The Hackley Athletic Department’s new Student-Athlete Leadership Team (SALT) program is redefining what it means to lead both on and off the field. Meeting multiple times a month, the program brings together select sophomores and juniors from various sports to learn leadership strategies, mental resilience, and the psychology behind peak performance.
Abbie Goff leads the program via Zoom, and she emails students new worksheets for each session. A new topic is introduced every session, and students go through a packet of materials.
For many student-athletes, SALT has become more than a leadership workshop; it’s a mindset shift.
“I have learned about student athletic leadership and what it means to pave the way for the rest of my team,” said junior Josh Gandleman, a member of the SALT program.
Sophomore Katie Yalmokas, a participant in the program, noted the psychological focus.
“It has taught me a lot about sports psychology and how to become more confident and contain any negative energy you have when playing a sport,” she said. “It’s also changed my perspective because you don’t need to be the best at your sport to be a leader. You can still lead by example, through spirit, or by helping others stay focused.”
Through weekly lunch meetings and workshops, participants delve into topics such as confidence building, communication, recovering from mistakes, and overcoming mental blocks. The curriculum covers different types of leaders and ways to approach different levels of confidence.
Junior Loukas Skipitaris said the experience helped him understand different leadership styles, from vocal to motivational to inspirational.
“I’ve learned that holding onto mistakes during a game can really hurt your confidence,” Loukas said. “SALT has taught me ways to reset mentally so I can move forward and perform better.”
Sophomore Pia Severin said the program’s focus on mindfulness has been especially impactful. She highlights a technique taught in the program.
“I’ve learned how to calm my nerves in high-pressure situations using the tapping sequence. It helps slow my heart rate and reset my body so I can focus again. Whenever I make a mistake, I follow a pattern to help myself recover and move on,” Pia said.
Junior Nate Becker learned another way to calm his nerves when in a high-stress situation.
“One technique it taught me was the 3-Box Breathing,” Nate said. “We practice a specific cadence: breathe in for 3 seconds, hold for 3 seconds, and breathe out for 3 seconds.
As the program continues to grow, SALT will inspire more athletes to lead their teams with confidence.
“Everyone has a leader in them,” Katie said. “SALT just helps you find it.”