Athletes welcomed back to campus
By Kurt Wagner
Legendary football coach Vince Lombardi famously said, "Leaders aren't born, they are made." The Santa Clara Athletic Department was listening.Santa Clara athletes were welcomed back to campus Monday night in the Leavey Center with an annual event geared toward providing a positive message to start off both the athletic and academic year. This year's theme was Leadership. San Jose Sharks coach Todd McLellan was on hand as a guest speaker to convey to Santa Clara's student athletes the importance and value of being a leader.
"It wasn't that long ago I was a student sitting in the stands listening to that type of message," said McLellan. "I remember taking pieces of it, parts that I certainly believed in and tend to live them more than others. For me, to give back I feel is real important."
McLellan discussed his view of the word leadership, which he explained often times means different things for different groups of people. "Leadership on the women's soccer team may be completely different from leadership with the rowing team, with the tennis team, with the golf team," he said to the crowd."Leadership in the first-grade classroom is definitely much different than in the on-field huddle."
The Sharks coach went on to encourage underclassmen to step into leadership roles as well, regardless of age or experience. McLellan explained how leadership qualities ultimately do not live and die with athletics; they can transcend many aspects of life and be carried into the job market and to graduate school.
"So when you go and sit down at HP or eBay or wherever you go work after, at some law firm, they're looking for quality individuals," he said. "And that word leadership is going to come up, I guarantee you."In addition to hearing from McLellan, student athletes also tuned in to Santa Clara Athletic Director Dan Coonan who spoke about the Bronco Creed and "Bronco Pride," and every athlete was given a special t-shirt with the words "Bronco Pride" printed across the front.
"[Bronco Pride] means doing a lot with a little, and Santa Clara has a history of doing that," said Coonan, in his seventh year as Athletic Director.To kick off the night, last year's conference champions were acknowledged, with Men's crew being recognized for bringing home the school's only team championship for the year.
Individual conference champions Stephanie Wilson for cross country and Scott Travers of men's golf were also named. The topics covered at the annual event differ each year. Last year, the university brought in professionals to help coach and train student athletes to deal with the media. Two years ago, Santa Clara professor Clint Pardoe spoke on the importance of time management skills. But this year's talk on leadership really seemed to hit its point with the crowd, especially some of the seniors.
"This year in comparison to the others, it was a little more intimate," said senior soccer player Maxine Goynes. "I think just with the Sharks being so close and how well they do, all of us admire (McLellan) and we want to be a part of something like that."For senior water polo player Stephen Hobbs, Monday's talk was more "sport specific" than years past because it could translate to any age level or any sport.
"I think that's kind of the important thing," he said. "Just take away different aspects of how can I improve myself? How can I improve my own leadership with my team?"Both Goynes and Hobbs feel one of their biggest roles as seniors is to pass on what they know to their new, younger teammates."It's more for me about sharing," said Goynes. "It's knowing that information and passing it along and teaching the underclassmen what it's going to be like for them and how they can set an example for freshmen to come."
Tom Schreier contributed to this story. Contact Kurt Wagner at jwagner@scu.edu or (408) 554-4849