Bucknell University Athletics
Travis Friend Reports from the USNA Leadership Conference
1/30/2013 7:00:00 AM | Football
Jan. 30, 2013
Three Bison student-athletes traveled to Annapolis, Md., on Sunday for the United States Naval Academy Leadership Conference, which runs through Wednesday. All-Patriot League fullback Travis Friend of the football team, Jennifer Fish of women's rowing, and men's soccer goalkeeper Mike Lansing have joined assistant men's soccer coach Pat Long at the conference.
Below, Travis reports on the second full day of activities at the conference. Click HERE to read Mike's review of the group's arrival in Annapolis, and click HERE to read Jennifer's recap of Monday's seminar.
Jan. 29, 2013
Today was our second full day at the conference, and definitely added to the overall experience I've had so far. We sat through multiple speakers and panels, and interacted with other attendees in smaller group discussions led by Naval Academy midshipmen.
The weather couldn't have been better, and the campus seemed to gleam from the surrounding bay water. Following our arrival, we were led into Mahan Hall and were welcomed to the conference by Captain Robert E. Clark II, Commandant of Midshipmen of the U.S. Naval Academy. He stimulated the audience's mind by describing an analogy of a frog in a well. He described how there was a frog at the bottom of a well and when the frog looked up; he could only see part of the sky. The main point he was trying to get at was that people need to branch out and see the bigger picture when it comes to being a leader. Life is a process of beginning and learning from experiences, and so is leadership.
The next speaker was Ms. Susan Chambers, who is part of the Global Peoples Division at Wal-Mart. What struck me the most about Ms. Chambers was when she said that “leaders are made out of adversity.”
Being a football player, learning how to face adversity when it arises enables a team to develop. Every team faces some type of adversity, and the good ones find a way to push through it and use it to their advantage. Another big part of her talk that I noted was what she said about being trustworthy. As a leader, you have to do what you say, and this is how I try and live my everyday life. Courage is standing up for something, and if you don't stand for something then you will fall for anything. By knowing what you stand for, I believe it will ultimately help in becoming the leader that your team needs.
We then moved to a panel discussion, where several intelligent people talked about their qualities of leadership. Something that stood out to me was when Colonel John “J.V.” Venable, USAF (Ret.) described how change doesn't come easy. It's hard to set aside your individual ego and “buy in” to the overall bigger picture that the coaching staff has developed. One way I look about it is to keep your mouth shut and ears open, and to get the lay of the land before you get involved. As a freshman, I sat back and watched previous captains work toward having team discipline, and this has allowed me to learn what does and doesn't work when it comes to getting every team member on the same page.
By setting clear expectations, while respecting other individuals on the team, I believe will help to build relationships that will last not only for the four years we are on a team, but the rest of our lives.
The evening concluded with an inspiring talk from Lieutenant Bradley Snyder, Wounded Warrior, Paralympian and Gold Medalist Swimmer, United States Navy. This was the most inspiring talk of the conference, and it truly taught me to appreciate the things in my life. Lt. Snyder was severely injured when he initiated an improvised land mine. He was able to quickly recover from his wounds, however the blast permanently rendered him blind. As part of his transition, Lt. Snyder competed in the 2012 Paralympics. He swam seven events, yielding two gold medals, and one silver. It's not just his athletic accomplishments that I was in awe about, but how he was thankful for his mother and the fact that he's still alive.
My mother has been by my side every step of the way throughout my life, and I truly am thankful for everything she and my dad have done for me. Without them I would not be the person I am today. Words cannot describe the amount of respect I have for Lt. Snyder, and I will never forget his speech. I am blessed to have had the opportunity to attend this conference, and look forward to what the last day brings.
-- Travis Friend, Class of 2014
