How could I get into leadership positions?Answered
I'm a rising sophomore in highschool and I have 3 extra curriculars I'm in: JV soccer, art club, and Deca. I'm very new to soccer (and very bad at it), I'm playing for fun but it's very time consuming. It takes up majority of my time after school (practice is after every school day for two hours). There are no open spots for leadership in soccer in my case. There aren't many leadership positions in Deca that I could be qualified for. In Art Club, I would have to attend most or all the sessions that are once a week. I want to have a leadership position, but I don't want to stop playing soccer. I was thinking of something outside of school or starting a club but I have no idea what or how. Does anyone have any advice? I would appreciate anything at all.
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2 answers
You could always start your own club about something you are passionate about. Find a teacher at your school that is familiar with that area and ask them if they could chaperone the club. Have the meeting times before school starts so it does not interfere with your soccer practices. I know many people who would like to join clubs and have after-school practices, so this would be a great alternative. Then you could post flyers around your school about the club meetings and maybe you could request to have it go over the morning announcements to make it more known. Then you have a leadership role in starting and running a club.
This is a fantastic question. First and foremost, to be a leader you have to develop the skills to be a good leader. I think that (especially as a Sophomore) it is okay you don't have leadership positions yet, I know I didn't when I was a sophomore. Focus on building rapport with your activity leaders, showing you are dedicated to what you do, are committed to learning and improving the group, and show how you can provide valuable, and sometimes unique, viewpoints once you start being relied on more as a Junior/Senior. The majority of my 4 leadership positions came because of following these same principles. I didn't get any until my Junior year, but they just keep adding on once I got one.
Obviously, it sounds like you're busy though. That's okay. I would recommend creating a club. Find something you love doing, or many of your friends love doing, that isn't being provided by your school/club system. For example, a few years ago a group of students formed an "eSports Club." Now, they compete with other schools and have been successful in spreading the love and enjoyment of eSports to a wide variety of people. I would also recommend starting charities as well. Leading charities or creating a club centered around charity is a fantastic way to show you are leading and also that you can identify and fill needs in your community. It is also a great indicator to colleges that you are a good person with good intentions.
Finally, before I wrap up, I just want to tell you to stretch yourself. I don't know how much time you are dedicating to school right now, but if you have the time and mental energy, it is okay to stretch yourself thin. I've found that I grew the most this year when I began to push myself in ways I didn't think we're possible. It is incredibly important to push beyond your 'limits' to find your true potential which is often far greater than we would otherwise know or appreciate.
This is a fantastic question and I think a lot of people struggle with this. Let me know if you have any questions, because I'm sure I missed something.
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