Don’t miss the final two posts to her public-facing Engaged Leadership project (CLAS 3P98), “When in Rome, Lift Heavy“, in which undergraduate Amelia Jackson explores ancient athletic practices and applies them to her own involvement in competitive powerlifting. “Sweat then Siesta: Lessons in Ancient Athletic Recovery” looks at recovery practices used by ancient athletes from prayer to painkillers to bathing and massage. “Arete and Agōn: Mental Strength in Ancient Greek Sport” looks at mental fortitude and entering the competition mindset. She concludes with a discussion of modern sports psychology, noting, “Modern sports psychology emphasizes growth, consistency, and intrinsic motivation for a reason. Athletes who last, and truly love what they do, are the ones who strive for progress, those who seek effort over ego, and daily commitment over momentary triumphs. In the end, the most meaningful wins aren’t over others, but over our previous self, and those are victories worth celebrating.”

Congratulations to Amelia for this exciting project. Engaged Leadership in Classics is a new initiative, developed in collaboration with students and faculty, that enables Classics students in their 3rd or 4th year of study to earn credit by developing and implementing an independent project focused on Classics. Projects are expected to have a public-facing element that engages with the wider community at Brock or within the Niagara Region (e.g., leading a workshop in a local library, organizing a conference, or designing a module for an after-school enrichment program). Projects can be undertaken on an individual or group basis during the Fall/Winter or Spring/Summer terms.

Athenian red-figure stamnos with female athletes bathing, 440–430 B.C. https://collections.mfa.org/objects/153881