Herlocker was in Elite Company at National Convention

South Carolina equestrian’s Madelynne Herlocker was in elite company recently. The senior, who is studying sport and entertainment management, had the honor of being selected as the lone student-athlete from the Southeastern Conference to attend the Women Leaders in College Sports National Convention in Phoenix, Ariz., on October 13-15.

“The three days I spent in Phoenix were very eye-opening and inspiring,” Herlocker said. “I had the chance to meet some really powerful women, who really want to help other people succeed. It’s really refreshing to see other women do that, especially in college sports.

“I think the goal of this convention was to show women that other women are supporting them. I feel like I’ve learned a lot. It was very insightful.”

In applying for the opportunity to be considered, Herlocker submitted a resume along with a career goals statement, and because only one student-athlete from the entire conference is selected, Herlocker took the opportunity very seriously.

“It was really a place where I could make a lot of good connections in terms of networking because I do plan to work in college athletics after I graduate,” Herlocker said.  “The SEC opens up this scholarship to send one student-athlete representative along with the conference’s intern to go to this convention to help them further their career and make those connections.

“It was really awesome to be chosen. I felt really honored to represent South Carolina and to be able to gain some knowledge and insight that I could bring back to South Carolina and introduce it here.”

While there, Herlocker had the opportunity to hear a variety of speakers, attend breakout sessions, and meet a lot of women who have had success in the college sports industry.

“There were some amazing speakers and presenters,” Herlocker said. “One of the presentations was called ‘Managing Up: Contributing to You Department’s Success.’ That had a lot to do with working well with your boss and how to make that relationship beneficial to both parties as much as possible. We also learned a lot about how to build relationships with your supervisor, as well as adapting and adjusting to different bosses and their personalities.

“My favorite part of that was hearing how far ahead of everyone else we are in the SEC and at South Carolina.”

“I also enjoyed hearing from the keynote speaker, Ella L.J. Bell Smith, who spoke about the Power Equation.  She is a professor at the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth. She talked a lot about how women in athletics don’t get the same opportunities as men. She talked about how women have to be thankful for the opportunities that they do have because many years ago things were completely different. At the same time, it may not totally be where we should be, but that we’re on the right road. There is so much that we can do as women in college athletics to make sure we have a voice and are standing out.”

Smith is a nationally renowned speaker, who shares her knowledge on topics such as discriminatory barriers in the workplace and strategic leadership with corporate leaders across the country.

Madelynne Herlocker & Ella L.J. Bell Smith

“One of the things that stood out with her was when she told us that your self-doubt voice will break down what you think you can do,” Herlocker said. “You can’t let that happen.
“We talked a lot about confidence and how self-worth comes from within. Some of your best qualities can come from your wounds, but they also come from getting back up after you’ve fallen down.”

Herlocker was impressed with various speakers and presenters, but she also noted that one the most inspirational female role models for women in college athletics can be found right here at South Carolina.

“(Executive Associate Athletics Director) Maria Hickman is amazing,” Herlocker said. “When she comes into a room, she commands attention, but she doesn’t come off aggressive. You just know she can handle any situation. She is a great example of what women in sports should be. She is a very inspiring person.”

In addition to topics relating to women in college athletics, attendees also learned a lot about other pressing issues that affect all student-athletes.

“There were a lot of great sessions,” Herlocker said. “One of my favorites was a breakout session about student-athlete mental health. My favorite part of that was hearing how far ahead of everyone else we are in the SEC and at South Carolina. There are a lot of other conferences that hardly have any mental health resources or procedures or mental health professionals on staff like we do. It made me feel lucky because, here at South Carolina, we are so far ahead of everyone. Our school and everyone in the SEC are doing so much for student-athletes. 

“The topic of name, image and likeness was also very interesting. It was a really interesting conversation because they let everyone speak their mind about it. I learned a lot about current policies, what’s going to happen, and how it could affect sports such as equestrian.” 

While she was encouraged about the prospects of finding a job in sports as a career, Herlocker understands there are still challenges ahead for women in sports.

“My mind was blown at how many opportunities and options are out there,” Herlocker said. “In some ways, it’s made the process of figuring out what I want to do even more daunting because there are so many options, but I know I have some really great connections. Through South Carolina, I have connections all over.

“I think I want to work in student-athlete development because I really enjoy helping people. Helping people figure out what they want to do once they graduate seems to be something that’s right up my alley.”