James Meyer, a recent University of Rhode Island graduate, left a legacy of leadership and culture-building as the president of the URI Men’s Club Soccer team. Serving as the president and captain of the team for the 2024-25 academic year, Meyer led the team to its first regional tournament appearance since 2017. This on-field success is a direct result of all the hard work that James put in leading up to and throughout the season. 

The groundwork for the upcoming club soccer season is laid down in the summer prior to the fall season beginning. “Most of the busy work comes in the summer because of all the preparation needed to be done with our practice schedule, game schedule, tryout schedule, etc.” Meyer said. Scheduling isn’t all that’s required during the summer months from a club sports president. Meyer was also in charge of responding to any inquiries about the team, ensuring equipment and uniforms were accounted for, and working closely with the club sports office.  

As club president for the 2024–2025 season, Meyer was responsible for ensuring the team remained in good standing with both the URI Club Sports office and the league it competes in. That meant filling out paperwork, attending meetings, organizing tryouts, managing equipment, and working closely with the rest of the executive board.

While the behind the scenes work is an important part of being a club sports president, Meyer took the most pride in fostering the welcoming culture of the club soccer team. “The team culture is like no other. Myself and the other leaders on the team work to maintain a comfortable environment for the newcomers and ensure they are welcomed with open arms onto the team.” Meyer said. 

Being a believer in having a close team off the field leads to success on the field, Meyer worked hard to maintain and grow the brotherhood of the team. “We make sure that we have time to spend with one another off the field to build a brotherly bond and increase the team chemistry. When I first joined the team, I was greeted in this manner, and I felt like it was my duty to continue on this trend with the newcomers to maintain the culture from previous years.” Meyer explained. 

Although it wasn’t easy at times, Meyer is grateful for the opportunity to learn how to effectively and efficiently run an organization. He emphasized the importance of not being afraid to ask for help and lean on others when things get difficult. Meyer utilized his executive board often when he had difficulty figuring something out. 

Meyer, who graduated in May with a degree in kinesiology, will begin his next journey in the Master of Business Administration program at the University of Tampa this fall. He hopes the leadership skills he developed at URI will continue to guide him in future endeavors