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The University of Mississippi Athletics
Hicks Gains Leadership Experience At NCAA Conference
8/6/2009 | Football
Reggie Hicks, junior tight end on the Ole Miss football team, recently gained some valuable leadership experience this summer, but it wasn't on the football field. Hicks recently attended the 13th annual NCAA Leadership Conference held at Walt Disney World's Coronado Spring Resort in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. He was one of the 226 Division I attendees among the nearly 600 student-athletes representing all divisions of the NCAA to participate in the annual retreat.
This forum was designed to openly discuss issues that may affect student-athletes on their respective campuses. It provided an opportunity to enhance leadership, communication, decision-making and problem-solving skills for the student-athlete, as well as assists in providing better communications among student-athletes, coaches, administrators and faculty.
"The NCAA Leadership Conference definitely exploited my strengths and weaknesses as a leader," Hicks said. "The conference challenged me intellectually, in that I learned as a man I often tend to separate my head and my heart, in my way of life and train of thought. It also helped define diversity. Diversity is having a common respect and love for all people."
After the conference, Hicks, a civil engineering major, traveled to Washington D.C., where he served as a Global Construction Intern with Lockheed Martin IS & GS PAE, Inc. Hicks felt that this experience gave him a great insight into preparing for a successful career after sports in his field of study.
"Showing up to work is only half the battle", said Hicks, a native of Madison, Miss. "Communication and skill is what will separate you from everyone else in your office. Communication is everything from how
