Sport Leadership Conference

Husband-Wife team Aaron and Lina Taylor to share the stage and present at the 2017 Sport Leadership Conference on the campus of the University of Notre Dame, June 23-24. Organized by Play Like A Champion, a nonprofit aiming to keeping athletic administrators and coaches up to date on the best practices for building cohesive teams and promoting a comprehensive approach to athlete development.

This conference will feature scholars in medical and social sciences as well as athletes and coaches to address how youth and high school sports programs can most effectively serve all athletes. Visit PlayLikeAChampion.org for more information.

With two Olympic Games and two Super Bowls between them, Aaron and Lina will be sharing very personal accounts of their experiences as athletes at the junior, collegiate, and professional levels. Each will speak candidly about their own positive and negative interactions with coaches as a way to provide an easy to follow road map that highlights many of the overlooked, yet fundamental elements of a championship culture. Content will include information about how athletes respond differently based on their gender and background, and how coaches understanding this segmentation can help their athletes discover and master their gifts.

Aaron will also present a session on student-athletes mental health, based on the personal account he wrote for the NCAA "Game face isn't the only face" and Lina will present strategies to win more on and off the field in "How to be an effective mentor," based on her experience working with athletes from the United States Olympic Committee Athlete Career and Education Program.

About Aaron Taylor: CBS Sports Analyst and College Football Hall of Fame nominee, Aaron was a left guard and a left tackle at the University of Notre Dame, earning unanimous All-American honors both his junior and senior years. He served as Captain his senior year, and won the Lombardi Award for the best interior lineman. Aaron graduated with a degree in Sociology and was drafted by the Green Bay Packers in the first round of the 1994 NFL Draft. He was a member of the Packers’ Super Bowl XXXI championship team. Off the field, Aaron is a moving and inspirational speaker with a candid approach and sense of humor. Striving to bridge the gap between those who have and those who need, Aaron established the Aaron Taylor Impact Fund and co-founded The Foundation for Teamwork, dedicated to fostering the essential aspect of all societal endeavors: teamwork. The Foundation presents the Joe Moore Award for the most outstanding offensive line unit.

About Lina Taylor: Two-time beach volleyball Olympian, Lina grew up in communist Bulgaria. Undeterred by the overwhelming political, economic, and social challenges, Lina earned a scholarship to the University of Idaho and she pioneered a way for countless other student-athletes to achieve the same dream. Today, as an experienced sports industry professional, Lina helps organizations aiming to create a winning culture by teaching leadership and teamwork. Lina serves as a Mentor for the United States Olympic Committee's Athlete Career & Education program. Passionate about life skills and mental performance, she is the founder of Mission SOAR, a developmental program for high school student athletes and coaches.

Follow Aaron on Twitter: @AaronTaylorCFB

Follow Lina on Twitter: @LinaTaylorInt

Follow Play Like A Champion on Twitter: @PLC4Character