Often times it takes a certain level of finesse and foresight to inspire the minds of people around one’s self. It takes even more to build the wills of others to both see and meet the goals and needs of an organization. Xavier Savannah exceeds those expectations for the George Mason University Club Football Organization. Xavier is a sophomore, the President of the GMU Club Football, and has been selected as the National Club Football Association (NCFA) President of the Year. Whether on or off the field, Xavier is true to himself and never waivers towards executing his goals.
“X is a great leader for the football team. He has a lot to juggle and does a great job making sure the team has everything it needs. He is one of the best players on the team and leads by example. The way he supports his teammates, the amount of effort he invests to help the team grow, and his competitiveness both on and off the field really resonates with both the players and coaching staff. Whether you need paperwork or need to know the next location for the fundraiser; he’s your guy for it all. -Mike Girdy JR”
“Xavier’s reliability, relatability, and adaptability to situations are what make him a great leader. He exemplifies these traits during game time when situations mandate him to play different positions and off the field circumstances that require resolutions to accommodate 30+ student-athletes. I rally behind him because I know he’s always focused and shows passion without losing his head. – Traemar Pringle”
“Before games and after he’s vocal; you’ll hear him cracking jokes. Then when on the field, he’s a silent leader/player that’s tamed, cool, collected. He’s talented and knows it, but won’t gloat about it in your face, he lets his actions speak for himself. Off the field, he is a go-getter and sees his tasks done to the tea. He is quite headstrong. Which is what the club football team needs; without him and a lot of the stuff he deals with in the background there wouldn’t be club football team period. – Alex Powell”
When reflecting on the club football team’s recent history, they have been on a slow decline; however, since in his freshman year, Xavier has seen areas in which the team can grow. Because of his leadership and proactive attitude, he was appointed as the President for 2016-2017. I asked Xavier what it took to turn the club around and get it back on track. He told me a lot of hard work. He realized he had to stretch himself quite thin and appoint an entirely new E-board, revamp social media pages with modernized flyers that shared similarities to modern sports styles, and have promotional items. He recognized the importance of making sure the team was seen more on campus as well as the importance of budgeting seasonal funds properly from year to year. By properly monitoring the team’s funds, he was able to revitalize their look. Yes, you guessed it! NEW JERSEYS! By implementing these methods or marketing, financing and communicating, Xavier raised the level of support and interest for the GMU Club Football team to new heights. Xavier was driven by a desire to make the university and those who love football proud and to not let them down.
During our conversation, Xavier expressed how the Club Sports Office really helped them market their team throughout the fall. According to Xavier, one event that really helped launch the success of Club Football was Rockin’ With Rec. It gave them the opportunity to speak with all the interested freshman and individuals that wanted to play. Club Sports also supported and promoted games, concepts for flyers, and fundraisers to help them reach their maximum potential.
I asked Xavier if he had anything he recommends for other leaders of student organizations, and here is what he had to say:
“I would recommend setting goals for yourself to meet. It’s stressful at times when things don’t go the way you planned, but it’s better to try than not to try at all. Sometimes you will take a L or two, but for every L, you will bounce back and accomplish something. Failures can teach a lot as well. Failing allowed me to see what kind of person I was and how to fix it so it wouldn’t happen again next time. Having a good support system is also good. Doing things on your own can burn you out fast and also take the enjoyment out of anything you do. Having others that can help out goes a long way. It’s also good to not be the ‘leader’ all the time too. That way you can sit back and observe things from a different angle and acknowledge/trust others. It helps build a better bond between you and your teammates. So if anything I recommend three things 1) good communication, 2) perseverance and 3) knowing when to support while being the leader.”
When wrapping up our conversation, I asked Xavier what he has planned next, and he calmly told me that he is just trying to finish this semester strong and fully map out the fall football season ahead of time to lessen things on his plate. Truly a young man with a bright and promising future. Always looking beyond the game night lights and focusing on the next step.
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