Waterloo senior Keylianie Alamo-Ubiles has been selected to attend the NYSPHSAA Student Leadership Conference, which will be held April 15-16 in Albany. 

Keylianie understands the tenets of good sportsmanship and what it means to be a leader on the field of play. As a member of the school’s volleyball, indoor and outdoor track and field teams, she knows firsthand that individual success is only a part of a team’s overall success.

“Sportsmanship to me is being a leader to yourself and other people,” says Keylianie. “To me, it means bringing up others when they're down, and knowing how to manage certain situations.”

Keylianie is able to draw on her experiences as examples of what good teamwork looks like. 

“If the team has a bad relay, you don't focus on what leg of the relay went wrong,” says Keylianie. “You all work on it together as a team.”

Keylianie first learned of this opportunity early in the 2025-26 school year. Representatives from Section V, the region that the Waterloo School District is in, identify the student-athletes they believe embody leadership values. These students are then invited to apply for the conference, a process that includes writing why they are interested in attending the conference and how they believe it will benefit them as student-athletes.

Keylianie followed through on her invitation and, in December 2025, learned that she was selected. 

“I was at a musical rehearsal when I found out,” says Keylianie. “I found my closest teammate and I told them, then I ran from the auditorium to the gym lobby to find my track coaches and tell them. I told my Mom when I got home. I was excited, and so was everyone I told.”

Keylianie will have the opportunity to meet with student-athletes from around New York State, strengthen her leadership skills, and learn valuable lessons and soft skills she can bring back to Waterloo’s sports teams. Some of this year’s presenters include representatives from the New York Army National Guard and Team Up 4 Community, a nationally recognized non-profit that empowers student-athletes to create meaningful changes in their communities. 

“I’m excited to learn new skills and meet likeminded student-athletes, with similar desires and achievements,” says Keylianie.