Sydney Leckie is committed to being a good leader for the Bobcats, even if she isn’t as vocal as a normal leader.
Leckie, a senior defender, is not outspoken or confrontational in her life outside of soccer, and that extends to her personality on the pitch. But thanks to her maturation as a player and person, she has turned into a key leader for Ohio, even if it is not on display for everyone to see.
Describing herself as the Bobcats’ “silent leader,” Leckie’s presence is felt behind closed doors. She doesn't feel the need to be outwardly expressive as a leader, and the team doesn’t ask her to do that.
Despite her introversion, Leckie felt that her growth as a leader came naturally and was not something she had to force.
“I have a passion for this team,” Leckie said. “My passion comes out in my leadership skills.”
Leckie has received consistent playing time in all four of her seasons with Ohio, so coach Aaron Rodgers expected a lot out of her from the beginning. In her first season, the Bobcats were only 5-12-1 and had lost at least 12 games for the third year in a row.
After her freshman year, however, Leckie started to notice something. Ohio’s win total has steadily increased from season to season since 2016 and the team’s morale rose as a result. That growth as a team has created a winning mentality.
The Bobcats were undergoing a culture change.
Leckie credits the culture change to both the upper class players in her first two seasons as well as the work of Rodgers. They created an environment where winning was the expectation. Anything besides that was unacceptable, and Leckie took notice. It’s something she now incorporates when she is trying to lead the younger players on the Bobcats.
“I want the best for the team,” Leckie said. “I want to win and I will do whatever it takes to get that win.”
Leckie’s leadership ability grew in her sophomore year, when Rodgers and then-assistant coach Debs Brereton worked with her because they saw that she had the traits of a leader, she just needed some help getting to her full potential.
Rodgers saw the potential in Leckie when he first started recruiting her back in 2013. He knew that she may get overlooked due to her being slightly undersized at 5 feet, 2 inches. Despite that, he recognized that she has a high soccer IQ and is a fighter on the pitch, so he felt confident in his decision to bring her to Ohio.
“She has a never-give-up attitude and that will take you a long way,” Rodgers said.
Six years later, Leckie is in her senior year at Ohio and the impact that she made on team will not be forgotten by Rodgers.
“We’re so proud that she became a Bobcat,” Rodgers said. “She’s helping create a legacy for her senior class and those who come behind her.”
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