Tuesday, November 29, 2011

My First Experience on a College Lacrosse Team

My First Experience on a College Lacrosse Team
By: Samantha Fagone
In early spring during my senior year I remember panicking because I had eight acceptance letters yet and no idea as to where I wanted to go.  So one night my mom sat me down and said “During your college visits, you’re going to step onto one of the campuses and just know it’s where you belong.” At the time, I thought it was just a ploy my mom was using to get me to calm down, and then I came to Randolph College.  I just knew this school was for me, and after moving in and completing orientation, I realized I was right about my choice.
After about a week however, I became extremely homesick and I wanted to jump onto the nearest train headed for New York. I can honestly say I never thought this would be a problem since I was so sure I was ready to leave home. Yet I found myself becoming upset over not being with my family and wishing that I was back on Long Island. Thankfully, I had my new friends as well as my team and Coach to help me through my breakdowns. On the lacrosse team we’re each assigned a “Big” to help us with problems that we may be having and I’m truly lucky to have Samie Maggard as mine. Not only has she been an amazing friend but someone I can turn to about anything and know she’ll help me through it.
Once fall ball started, I found myself forgetting about missing home and pushed myself harder each day. I was so surprised each Monday and Friday when Coach told me I beat my mile as well as my 2.5 mile time and the bond within the team grew. Our drills and plays began to look better and we found ourselves becoming more comfortable around one another on and off the field. I remember being so nervous that I would "screw up" since I was a freshman as well as the only goalie on the team, I even apologized once for saving the ball! I noticed though that my teammates were always encouraging whilst working hard individually to help make the team stronger as a whole. 
After a month, we had our first tournament against three other teams and I could tell that we were all anxious as well as nervous. It’s hard coming onto a team that you’ve never played with before, especially when you’re so used to your one from high school.   But we had so much fun and played really well together against all odds. Afterwards, it seemed that everyone was excited for season to start so we could really show other schools what were made of. 
These past few months have been a life changing experience for me, and I guess my mom was right.  I’ve found where I belong.

Thursday, September 15, 2011

Thoughts from Junior Danielle Haney

When I first set foot on the turf field at Randolph I felt a mix of emotions. It was a combination of fear and excitement. I was fearful of the expectations set out for us, and excited to see what we could accomplish. Since the beginning, we have certainly had more defeats than victories, not just on the field, but within ourselves, and as a team. We are now going into our third season at Randolph College, and this time around we are expecting to win. In order to do so we have to come together as a team and really become a family. We need to encourage one another, and turn our weaknesses into strengths. Unlike the previous seasons, we finally have upperclassmen that will be taking on the leadership role and really striving for excellence.  With a combination of leadership and our talent, we are all expecting to make a mark in the ODAC this season. Coach Wagner and my fellow teammates will stop at nothing to be the strongest we have ever been.
We are a very hardworking group, and we know that although we might not be the fastest or the strongest team, we certainly are the one with the most heart. Giving up is not an option in our eyes, and this upcoming season we will have to push ourselves more than ever. With a core group of players coming back, along with the first years that have picked Randolph, we will work harder than we ever have. With each season we grow as a team. It is not always easy, but it is the hard times that have made us stronger. We believe in being a family, working hard, and never giving up. With our new attitudes, and last season in the past, we are expecting to finally show how strong of a team we really are.
-- Danielle Haney '13

Friday, July 29, 2011

About Our First Year...

Hey everyone, this is Courtney Kellogg, Samie Maggard, and Melanie Eisele writing. We are all players entering our sophomore year in the fall of 2011. Our first year of college was full of both good times and tough times, but being on the team made coming to a new school a lot easier. The bonds that were created between the girls on this team will never be broken and we’re all looking forward to creating new bonds with the first years. Being on the team created a true sense of belonging because we were pushed to our limits and we achieved personal success and success as a new, growing team. We wanted to share some of our most memorable moments from this year, as a first year Randolph Women’s Lacrosse player, and what we are looking forward to for this upcoming year and others to come. In discussion we created a list of our top 10 favorite things that we did on and off the field.

1. The day in the middle of the season when we all beat our 1-mile run times as well as our 2.5-mile times. (Beating our times during preseason gave a great sense of accomplishment too)
2. Receiving “Bobo Awards” at the last practice of the season
3. The 9-hour van rides with Coach Meg and Coach Wagner to Hilton Head, SC for our spring break trip
4. Our first goals scored
5. The scavenger hunt in Hilton Head
6. A group of 5 of us cramming in to Morgan’s room for a sleep over the night before we left for Hilton Head since we had to wake up so early the next morning
7. Courtney, Melanie, Jess Andersen and Nushaa Kaz driving 66 miles to Charlottesville to get Dunkin Donuts coffee and donuts (since that’s the closest one)
8. Decorating Coach Wagner’s car and apartment door for her birthday
9. The time when Samie was going to goal and her ball dropped out of her stick and she caught it with her chin and kept running
10. Our win against North Carolina Wesleyen

Looking back at all these moments makes us very excited to create new memories as we enter the second year of our college career. We’ve all been working hard this summer to make sure we have a successful next season. For our summer workout we run, we do arm and ab workouts and most importantly we work on our stick skills. We are very excited to have the incoming first years on our team because they are going to be a great addition to our family. Having a year of experience as a Randolph lacrosse player, we know to expect a lot of hardwork and intense times, but we have a lot of support from everyone on the team including Coach Wagner and Coach Meg because we’re all a big family. The solid 11 of us are a strong group of girls who are willing to put in a lot of effort on the field and off. The three of us can tell you that good things are going to happen this season, and we can guarantee you all of the other girls on the team would agree.

-Courtney Kellogg, Samie Maggard, Melanie Eisele

Tuesday, April 5, 2011

Making History, Randolph College Women's lacrosse takes their first ever spring break trip!

Hilton Head, South Carolina


“Lacrosse 24/7. That was our spring break. From team scavenger hunts, to double sessions, to villa rivalries, these five days definitely bonded our team in a whole new sense. We literally spent every waking moment together. Starting at 6am on Saturday morning! We rode nine hours shoved in a van. We got Dunkin’ Donuts, which our Boston girls, Coach Wagner and Courtney Kellogg, were ecstatic about. Waited at Subway for 9,283,759,845 hours because some guy in front of us decided he really wanted 12 subs. After arriving in Hilton Head we quickly changed into our practice clothes and went straight out to the field for practice. We all got good sleep that night because we knew we had a tough game ahead of us on Sunday.


Our first game during spring break (second game of the season) was a devastating loss in the sweltering heat against Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD), 13-1. We then had a double session the following day on a field that was conveniently located next to a dog park. In case any of you don’t already know, we have two crazy animal lovers on our team (Jess Anderson and Coach Meg) so needless to say; we occasionally had some issues focusing on our drills.


Tuesday we had a normal practice during which we prepared for our game against Mount Saint Joseph’s the following day. And that night we got to feel like girls again and get dressed up to go out for a nice dinner at Hibachi…YUM.


Wednesday we played Mount Saint Joseph’s. We suffered a heart-breaking loss in sudden death, double overtime. We were all crushed because we fought so hard and the win was so close, but our coaches knew just what to do to cheer us up: an intense scavenger hunt throughout Hilton Head. To give you an idea of what this was like, I’ll give you some examples of what was on the list: take a picture with a cute puppy (I wonder which coach put THAT one on there…), bring back a cute boy, take a picture of an alligator…just to name a few.


I think that we all can agree that Thursday was a day that nobody wanted to come because everyone was having such a great time. But we didn’t go home before stopping at the outlets…especially Nike. Then we hopped into the van for another 9 hour ride packed tight in that stupid van. We stopped at a rest stop about 45 min after departure where Coach Wags started hysterically laughing to the point of tears at the sight of Nushaa and Jess sprinting after the van because she drove off like we were going to leave them.


Spring Break 2011=Success. Jess Anderson was able to get her long awaited “pinnie tan”. But most importantly, we were able to bond as a team, which was really special to me because this was the first time I was really able to get close with the girls since I came to Randolph since I transferred in for spring semester. It was nice to know that NOW since we did this trip we are a lacrosse family! ”


Ashley Edwards ‘14

Tuesday, March 29, 2011

A Day in the Life of Ashley Stevens

Randolph Sports Information Director Jamie Chagnon followed around sophomore goalkeeper Ashley Stevens all day March 23, as the WildCats travelled to Ashland, VA for a road game with Randolph-Macon College. Check out the feature below...

Inside the first win of the season, written by sophomore midfielder Jessica Andersen '13

      Randolph  vs. North Carolina Wesleyan
            First win of the 2011 season!
         
"It’s one of those things you won’t forget. It may not have been our first history win, like last year, but it was our first home win. It was the first win we had on our turf, in our stadium, to let the rest of our college see how much work we put in every day, even though we don’t have the same numbers other teams might have. It’s just our second season back at Randolph, but I think the first win at home sends out the message that we’re a real and fighting part of this school, willing just as any other team on campus.
The hunger was there early in the morning. I think we all woke up and just decided mentally that this was going to be our time and our day. We were ready to work hard in order to earn what we had been waiting for since the first week of preseason. After everything our team has been through mentally and physically, not only this year but for the three other  sophomores that endured the beginning season last year, we just all came together to fight a team that was just as hungry for the win. The freshman came out with the talent that our coach had brought them in for, and the sophomores used what we had learned from last year and this year to mesh everything together. As the minutes winded down and we continued to fight to hold the lead, North Carolina Wesleyan didn’t ease up, and that too was something our entire team could learn from; that no matter what, both teams would be running hard until the clock hit zero.
I think the most satisfying wasn’t having our school there to witness our first win, or to have it on our own turf, but to watch our coaches, as we sat in a huddle at the corner, try to fight back a smile. There were certainly things we could’ve done better and things we could’ve improved on, but it wasn’t just the win at home that completed the feeling. It was finally seeing our coaches with their heads up and looking us all in the eye and telling us that they were proud of us, complimenting those who earned it, which comes hard-earned but well deserved."

-Jessica Andersen '13

Thursday, February 10, 2011

Callie Jones '13 and Nushaa Kaz '14...Getting to know the players, on and off the field.

Two of our 2011 Randolph Women's lacrosse players, Callie Jones '13 and Nushaa Kaz '14, have taken the time to answer a few questions about themselves and life as a college athlete. Callie is a sophomore from Amma, WV, she is a history major and will graduate in 2013. Nushaa is a first year, from Raleigh, NC. She plans to major in Psychology and will graduate in 2014. With no upperclassmen, our team is comprised of all sophomores and first years. We are a young team but a driven team. We look forward to an exciting season after all the hard work we've put in!

1. What does it mean to you to be a part of the Wildcat's women's lacrosse team?


Callie Jones '13
 NK: Being apart of the Randolph College Women's Lacrosse team, to me, is being apart of a strong, inseparable family with an unbelievable bond.  From the moment I met the sophomores on my recruit trip, to today's practice  every single one of the girls. I proudly call my teammates and sisters, they have always been there and will always be there for me. And even though practice is a challenge each day for each and everyone one of us, we make it through together, and get strong together. A team that works together, wins together.

2. What's your favorite part of life here at Randolph college?


CJ: My favorite part of life here at Randolph is the friends I've made. I know they will continue to be a huge part of my life even after college.


Nushaa Kaz '14
NK: That's an easy one...being a laxer!

3. Heading into our first season of a full ODAC conference schedule, what do you look forward to the most?

CJ: Heading into our first season in the ODAC, I'm most excited to prove we can compete and hold our own with these teams. I honestly can't wait to win.

NK: I'M HYPED! We have a tough schedule, make no mistakes there, but we're a strong team with good roots, getting better every day.


4. Who is your favorite athlete and why?

CJ: My favorite athlete is Mia Hamm. Growing up, I watched a lot of football and basketball with my family so there weren't a lot of female athletes to look up too. She really represents women's athletics to me and I've always admired her love of the game and dedication to sport in general.


NK: My favorite athlete is Jen Adams, of course! Not only does she have sick nasty lacrosse skills (if you haven't even seen her play, go to youtube immediately), but she inspires women lacrosse players across the world with her highlight and instructional videos that she posts.  Not only do I have her poster in my room, but I've watched the Maryland championship game highlights from 1995-2001 (she came in '98) like twenty times.


5. What motivates you as both an athlete and a student?


CJ: I love pushing myself to the limit both on and off the field. I get motivated the harder I have to work and I love the feeling of accomplishing goals. On the field, I really like seeing how hard I can work and that helps me in the classroom as well.

NK: Motivate is defined as "to stimulate toward action" and while many things can stimulate a human being, such a food, attraction, praise, there is one thing that can and will motivate not only a person as an athlete but also as a student; that is success.  Success can be anything, from beating a time, to winning a game, to doing one homework assignment, to passing a class.  But they all involve positive outcomes, which if you think about it, when you do something right, it doesn't discourage you, it encourages you to do more!


6. What is your favorite tv show?


CJ: My favorite TV show is Law and Order SVU. Any downtime I have goes to either sleeping, eating, or SVU marathons.

NK: My favorite tv show is JERSEY SHORE!!! Seriously best show ever!


7. What is your favorite thing to do outside of lacrosse?

CJ:Outside of Lacrosse I love to read, travel, and again...eat and sleep.


NK: Outside of Lacrosse, I love to cook! It's hard to find time, especially during season, to make it to the grocery store and have time to actually stand in the kitchen, but when I do have time I like to call my mom and my aunts and get some Iranian food recipes and try to make it! My favorite quick dinner is Fettucini Alfredo with some chicken. And my specialty is garlic bread! I like to loaddd the garlic on there!

 8. Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

CJ: In five years I hope to be either finishing up law school in a big city or playing in international dirt as an archaeologist.


NK: In 5 years I see myself in medical school, making my way to becoming a top surgeon! With a part time job coaching a lacrosse team at a middle or high school..how cool would that be!

WILDCAT STADIUM

Monday, January 17, 2011

Habitat for Humanity

Back during the first semester, the Randolph College women's lacrosse squad teamed with the local chapter of Habitat for Humanity to assist them with building a house here in Lynchburg. The team did everything from erecting walls, painting and sanding, but the experience of coming together as a team for such a good cause is what the squad took from this day.