Learning to lead
Club president, athlete reflects on journey to leadership role
Peter Konyndyk, Central Michigan University’s men’s club soccer president, seems to know all there is to know about club sports. The fifth-year senior rattled off a club regulation as easily as a person tells you what they are going to have for dinner.
But Konyndyk wasn’t always well-versed in club sports.
Before playing a massive role in the restructuring of the soccer program, he did not even know club sports existed.
“I was so fortunate when I made the team,” Kontyndyk said. “It was a blessing because it has become such a huge part of my career at Central.”
When Konyndyk came to CMU, he did not have much leadership experience, was not filled with all the passion about the game and organization, and had not learned any of the valuable skills that come with club sports.
Throughout High School at Forest Hills Central in Grand Rapids, Konyndyk was an avid soccer player. His love of the sport had him interested in playing in college.
Konyndyk was informed of tryouts by a floor mate at Beddow Hall his sophomore year.
Konyndyk joined a team that he said was disorganized. Involvement was difficult. When Executive Board (e-board) elections came around at the end of that season, he decided against running.
“I have a natural need to keep things organized,” Konyndyk said. “But I didn’t know if I had any natural leadership ability.”
Konyndyk soon realized how significant restructuring the program and developing his leadership abilities could be. He was eventually elected secretary of the men’s club soccer team e-board.
In his newfound role, Konyndyk focused on developing himself as a player on the field as well as a leader of men. Playing midfield, Konyndyk cranked up his training regiment over the summer to establish himself as a force on the team.
Everything in club sports is self-motivated, said Konyndyk. Students driven to succeed in a very competitive league requires athletes who are willing to motivate themselves and each other.
“I played incredibly hard,” Konyndyk recalled. “It created that natural leadership on the field despite the lack of responsibilities and opportunities.”
Konyndyk eventually found himself in the club’s president’s role. His fellow players and CMURec officials realize just how far Konyndyk has come.
“He’s got a vision for that team,” said Scott George, assistant director of competitive sports.
Since Konyndyk’s sophomore year, the team now has a coach, Reza Saffrian, who came in from Iran to help the team and who has been certified through Manchester United.
On the field, club soccer has adopted an organized strategy. Off the field, Konyndyk has restructured the e-board so that the balanced positions allow everyone on the team to get involved.
George said all CMU’s club sports presidents play a variety of roles on their squads and within the ensuing friend groups.
“As far as our leaders go, they’re all very ambitious," he said. "It takes a lot of dedication, and these leaders grow by learning from their mistakes."
While Konyndyk’s experiences in gaining leadership might be unique, the lessons he learned through club sports certainly are not.
As he prepares to hit the job market, Konyndyk looks back on his involvement in CMU club sports fondly.
“I see it this way: employers are always looking for people that can lead and people that can work on a team,” Konyndyk said. “They give upper classmen opportunities to learn how to lead, and under classmen can take strategies from the upper classmen and apply them elsewhere. You learn to organize yourself so that you have time for soccer, school, and whatever else.”
