, have conversations, and reach out to each other for advice."

The other program facilitators are Derek Gutierrez, coordinator of student organizations and leadership development, and Kristen Vega, Greek life and community engagement coordinator.

In addition to the four class sessions, the participants are asked to attend one additional leadership event during the course of the academic year. Some chose to meet this requirement by attending the Connections Conference, an annual campus conference sponsored by the CSUMB Student Organization and Leadership Development Office, on October 7. This year's conference focused on challenging student leaders to adopt a pursuit of lifelong curiosity. Click for an online recap of event.

Kimball identified the Learning Outcomes for Otter L.E.A.D. using feedback from the student-athlete 2016-17 experience evaluation surveys and the participants' applications. The Learning Outcomes are:

• Create a foundation of knowing yourself as a leader
• Develop both individual leadership skills and interpersonal relationship skills
• Discuss and practice effective communication including difficult conversations
• Identify personal responsibility and how it relates to your role as a leader
• Develop skills to help you foster accountability and mental toughness in peers
• Learn skills that allow you to be a positive liaison between coach and team
• Develop your leadership in a way so others see you as a leader

Student-athletes were chosen for the program based on applications. The inaugural Otter L.E.A.D. class is comprised of  seventeen student-athletes from seven different sports.
The participants are:
Olivia Boisen        Water Polo - Junior
Lucy Gates        Water Polo - Junior
Marisa Lovos        Water Polo - Junior
Gwynne McBride        Water Polo - Freshman
Morgan Tucker        Water Polo - Junior
Courtney Hennings        Softball - Junior
Jayme Stark        Softball - Senior
Brianna Tucker        Basketball - Junior
Alexa Sperling        Basketball - Senior
Camille Parker        Basketball - Freshman
Chandler McKean        Volleyball - Junior
Ashlynne Armstrong        Volleyball - Junior
Alexa Blunt        Volleyball - Freshman
Matthew Hedges        Golf - Senior
Connor Fabing        Baseball - Sophomore
Andrew Garcia        Soccer - Senior
Marco Rangel        Soccer - 5th Year