Wittenberg's Sarah Jurewicz, Kara Seidenstricker and Stephen Stuthers pose with other representatives from NCAC schools at the 2015 NCAA Student-Athlete Leadership Forum.

Springfield, Ohio — After spending four days at an NCAA Student-Athlete Leadership Forum, Wittenberg University junior volleyball right-side hitter Kara Seidenstricker (London, Ohio/Jonathan Alder) and junior swimmer Stephen Stuthers (Pittsburgh, Pa./Central Catholic) say they are ready to apply lessons learned to improve the student-athlete experience on campus. 

Seidenstricker and Stuthers were joined by Senior Woman Administrator and Women’s Basketball Head Coach Sarah Jurewicz at an NCAA Leadership Forum April 9-12 in Orlando, Fla. More than 300 student-athletes and administrators, representing all divisions of the NCAA, participated in a variety of breakout sessions focusing on individual behaviors and values, discussions with the national Student-Athlete Advisory Committee and NCAA representatives, and life-skills presentations. 

“I feel so honored to have had the opportunity to attend the NCAA Student-Athlete Leadership Forum,” Seidenstricker said. “It was an extremely beneficial experience that allowed us to step outside our comfort zone and grow. Because of the diversity of divisions and sports that were represented at the forum, we were able to hear from many different perspectives and learn from the experience of the people in our groups. 

“Whether it was a discussion on communication, leadership styles, or responsibilities of leaders, we all had different stories to share that still related to everyone in the room and could be used in any sport or group. I can't wait to start sharing some of the stories and ideas from the weekend that I know will be helpful to the volleyball team and groups on campus.” 

Stuthers said he gained a great deal from small group sessions that focused on emotional intelligence and the role communications plays in developing leadership styles in individuals. 

“I can honestly say that I am very excited to be back on campus and have the opportunity to bring back what I have learned to the swimming and diving team and other campus organizations I am involved with,” Stuthers said. “It was an experience that I will never forget.” 

Jurewicz said it wasn’t just student-athletes taking important lessons from the forum. From the small group sessions to presentations by speakers, including Olympian Mark Everett and three-time Paralympian April Holmes and inclusion specialist Derek Greenfield, to social opportunities in the evenings, Jurewicz said she has new and fresh perspectives to share with her fellow coaches back in Springfield. 

“The value of the NCAA Leadership Forum is in how it promotes personal time to reflect on effective approaches to leadership,” said Jurewicz, who led Wittenberg women’s basketball to the second round of the NCAA Division III Tournament in 2015. “We had the chance to observe student-athletes develop a deeper understanding of the significant responsibility the role of a leader within a team has to hold. It was fantastic to see how student-athletes became empowered to use their voice and find confidence in their own ability to communicate effectively and find resolution to issues they face in their own athletic experience. 

“For me, personally, I enjoyed engaging with fellow coaches and administrators regarding the vital example we can take pride in providing for our student-athletes. Being around a large group of open and sincere student-athletes exposed me to many of the concerns and roadblocks this generation absorbs and manages. This experience gave me another level of understanding to work more consistently with not only my own team, but also, other student-athletes I interact with here at Wittenberg.”

Written By: Ryan Maurer