General | December 17, 2025

PHILADELPHIA — The Division of Recreation and Intercollegiate Athletics at the University of Pennsylvania continued to invest in coach leadership development with the Penn Athletics Wharton Leadership Academy (PAWLA) Coaches Workshop, held December 9–10. The two-day program brought together head and assistant coaches, as well as administrators, from across Penn Athletics for an intensive series of sessions focused on communication, leadership identity, motivation, and character assessment.

"The PAWLA Coaches Workshop continues to be one of the most meaningful professional development opportunities we offer," Alanna Wren, the T. Gibbs Kane, Jr. W'69 Director of Athletics and Recreation said. "Our coaches are committed to growing as leaders, and our partnership with the Wharton School allows us to deliver world-class instruction tailored to the realities of collegiate athletics."

"Only at Penn can we combine the expertise of faculty from the nation's top-rated business school with coaches at the forefront of Division I athletics," Amy Coffey, Director of the Penn Athletics Wharton Leadership Academy said. "This collaboration allows our coaches to explore tangible research and practices that inspire stronger performance outcomes. PAWLA continues to be a training ground to witness the fruits of this partnership."

The workshop opened with Betsy Butterick, widely recognized for her expertise in communication coaching. Butterick led participants through a full slate of sessions on December 9, with a deep dive into Relating to Today's Student-Athlete.

The morning continued with Championship Communication and Confrontation for Connection, equipping coaches with strategies for building trust, improving clarity, and navigating difficult conversations constructively.

Following lunch, Butterick guided coaches through discussions on responsibility, standards alignment, and how to inspire high-performance behaviors within collegiate teams. The day concluded with a specialized session for new coaches offering targeted support for leaders transitioning into the Penn Athletics community.

Day two featured the expertise of Wharton faculty as coaches explored the deeper foundations of leadership. Jeff Klein, Executive Director of the McNulty Leadership Program, opened the morning with a Leader Identity session, encouraging participants to reflect on their personal leadership narratives and the values that guide their decision-making.

Wharton People Lab Faculty Director Cade Massey and Steve Clagett, Director of Learning and Development for the Baltimore Ravens, led an afternoon focused on Character Assessment, providing evidence-based frameworks that coaches can apply in evaluating prospective student-athletes. The two-day program provided practical takeaways that coaches can implement immediately within their programs.

The Penn Athletics Wharton Leadership Academy remains a cornerstone initiative supporting Penn's mission to develop exceptional leaders in competition, in the classroom, and in the community.