Seniors reflect on 4 years of athletics and academics

Athletes on campus spend an equal amount of time hitting the gym as they do hitting the books.

Jordan Lewis, a senior lacrosse player who has played sports for most of his life, said, "It takes real commitment to play a sport in college."

"In college, you're competing against everyone in the country, and if you don't give it your best you'll regret it," Lewis said.

In order to develop the skills necessary for success after college life, senior athletes must learn to balance their academic and athletic obligations, according to a men's lacrosse player.

"Here at college, playing a sport requires a lot of dedication," said the 23-year-old Lewis, a senior communications major from Covington, La.

In addition to the normal academic work, athletes have "off-season practices and things like strength and conditioning" to add into their schedule, Lewis said.

Making the transition from high school to college athletics is a significant change for most athletes, according to Lewis.

"In high school, you don't really do much off-season stuff, but here in the fall I know we've got five weeks of practices," Lewis said.

"Compared to high school, you spent a lot more time involved in the sport," Lewis said.

Whereas most high school teams play other teams in their town, college teams "spend a lot of time traveling and practicing," according to Lewis.

According to 22-year-old Nicki Hunsicker, a senior political science major from Emmaus, Pa., "You're expected to put more effort and time into the sport, and you're expected to be at a higher level of physical fitness and mental capability."

Being a student athlete means balancing athletics and other obligations, according to Lewis.

"I've played soccer all four years, starting as a freshman, and I started playing lacrosse this year," Hunsicker said. "The commitment level is much higher, and the training takes up more of your time."

According to Lewis, finding that perfect balance between the two aspects of college is important, because "you're here to get a degree, and you're not majoring in sports."

The ability to manage their time effectively is one of the skills athletes acquire early in their college careers.

"I do better with my schoolwork and my academics when the team is in-season, than I do outside of it," Hunsicker said. "You have that structure, because you know if you screw up (your academics) you won't get to play."

Those players who love the sport "work harder, because you don't want to get stuck not playing," Hunsicker said.

According to Lewis, "It's tough to be a two- or three-sport athlete here, with all of your other work."

Working with people of various and skills levels teaches the players how to deal "with different people, their attitudes, their likes and dislikes," Lewis said.

"One of the skills I've learned over the last four years is definitely people skills," Lewis said.

There's a certain level of "interaction with the people who may not have the same kind of discipline or outlook that you have," Hunsicker said.

"We're all different athletic abilities, but we all go out there on that field and play like nothing else matters," Lewis said.

According to Lewis, those seniors tasked with leadership roles "learn pretty quickly what everyone is like, and what their motivations are."

Developing a strong leadership foundation is one of several skills "acquired after four years as a varsity athlete", according to a 21-year-old senior international studies major Marley Balasco, of Burrington, R.I.

"My leadership skills have become very strong since I started playing softball here at school," Balasco said.

"Freshman and sophomore year, you're just along for the ride, but junior and senior year you step up to be a leader," Balasco said. "Each new year I would take on a different responsibility."

"Learning teamwork and working with a group" complement the leadership traits that sports impart on the players, according to Hunsicker.

"I got a different type of leadership aspect, compared to the corps (and) military stuff, playing a sport here," Hunsicker said.

"When you're out on the field you have to handle things differently than in your ROTC," Hunsicker said.

In addition to leadership, playing a sport also lends itself to developing strong interpersonal skills, according to Balasco.

"Really, it's learning how to flex to different personalities, and all of the different mindsets mean you have to adapt quickly," Balasco said.

"You have to get everyone working together" because "you always deal with inner-team rivalries and bickering," Balasco said.

One of the things athletes learn is "that people are capable of a lot more than you might first think," according to Hunsicker.

Dedicating themselves to four years of varsity-level athletics "means more commitment, because you're required to go to all of your practices, and there's no real excuse for missing a practice," said 22-year-old senior nursing major Molly Rice, of Sunapee, N.H.

"In high school, we had the weekends off, but here we've had games every weekend," Rice said. "There's a lot more time required at the college level."

Time management, according to Rice, is one skill most athletes will bring into their future careers.

As an athlete, "you learn how to manage your time, with sports and your homework and all the other school things that crop up," Rice said.

"Playing has definitely made me more organized, and has taught me to understand that school work comes first," Rice said.

According Rice, "Managing your time well is a huge part" of being a college athlete, because "you have to be able to juggle all these different things, like school, practices and extracurricular stuff."

Additionally, many players speak of a Norwich family which exists for the athletic programs, something other students might not have experienced.

"In high school, it isn't so much of a family because even though you might be friends, most everyone has their own little cliques," Balasco said.

"The Norwich family is more of an allegiance to one another, and you really look after each other," Balasco said.

Team alumni and parents play a pivotal role in the Norwich athletic family, according to Balasco.

"It's like a big family here at Norwich, because we get alums who come back to support us, plus most everyone's parents support us," Balasco said.

According to Rice, it's "a group that becomes involved with the sport" and "they come together because of that connection," Rice said.

Reflecting on their athletic careers at Norwich, the seniors have a few pointers for rising athletes.

"I would tell new athletes to be yourself, and to not be intimidated by those above you," Rice said.

"Never give up and never stop enjoying it," Balasco said.

According to Hunsicker, being a serious player is necessary to improve, but "sometimes you've got to take a step back and realize that you play because you love the sport."

"A big part of playing is having fun, (because) you can't be serious all the time," Hunsicker said.

For most athletes, "you get out there on the field, and everything else disappears, all the stuff you're worried about, all the tests, it all just goes away, because you're out there to win," Lewis said.

"Being an athlete at Norwich is an honor, and playing for four years is definitely something I'm proud that I did, and it was the best time of my life," Lewis said.