Fit to Lead Turns Five! Student-athlete Conference Continues to Inspire Attendees with Sports Industry Leaders
The 5th annual Ed Snider Youth Hockey & Education Fit to Lead: Student-Athlete Conference took place at Neumann University. The event brought together 117 student-athletes, including 77 from Snider programs to network with sport professionals and explore ways to grow as leaders on and off the ice while preparing for careers beyond sports.
The day opened with energy as Flyers in-arena host, Everett Jackson, led the conference and set the tone for the program. Snider alum, Kareyna Baylor, then introduced Neumann University President, Dr. Domes, who officially welcomed the students and spoke about the excitement and opportunity the conference represents. The opening keynote was delivered by life coach and author Ron James, who shared his journey through adversity and emphasized resilience, discipline, and taking purposeful action towards success.
The conference then transitioned into two groups for morning breakout sessions. Dr. Julie Lanzillo led a session on the fundamentals of LinkedIn and the importance of building a personal brand to establish a professional network. Simultaneously, Jeremy Rahn led an interactive, station-based breakout session focused on leadership, mindset, and performance in both sports and daily life. Students rotated through stations that explored topics such as managing personal challenges, building trust with teammates, and reflecting on influential coaches and teachers who have shaped their development.
Students also took advice from the “Using Your Platform for Impact” panel featuring Alyssa Radu, Rachel Segal, Ryan Hammond, and Julia Dougherty. The discussion focused on how student-athletes can create meaningful impact by pursuing careers aligned with their passions, building strong relationships, and understanding the purpose behind collaborative work. Speakers emphasized the importance of integrating personal and team objectives, as well as being prepared with a clear sense of direction in unfamiliar circumstances.
After lunch, students took part in a 45-minute “Build Your Playbook” station rotation in the Mirenda Center Gym, where they had the chance to visit six interactive stations at their own pace. Each station was designed to provide practical, real-world skills for success beyond sports. The stations included professional headshots, resume building, making strong first impressions, college time management strategies, vision board development, and tips for being intentional and effective online through email, LinkedIn, and social media. Students were encouraged to engage directly with speakers, ask questions, and move between stations freely while completing an activity sheet that tracked participation and included a networking “Bingo” challenge, which added an interactive element to the experience.
The final day of Fit to Lead featured Patrick Sharp as the keynote speaker, where he shared stories and insights from his career and his current role with the Philadelphia Flyers in hockey operations. The conversation was moderated by Brian Smith, a familiar voice to Flyers fans as the host of pregame, intermission, and postgame radio coverage. Sharp broke down the defining moments of his career, lessons learned from championship teams, and his transition from player to analyst and front office advisor for hockey operations. The event wrapped up with a Q&A session, giving students the chance to hear directly from Sharp and learn from his experience on and off the ice.
The 5th annual Fit to Lead Conference was a great success, bringing together student-athletes for a full day of learning, networking, and inspiration from leaders across sports and professional industries. From powerful keynote messages to interactive breakout sessions and panels, students were given meaningful tips to grow as leaders on and off the ice while also connecting with peers and expanding their networks. We are truly grateful to all of our speakers, panelists and organizers who made the day possible.
View the recap video below:
