Coaching Future Leaders at NCAA Administrators Academy

While teams and prospective players prepared for the 2025 National Football League (NFL) Draft, a select group of future college and professionals who aspire to grow their careers geared up to tackle the sports business landscape. For the third year, Stretch taught and coached during the NFL/NCAA Administrators Academy, an event hosted by the NCAA's leadership development department in partnership with the NFL to expose future leaders to key areas in football administration.

During the event, 12 graduate assistants, interns and emerging professionals engaged in educational and mentorship sessions led by top professionals in the sports business industry.

Leslie M. Satchell and Lauren Bullock, Ph.D. from Stretch were among the speakers and presenters who offered strategy, insight and critical feedback to help participants take full advantage of opportunities that come their way. With over 20 years of combined experience, they provided tools to surface unique value and improve workplace and public communication skills. The program aims to connect the next generation of sports business professionals with prominent figures and thought leaders within the industry.

"Everyone wanted to know more or take something away from the experience. The idea that I can continue to learn, no matter where I am in my career, is something I want to carry with me," said Kyle Davie when reflecting on his experience as an attendee in 2023.

Stretch has a strong track record of preparing tomorrow's leaders, offering a variety of services on their platform tailored to senior executives, coaches, sports professionals, administrators, small businesses and more.

“New professionals are eager to learn from each session and apply the insight to their current roles.,” Bullock noted. It’s not just what they learn to use down the line, it’s how can we use this when we get back to campus.”

The NFL/NCAA Administrators Academy represents a pivotal opportunity for emerging professionals to gain invaluable insights and mentorship. Under the guidance of experts like Satchell and Bullock, participants are not only equipped with essential skills but also inspired to embrace a mindset of continuous learning throughout their careers.

“I look forward to teaching participants how to sell themselves, not just list the duties on their resume,” said Satchell. “Many of our clients have the right set of skills and our job is to help them package those skills to get the response they want.”

As the academy and Stretch continue to grow, so does the significance of investing in young talent for the future of the sports industry.