University of Minnesota Athletics
Leadership U Hosts Annual Leadership Council Kickoff Event
11/4/2025 3:58:00 PM | Athletics, Student-Athlete Development, Leadership U
To launch the 2025-2026 academic year, Leadership U hosted its annual Leadership Council Kickoff Event on Monday, September 1st. Designed to bring together new and returning members of Leadership Council, the event set a tone of purpose, collaboration, and leadership that will carry across Golden Gopher Athletics throughout the year.
Leadership Council – consisting of 30 student-athletes representing 15 different sports – offers cross-team leadership opportunities that develop social awareness and communication skills, as well as a space to connect on shared challenges. Grounded in emotional intelligence, athletes in this group are equipped to lead themselves and their teams with authenticity and impact.
The afternoon began with music, yard games, and conversations in the Athletes Village Courtyard, followed by dinner and an interactive presentation led by Leadership U Consultant, Jason Kaul. Student-athletes explored the mission behind Leadership U, identified traits of transformational leaders, and shared personal goals for the year.
When asked to define leadership, several council members shared thoughtful perspectives that captured the main themes of the discussion:
"I would define leadership as taking it upon yourself to help and guide those around you. It is showing them the values that will help push them toward a better future."
– Emmett Gerres, Men's Cross Country / Track
"A true leader is somebody that others come to for advice, guidance, and support… and somebody who is always striving to be the best version of themselves."
– Charlie Sutherland, Baseball
The presentation transitioned naturally into small-group discussions and team-building activities, where student-athletes reflected on their leadership journey and shared strategies for supporting their teams. These one-on-one discussions created a space for genuine connection and encouraged council members to learn from each other's experiences.
"We never really get time to sit down and talk about how our seasons are going and the challenges we are going through, but [council] really made a space for us."
– Leo Gruba, Men's Hockey
The evening concluded with a shared experience off campus, as the group traveled together to watch the Minnesota Lynx face off against the Dallas Wings at Target Center. For many council members, it was their first time experiencing a WNBA game; a chance to celebrate women's professional sports and see leadership, teamwork, and excellence in action.
"We headed to the Lynx game which was definitely my favorite part. I got to sit next to some gymnasts and get to know them which was fun. I've never been to a Lynx game so it was really exciting to get to go downtown and go to a new event."
– Natalie Susa, Softball
As one of many student-athlete leadership groups within the L.I.N.K. space, Leadership Council exemplifies Gopher Athletics' commitment to developing young scholars who lead with integrity, accountability, and purpose.
Please feel free to visit https://gophersports.com/sports/leadership-u to learn more about upcoming Leadership U events and programming this school year!
GO GOPHERS!
Leadership Council – consisting of 30 student-athletes representing 15 different sports – offers cross-team leadership opportunities that develop social awareness and communication skills, as well as a space to connect on shared challenges. Grounded in emotional intelligence, athletes in this group are equipped to lead themselves and their teams with authenticity and impact.
The afternoon began with music, yard games, and conversations in the Athletes Village Courtyard, followed by dinner and an interactive presentation led by Leadership U Consultant, Jason Kaul. Student-athletes explored the mission behind Leadership U, identified traits of transformational leaders, and shared personal goals for the year.
When asked to define leadership, several council members shared thoughtful perspectives that captured the main themes of the discussion:
"I would define leadership as taking it upon yourself to help and guide those around you. It is showing them the values that will help push them toward a better future."
– Emmett Gerres, Men's Cross Country / Track
"A true leader is somebody that others come to for advice, guidance, and support… and somebody who is always striving to be the best version of themselves."
– Charlie Sutherland, Baseball
The presentation transitioned naturally into small-group discussions and team-building activities, where student-athletes reflected on their leadership journey and shared strategies for supporting their teams. These one-on-one discussions created a space for genuine connection and encouraged council members to learn from each other's experiences.
"We never really get time to sit down and talk about how our seasons are going and the challenges we are going through, but [council] really made a space for us."
– Leo Gruba, Men's Hockey
The evening concluded with a shared experience off campus, as the group traveled together to watch the Minnesota Lynx face off against the Dallas Wings at Target Center. For many council members, it was their first time experiencing a WNBA game; a chance to celebrate women's professional sports and see leadership, teamwork, and excellence in action.
"We headed to the Lynx game which was definitely my favorite part. I got to sit next to some gymnasts and get to know them which was fun. I've never been to a Lynx game so it was really exciting to get to go downtown and go to a new event."
– Natalie Susa, Softball
As one of many student-athlete leadership groups within the L.I.N.K. space, Leadership Council exemplifies Gopher Athletics' commitment to developing young scholars who lead with integrity, accountability, and purpose.
Please feel free to visit https://gophersports.com/sports/leadership-u to learn more about upcoming Leadership U events and programming this school year!
GO GOPHERS!
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