Leadership: Why Some Athletes Achieve Greatness while others Maintain Mediocrity.

Sir Alex Ferguson

 
“Leadership isn't about your own achievements, it's about how you influence others to accomplish theirs” - Tyler Hollingsworth, Co-Founder of USA Scholarships

---

Gerald Lowe

USA Scholarships has been in existence for almost two years. Our team of recruiters have noticed a common trait amongst the students who apply to our programme. At its core, students who have leadership qualities make it while the others do not. 
 
Most high school students do not know what they want to achieve in life, which is fine, as we know they are only kids. However, there are a select few who do and will go to extraordinary lengths to accomplish their goals. Before hearing about our company, most students and parents never thought studying in the USA could be possible, once they realise their dreams are attainable, two groups of athletes emerge: The "Go-Getters" and "The Avoiders". The Go-Getter students, effectively utilise all opportunities at their disposal to win huge scholarships, while the Avoiders tend to preserve the status quo, play it safe and miss out on life changing experiences. 
 
Avoiders tend to have low empathy and lack assertiveness, only asserting themselves when stressed or uncomfortable. They tend not to care about the scholarship procurement process and only want results to go their way. Avoiders do not like taking advice and will keep a low profile. Students who fall into the Avoider category may enjoy early successes but will need to adapt a Go-Getter attitude to maintain that success throughout their careers.
 
Go-Getters are highly assertive and possess an ability to set goals and achieve them. They have high expectations of themselves and those around them, exhausting all available resources. Go-Getters are optimistic, consciously knowing the risks yet confident in the abilities of others. They actively engage in the recruitment process with our agents, ask questions, meet deadlines and consistently follow up on our progress. One of the most prevalent traits of the Go-Getters in our programme is their willingness to research colleges that have shown interest in them. USA coaches are blown away when communicating with these athletes, who, inevitably, received more funding.
 
Go-Getters In Action:
One of the most influential students to pass through the USA scholarships programme is Gerald Lowe. Gerald is a South African Rugby player who joined USA Scholarships back in 2015. Gerald was the Deputy Head Boy of Menlo Park High School, and Captain of the Blue Bulls U/19 Academy. During his senior year at Menlo Park, the team suffered a number of major setbacks: The coach was replaced in the middle of the season and the majority of the team sustained injuries - the season looked bleak. When speaking to Gerald about these experiences, he downplays them, as he has the Go-Getter leadership traits. He is naturally confident, charismatic and he exudes optimism. Gerald will be attending Kutztown University in Pennsylvania, where he will be a member of the Goldern Bears Rugby team. 
 
When asked to pen his thoughts on leadership, Gerald produced the following: "...A natural leader is someone with good work ethic, influential skills and adaptability. Leaders set goals and work hard each day to achieve them. I believe that a leader's ultimate goal is to become the best possible version of themselves; one can achieve this through balance, discipline and working harder than anyone in the room to achieve their goals."
 
It's important to remember these athletes are only kids and both types of students are important. As USA Scholarships grows and expands its reach into Europe and Asia, students will come in all shapes and sizes and may not fit the mould of the Go-Getter. We strive to ensure that all our recruiters are examples of the Go-Getter leader. The better we are as a company, the more Avoider's we will be able to guide and nurture into becoming world-class student-athletes.
 

---