FCIAC athletes talk with the pros at NYU

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One hundred and thirty FCIAC athletes traveled to New York City on March 16, 2015, for the opportunity to have live discussions with current and former professional athletes as well as sports experts and New York University professors.

“Leadership in Sports and Life,” hosted by the New York University School of Professional Studies Sports and Society, took place at the NYU Kimmel Center for University Life and invited student athletes to participate in conversations about bullying and intolerance in sports.

Students engaged in dialogue about what it means to be a leader, the importance of leadership, and navigating the challenges that leaders face.

Athletes from schools including, Brien McMahon High School, Bridgeport Central High School, Danbury High School, Darien High School, Fairfield Ludlowe High School, Fairfield, Warde High School, Greenwich High School, New Canaan High School, Norwalk High School, Ridgefield High School, St. Joseph’s High School, Stamford High School, Staples High School, Trumbull High School and Wilton High School, attended the interactive conference.

According to NYU School of Professional Studies, the conference was “the manifestation” of a paper commissioned in 2014 by Stephen M. Ross, managing general partner of the Miami Dolphins, that “examined the phenomenon of bullying and other intolerant forms of behavior in sports and how to combat them.”

Among the panelists were: Stephen M. Ross, managing general partner of the Miami Dolphins; Harry Carson, Professional Football Hall of Fame member and former New York Giants linebacker and captain; Greg Buttle, ESPN NewYork’s Jets Gameday cohost and New York Jets former linebacker and captain; Pat LaFontaine, Professional Hockey Hall of Fame member and vice president for hockey development and community affairs of the NHL; Amani Toomer, former New York Giants wide receiver and sports commentator; and Teresa Weatherspoon, former NY Liberty/LA Sparks star.