Built Different: What It Means to Be a Battle-Tested Leader
- Daniel Freschi
- May 29
- 5 min read
Defining Leadership in Sports and Life
In sports, you hear it all the time: “That kid’s built different.”
It’s a phrase reserved for the rare few who stand out, not just for their skill but for their mentality, their toughness, and their ability to rise when things fall apart. The truth is, being built differently has very little to do with raw talent and everything to do with how you lead.
At Battle Tested by EDGE, we believe that the most powerful form of leadership starts with a single choice: to lead yourself first. That’s what being battle-tested is all about. It’s not just a label, it’s a lifestyle. A lifestyle that requires commitment, resilience, self-awareness, and a vision larger than yourself.
This type of leadership isn’t limited to captains or star players. It's available to any athlete willing to take ownership of their mindset, actions, and impact on the team. Through our Student-Athlete Leadership Assessment (SALA), we assist athletes in discovering how they’re wired to lead and what it means to be “built different” from the inside out.
Leadership Starts with a Choice, Not a Title
Too often, athletes believe that leadership is merely about being the loudest, the most talented, or the one who delivers pre-game speeches. However, leadership runs much deeper than that.
Leadership is about how you conduct yourself when no one’s watching. It’s about how you respond to feedback, adversity, and pressure. It’s about how you help your teammates improve, even if you’re not the one in the spotlight.
Being battle-tested means you’ve experienced something, failure, injury, pressure, doubt, and emerged stronger. It’s not about avoiding challenges; it’s about how you grow through them.
True leaders aren’t born. They’re built day by day, choice by choice, rep by rep.
The SALA Framework: 10 Ways to Lead
Our Student-Athlete Leadership Assessment (SALA) identifies ten distinct leadership roles. Each role is grounded in character, influence, and contribution, not solely in athletic achievement.
These roles demonstrate that anyone can lead, but not everyone leads in the same manner.
Let’s examine what it means to be a battle-tested leader through each role:
🔁 The Bench Coach
Built differently because: You lead from the sidelines with humility and strategic insight. You help others succeed, even when you're not in the game.
Legacy: Encouragement, wisdom, and presence when it matters most.
🛡️ The Caretaker
Built differently because: You notice what others miss. You serve your teammates, support them off the field, and make sure no one falls through the cracks.
Legacy: Compassion, organization, and relational leadership.
🔥 The Comeback Kid
Built differently because: You don’t stay down. When your team is struggling, you bring energy, belief, and resilience that flips the momentum.
Legacy: Grit, inspiration, and never backing down from adversity.
🛠️ The Workhorse
Built differently because: You outwork everyone. No drama. No excuses. Just relentless effort and a commitment to doing the little things right.
Legacy: Discipline, intensity, and setting the tone for others.
🗣️ The Voice
Built differently because: Your words carry weight. You speak up when it matters, correct teammates with courage, and unify the group.
Legacy: Credibility, accountability, and being heard for the right reasons.
🧗 The Sherpa
Built differently because: You help others climb. You’ve reached a level of success and now invest your time and wisdom to lift others up.
Legacy: Mentorship, humility, and team-first sacrifice.
🧲 The Pied Piper
Built differently because: People follow you naturally. You use your influence to model excellence, build buy-in, and protect the team’s values.
Legacy: Trusted influence, inclusiveness, and relational leadership.
🎉 The Socialite
Built differently because: You create belonging. You bring teammates together off the field, bridge cliques, and build a culture that lasts.
Legacy: Team unity, joy, and emotional glue.
🚀 The Rookie
Built differently because: You lead early. Even as a newcomer, your maturity and mindset elevate the team. You’re bold, respectful, and ready to grow.
Legacy: Courage, humility, and unexpected leadership.
🩼 The Wounded Warrior
Built differently because: You stay locked in even when sidelined. You lead with positivity, effort, and example even during times of injury or illness.
Legacy: Resilience, emotional strength, and loyalty.
What Makes These Leaders ‘Battle-Tested’?
These roles not only describe personality types. They also reflect the character choices that exceptional leaders make every day. The athletes who excel in leadership don’t wait for adversity to build their toughness; they train for it daily.
Battle-tested leaders share these qualities:
🔍 Self-Awareness
They understand their strengths, blind spots, and the ways they influence others. They don’t pretend to lead. They embody it authentically.
💬 Coachability
They embrace feedback as a means for growth rather than as criticism. They choose to respond instead of react.
💪 Resilience
They have learned to persevere through setbacks, maintain focus under pressure, and recover swiftly.
❤️ Selflessness
They prioritize the team. Whether leading vocally or quietly, they respond to what the moment requires.
📣 Intentional Influence
They don’t lead by chance. They lead by example, by effort, and by the energy they bring.
Built Different in Life, Too
The impact of battle-tested leadership doesn’t end at the final buzzer. These athletes carry their influence into college, careers, and communities. They become the individuals others depend on, in the workplace, in families, and in high-pressure situations.
Think about it:
The Bench Coach becomes the steady teammate in the boardroom.
The Comeback Kid rises after business setbacks.
The Sherpa mentors new employees.
The Voice leads teams through change.
The battlefield might shift, but the character remains the same.
How to Start Building Yourself Today
You don’t have to wait for a title, a senior season, or a significant moment to lead. You can start now, with small, consistent decisions:
Take the SALA to learn how you’re wired to lead
Identify your core strengths and your stretch areas
Embrace your role, even if it’s behind the scenes
Practice one act of leadership every day
Ask yourself: Am I building the kind of legacy I want to leave?
Final Whistle: Be the Leader That’s Built Different
You don’t need to be the best player to be the best leader.
You need to be the most intentional one.
Being battle-tested isn’t just about surviving challenges, it’s about leveraging them.
It’s not about how loud you are, it’s about how clearly you express your values.
And it’s not about leading like everyone else. It’s about leading in your own way.
You’re not here just to play.
You’re here to influence. To impact. To leave a legacy.
So, are you built differently? Let’s find out.
🚨 Take the Next Step
Start your leadership journey today with the Student-Athlete Leadership Assessment (SALA). Learn your leadership role. Build your battle-tested identity. Change your team from the inside out.
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