Scholarship Finalist - Amelia Safnauer

Amelia is an incoming freshman at Coastal Carolina University, majoring in international business.

Prompt: Share a personal story of how you overcame a major life challenge or obstacle and what lessons you learned that prepared you for college and beyond. How will these experiences provide you with a unique perspective in pursuing a career in business?

“And your 2024 team captain is… Amelia!” I looked around to see my soccer teammates clapping for me, but I wasn’t happy. I plastered a half smile on my face, grabbing the hot pink captain band from my coach. I knew that captaincy meant pressure, responsibility, decision making, and leadership skills that I wasn’t sure I had. I didn’t feel ready for this. As my teammates and I left the locker room to begin warming up I felt smaller than my 6 foot body had ever felt before.       The first few practices of our season ran smoothly. As the players realized that our new coach was somewhat relaxed, they began to take advantage of the situation. Some players were outgoing and had been longtime friends, while others were quiet and new to the team. Our team’s division wasn’t just evident socially, but also on the field. Each group wanted to do things their own way, and would only pass the ball to their friends. Our teamwork was heavily lacking, practices were chaotic, and the little amount of bossing around I was comfortable with wasn’t doing anything to fix this issue.       I refused to let cliques be the downfall of our team. I brainstormed with my coach, and we came up with the idea of running a team bonding practice. We had everyone share why they liked being a part of the team, along with giving someone they don’t typically partner up with a compliment. Slowly, the ice began to break and everyone was laughing with girls they didn’t know well. As the practice continued, we moved into small group drills. My coach told me to split up the cliques, which made my stomach twist in a knot. I’ve always been a people pleaser, and the idea that my teammates would get angry with me was terrifying. As each new team began talking strategy and cheering each other on, it was evident that new friendships were forming. By the end of the practice, we finally looked like a cohesive team without groups tearing us apart. Though I was initially uncomfortable with the backlash received from my teammates about splitting them up, it ended up being necessary to drive the team together. The result was worth my discomfort. I realized that if I wanted the rest of the season to flow smoothly, I would have to take on the captain role with my own twist.       My leadership style started to emerge. As captain, I felt that I could best lead by example. Slacking off during practice was not an option for me. I couldn’t expect effort from my team that I wasn’t also willing to give. This responsibility pushed me not just on the field, but also in my school work and other extracurriculars. I learned the importance of commitment to my peers and reliability as a captain. Though I was initially not sure how to take charge through communication, I slowly learned that it was necessary. I had to engage with teammates about their disagreements, listen and respond to concerns they had, and ensure that they felt heard.        I found that leadership was about more than being authoritative and the loudest on the team. It was about showing integrity by putting my best effort forward, providing empathy towards my teammates when they made mistakes, and resilience by bouncing back when something didn’t go our way. Despite the initial apprehension and the feeling that I wasn’t ready to lead, I found so much value in what I learned from taking on this role. There is no one right way to lead. Leadership is effective in many styles, but I have found that the most successful leadership style is when you find a way to lead that is truly your own.