The Williston Athletics Department has rolled out a new leadership group for student-athletes on campus, focused on providing additional leadership support training and boosting school spirit. 

The Student-Athlete Leadership Team, or SALT, is launching this fall with 32 members. The idea for the group first came up when four student-athletes attended a leadership conference in the fall of 2025. 

“We had four female leaders at the conference, and they were talking to a few other peers and learned about their leadership groups,” said Director of Athletics Jade Morris. “The NCAA also requires colleges to have student-athlete advisory committees for group representation. This idea is blending those two together—creating a leadership group that can advocate for students and confront issues that student-athletes are facing.” 

Morris also noted that the group will play a major role in planning events like pep rallies before athletic games. SALT will work in conjunction with the Wildest Cats, the school’s spirit group. 

For the first year, the group will meet monthly and continue to solicit members to support the mission. The four students who originally pitched the idea to Morris— Riley Stocker ’27, Addie Eakin ’27, Addison Perich ’27, and Mia Daley ’27—will serve as the group’s inaugural leaders. The group plans to elect an executive board in the future, and to have one representative from each team in the group. 

One initial plan for the group is to conduct captains’ training for student-athletes. Before each season, the group will bring in team captains from all levels to meet and discuss leadership ideas. 

“It will be a great opportunity for them to learn and grow,” Morris said. “They’ll be able to talk through situations and focus on what it means to be a captain.” 

Morris said the formation of the group excites her as the school’s Director of Athletics, and the initial swell of support highlights how seriously student-athletes are taking their leadership roles on campus. 

“I’m really proud of the four girls that have stepped up to start leading this group,” Morris said. “Everyone who signed up wants to create a better community—not just in their own sports, but in the school as a whole. They want to bring everyone together.”