Peterson reflects on growth from time at NCAA Leadership Forum

Friday, April 29

Pocatello, Idaho

Montana

Bengal Invitational

Alfred Peterson - Al Manuel Invitational - 3/26/22

Photo by: Tommy Martino

Peterson reflects on growth from time at NCAA Leadership Forum

4/28/2022 12:50:00 PM | Men's Track and Field, Women's Track and Field

Meet Schedule Live Results

By: Montana Sports Information

After a rare weekend away from competition, which was much-needed to rest and recuperate leading into the outdoor track & field season's stretch run, Montana will be back in action this weekend in Pocatello, Idaho. It will be a big meet for multiple reasons, mostly the fact that it is hosted by Idaho State University, in the same venue that next month's Big Sky Conference Outdoor Track & Field Championships will be held. Because of that, head coach Clint May expects nearly every Big Sky school to send student-athletes to this weekend's Bengal Invitational, making it a mini conference preview.

Action will begin Friday at 2:30 p.m. with the women's hammer, followed by running events starting at 3. Day 2 of action picks back up at 11 a.m. with the women's discus. Live results can be tracked through Athletic Live.

One of Montana's student-athletes who will be performing this weekend in Pocatello, is high jumper Alfred Peterson. Last May, in his first collegiate season, Peterson scored at the Big Sky Championships with a seventh-place finish. With a season-best height of 6-2.75, the Dillon, Montana, native is again within range of scoring at next month's meet.

Away from track, Peterson has earned Academic All-Big Sky recognition each semester. He is a member of Montana's Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) and next year will assume co-chair honors.

One of his greatest achievements, however, came this past November when he represented Montana and the Big Sky Conference at the 2021 NCAA Student-Athlete Leadership Forum in Houston, Texas. More than 300 student-athletes, coaches and administrators were selected to attend the event, which featured panels, discussions and the opportunity for student-athletes to have their voices heard.

Alfred Peterson - NCAA Student-Athlete Leadership Forum

Alfred Peterson - NCAA Student-Athlete Leadership Forum

Below is a Q&A with Peterson about his experience at the Leadership Forum:

GoGriz.com: How did this opportunity come about?
Alfred Peterson: I heard about it at a SAAC meeting, and after talking with (director of student-athlete support services) Jen (Zellmer-Cuaresma), she said it was a great opportunity. I submitted an application and was contacted later saying that I was picked to be the male representative for the entire Big Sky Conference.

I was surprised; I didn't expect it. But I was excited, because I knew it was a great opportunity to learn, develop and meet a lot of people.

GG: What was your daily schedule like at the Leadership Forum?
AP: The first day was mostly travel, but then there were two days of actual content, where it was mainly a leadership conference. They had a curriculum planned out, which was honestly really good and super self-reflective, teaching you how to be a leader. We had three sessions a day, and one would be about big issues actually affecting the NCAA right now. One was on Name, Image and Likeness, so we talked about that a lot. They listened to our feedback and actually had us write down our opinions so that they could give it to the NCAA. Another session was about the racial tensions happening throughout the last year.

It was a lot about making change within the organization, and it was cool that the NCAA is trying to listen to us.

GG: What do you feel is something you learned the most from your time in Houston?

AP: What I gained the most is how to speak up. I've always been a pretty quiet person, so I've always felt like I have great ideas but never have felt like I'm able to voice them. Coming back from Houston, I felt like I now have the tools for how to voice myself, communicate with people better and stand up and speak up for myself.

Another thing that I really valued were the connections and relationships that I made there. I made a great friend from Minnesota, and he and I still text every day.

GG: What have you been able to bring back to Montana, either to SAAC or your track & field teammates?
AP: I felt like it gave me this mindset of, 'Wow, I can be a leader on my team. This is how I act and represent myself.' I'm a junior at this point, so I'm a little bit of an upperclassmen, so you're always trying to motivate the younger athletes and help them work toward a goal. I feel like I now have tools to help do that.

GG: When you step back, how would you assess your experience?
I was just honestly grateful for the opportunity. I learned a lot about myself and met a ton of great people. Everyone who applied was highly motivated and wanted to be there, so there were some really great people.

GG: Once you graduate, what do you want to pursue?
AP: I'm a double major in business management and MIS (management information systems). I still have another year of school, but I grew up on a ranch in Dillon, Montana, and have always enjoyed that lifestyle. I'd like to go back to that and hopefully take what I've learned here and use that in a business atmosphere.

GG: What was your track journey to the University of Montana like?
AP: I always loved athletics growing up, but never figured I'd have the opportunity to compete in college. It was never a dream of mine because I didn't even think that was possible. When it presented itself, after a strong senior season, I took the opportunity gratefully and have enjoyed my time at Montana.

GG: What do you enjoy about being a high jumper?
AP: That's the feeling I live for. The competition to try and go and beat someone else and better yourself, I love that. You don't always do your best, but that's part of the process, and that drives me in life – always trying to do better for myself in whatever I do.