ABOUT US
The Competitive Edge EQ Approach
Our unique strategy focuses on building emotional intelligence (EQ), supports students’ capacity to advance academically and athletically. EQ exploration fosters opportunities for student-athletes to build self-awareness and promotes Adaptability, Communication, and Leadership (ACL) Development. It also exposes you to a wider array of career possibilities.
We offer innovative STEM-centered programming as the engine to close opportunity gaps, both academically and athletically. Together, sports and STEM cultivate teamwork, independence, problem-solving and authentic preparation for real-world challenges.
Competitive Edge EQ delivers the support student-athletes need to develop strong intellectual assets that will serve you well throughout high school, college, your post-athletic careers, and beyond!
With a laser focus on emotional intelligence, we open doors to individual development, growth, and success. Competitive Edge EQ provides student-athletes with new platforms to explore post-athletic careers that offer longevity, growth, and fulfillment. We offer Adaptability, Communication, and Leadership (ACL) Development, athletic performance, academic support, and mentoring services to aid in maximizing performance potential.
Our entire service promise is based on a strong belief that the discipline, self-regulation, time management, and other similar EQ-related skills used in sports can be developed even further to benefit you in all aspects of your life. Consider these facts:
- Athletes participating in football, basketball, and other popular sports identify more closely with successful athletic achievement rather than occupational career success (USA Today, 2019).
- The stigmas and labels that athletes attach to their views of success can threaten their ability to choose college majors (Oseguera, 2010).
MEET THE COMPETITIVE EDGE EQ TEAM
Founder, Lisa Leonard
Founded by Former Executive Director for LiteracyWorks Communication and Technology Center Lisa Leonard, Competitive Edge EQ is a non-profit organization led by former student-athletes who bring a wealth of experience in sports program operations. A former D1 player, Lisa is also mom to a former high school athlete. She served as Executive Director of Steer for Student-Athletes DC. She is certified in Leadership Administration and has been active in education for 25 years.
Through her journey and the experiences guiding her child through both academics and athletics, she founded Competitive Edge EQ to address the need for:
- Better access to quality education, academic support, and athletic training
- More resources to help prepare student-athletes to compete academically at higher levels.
- Awareness around the impact of social media, Covid-19, and other factors affecting the lives of student-athletes.
MEET OUR BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Lennie Leonard
Stacy Suggs
Irvin ‘Chico’ Church
Quentin Ancar
Darlene Dyer
Saneva Zayas
Keith Honesty
MEET OUR ADVISORY BOARD
Carolina Blanco
Roz Overstreet-Gonzales
Shawaan Robinson
