Kopchak Participates in ACC Professional Development Academy
9/28/2020 11:30:00 AM | Cross Country, Les Johns
After having research plans put on hold, Kopchak made the adjustment on the fly.
Wake Forest cross country runner Rylee Kopchak had big plans both on and off the field of play in 2020.
"Going into my junior year, I was looking forward to doing research this summer at the University of Pittsburgh, which is where I'm from," Kopchak said. "I'd been working with (assistant athletic director for student-athlete development) Ashley Wechter on my applications and my resume, to get the opportunity to do that research."
The COVID-19 pandemic put all those plans on hold.
"It was definitely disappointing to have all that be canceled, but a lot of other students were obviously in the same position," Kopchak said.
So that's why Kopchak was so pleased to participate in the ACC Professional Development Academy, a six-week virtual learning opportunity to accentuate personal growth, leadership skills and career development coordinated by Wechter and the other student-athlete development professionals from across the ACC.
"It focused on personal development, leadership development and professional development," Kopchak said. "It was an opportunity to be around other student-athletes from across the ACC to learn some valuable skills that will help both in college and in the future."
Each school across the conference could have up to 10 student-athletes in the program, and there were 207 total applicants. The 155 enrolled met once a week on Zoom for the six-week program.
"It helped me define my core values and gave me a sense of direction on what I want to do in the future," Kopchak said. "I'm a biochemistry and molecular biology major. I've kind of gone back and forth as to whether I wanted to get involved in research or go to medical school. This helped me focus my career path and learn how to build a network of people who will help encourage me to achieve my goals and pursue the future I want for myself.
"I was excited about this opportunity. To have the chance to take advantage of an opportunity like this during a summer in which a lot of people had very little sense of direction. This gave me a chance to improve and connect with others. I'm really grateful to have been able to participate in this."
As each session proceeded, it eventually broke down into smaller groups called 'color teams,' to facilitate more interactions.
"In those breakout rooms we'd have in-depth discussions about what we've learned," Kopchak said. "That really helped me get to know other student-athletes from across the ACC, which I thought was really cool. They're in the same position as me, and we could really relate to each other."
Kopchak shared her experience recently with Wake Forest athletic director John Currie and deputy director of athletics Lindsey Babcock.
"I really wanted to emphasize the importance of student-athlete development, and I wanted to encourage others to take advantage of opportunities like this," she said. "We just have so many resources available here at Wake Forest. They support us not only in our athletic endeavors, but in our goals that go beyond the field. That was the message I wanted to convey.
"They were receptive and were excited to hear what I gained from the experience."
Although Kopchak was able to condition during the time away from campus during the summer, she's happy to be back with her teammates. The Wake Forest cross country team opened the 2020 season at Virginia.
"We've been practicing and training hard," Kopchak said. "We've been back since Aug. 5. The team is really excited to get back on the course, compete hard and make Wake Forest proud.
"It's both an individual and a team sport. You can go on runs and stay isolated. It wasn't as difficult to keep training as some other sports, which was good. But it's so different being back with your team, and having your teammates there to support and encourage you. It makes training so much more fun. I'm so grateful for everything the athletic department has done to ensure that we're able to compete as a team and have this opportunity. We're excited to have a season this year."
Players Mentioned
