Player Spotlight - Sophomore Kathy Brown

Name: Kathy Brown
Class: 2011
Hometown: Baltimore, MD
High School: Catonsville High
Uniform #: 19
Majors: Psychology and Studio Art
Favorite Color: Green
Favorite Food: Pesto Spaghetti

What led you to attend and play lacrosse at W&L?
-Well, I have been playing lacrosse since I was little and I had always imagined keeping it up in college. My Dad and my sister both played here. They had such wonderful experiences, so that was a large part of why I ended up at W&L.

How did you spend this past summer?
-My summer was very scattered between working at my Dad’s office and volunteering a little for the Rita Project (an organization for suicide prevention) in between trips to the beach!!

What is the best class you have taken so far at W&L? Why?
-Psychoactive Drugs and Behavior with Professor Stewart- He is hands down the coolest professor here. His class is one of the reasons I wanted to become a psych major. The subject matter is really useful and relevant. I highly recommend this course.

What is your favorite non-lax activity at W&L?
-… Field Hockey? I don’t have too much time for anything else. Although, I think Campus Kitchens is a great program that I need to volunteer for more often.

What is your favorite Lexington Restaurant? Why?
-Lexington Restaurant- I am a big breakfast person... and it’s cheap and fast, just the way I like it.

Best W&L lax memory?
-Beating Middlebury- DUH.

What does W&L lax mean to you?
-W&L Lacrosse is a network that has made my experience at this school worthwhile. All the girls on the team are unique and provide me with friendships that I would not have found elsewhere. The bonds we share are unlike any other. The coaching staff is also a large part of why I enjoy the program. They are great supportive leaders and know how to help us achieve our goals.

What was the last book you read for pleasure?
-The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls- I highly recommend it. It was a very interesting story that helped me put my own life in perspective. It is also a glimpse into the lives of the homeless.

Any other fun facts about yourself you’d like to share?
-I love cats, especially my cat Marbles. I also really love unsweetened Iced Tea and Seltzer Water….the list goes on.

Day #1

Greetings from Lexington,

The Generals excitedly kicked off our season today with a chilly afternoon practice. There was a contagious buzz of excitement in the air as the players re-familiarized themselves with the game of lacrosse. Though fall ball was months ago, the girls were quickly back into the swing of things and ready to move forward with the 2009 season!
With a Lacrosse Magazine #8 pre-season ranking, the team certainly has a reputation that we are ready to defend. Our sights are set on a banner year and we’re thrilled at the schedule we have which will enable us to have a fantastic season. The Generals will face 5 of Lacrosse Magazine's top 20 pre-season ranked teams. Our schedule includes #2 F&M, #4 Middlebury, #12 Trinity (CT), #15 St. Mary’s, and #17 Catholic. Other tough competitors the team will confront include Christopher Newport, Mary Washington, Colorado College, and dangerous ODAC rivals Roanoke, Virginia Wesleyan, Randolph-Macon, Lynchburg, and Guilford. To be the best, you have to play the best there is out there!

The team has been working incredibly hard in the off-season and it showed at today's practice. The coaching staff is thrilled at the high standards the Generals have set for themselves and are excited for our first test on February 14th when we scrimmage the Scottish National team at Episcopal High School in Alexandria, VA.

GO GENERALS!

2007 Graduates Karina, Maggie, and Lane say Hello from NYC

Hello Fellow Laxers-

Greetings from NYC! We were very excited to learn about this blog and were eager to provide updates when RBarr came a callin’.

We (Lane, Karina & Maggie) still live together in our Tribeca loft (see picture). We’re fortunate enough to share our place with fellow W&L alums (and lax fan extraordinaires), Tara Rubenstein '08 and Alex Laymon '07. Similarly to our Lex Vegas abodes, the apartment walls are furnished with college pics (many of which feature old teammates’ faces). We were all drawn to the city for numerous reasons. Both Maggie and Karina grew up in the Tri-State area, and Lane also spent significant time visiting and interning up here during college. Career opportunities arose in NYC for all of us and with so many W&L friends heading up this way (including fellow lax alums Kelly Evans and Lindsay Lecky), the choice was a no-brainer.

Lane works at DLA Piper LLP (US) as a paralegal in the Real Estate Capital Markets group and also serves as a project coordinator for the firm’s probono Partner. She’s beginning to study for the LSAT and while we wish her the very best, we only hope that she doesn’t choose a law school too far away from us!

Karina is at Morgan Stanley, working in the recruiting group of the Human Resources division. It's been a wild ride there, especially in the last several months but she's managed to weather the storm thus far. She's also had the opportunity to work closely with counterparts in London and Asia as well as with the global marketing teams to help develop various materials and presentations the firm uses when visiting universities.

Maggie works at a financial brokerage firm, GFI Group, as an analyst on the Natural Gas desk. She helps in researching, developing and promoting new business. She is currently in the process of transitioning clients across the Energy and Commodities market to the firm’s new hybrid platform. When the market closes, you can often find her out with clients, convincing them with her all-American talent to buy in.

We must say that the entire experience has been just amazing. Living with your best friends definitely helps ease the transition from college to the real world. While we’ve left the fraternity and sorority life behind, the city scene still gives all Lex undergrads something to look forward to (with all the W&L alums up here, we still find ourselves at many gatherings with classmates… so don’t fear, we haven’t completely lost our W&L social life)! We’ve also tried to keep ourselves physically active up here while exploring and adjusting to our new home. Last year we volunteered for the NYC “Step Out to Fight Diabetes” Walk, this year we also ran in the annual JP Morgan Chase “Challenge in Central Park” as well as the “Brain Rooney Memorial Run” for Cancer research. Additionally, we cheered on the sidelines of the NY Marathon, which inspired all of us, some might even consider training for next year’s race.

One of the hardest parts about life in NYC has been the leaving behind our spots on the Generals squad. Nothing compares to that feeling of being a part of a team— something bigger than yourself. Bus rides, team dinners, movie nights, locker room dances, psych days, pre-game rituals, the warm-up mix, training room time, preseason running, end-line sprinting... and doing it all together really adds up. Each of us has dabbled in work-related and intramural city teams, but none hold a candle to the competitive outlet you feel through every day practice and the challenge of game day. Even more so, the sense of camaraderie and the bonds you build when playing with your teammates day in and day out just cannot be replaced. Neither the machines at the NYSC gym nor the views from the West Side highway (see picture below) motivate us like our old coaches, teammates and- of course- a loose lax ball. :) There is honestly nothing we miss more than lax (except maybe our parents paying rent checks and/or food bills from the sorority house… enjoy that too).
We miss you all and love you even more. Good luck to those awaiting preseason (it’s rapidly approaching) and of course with the entire season! Rest assured that we’ll be following every game- every play! (Thank goodness for the internet.)

Send updates via the blog… we’ll be checking.

L4L.

Love,
Lane, Karina & Maggie

P.S. Many congratulations to Avery on her engagement! We’re all so happy for you!!!

Player Spotlight - Sophomore Kate Speare

Name: Kate Speare
Nickname: Speare
Class: 2011
Hometown: Wallingford, Pa
High School: Strath Haven High School
Uniform #: 6
Majors: Possible Business Admin.
Favorite Color: Blue
Favorite Food: Mac and cheese




What led you to attend and play lacrosse at W&L?
-The strong academics, small size and close knit community of W&L were huge factors in my decision to come to school here. I was also interested in playing lacrosse especially for such as successful team like W&L’s. After fall ball freshman year, I knew I wanted to be part of the team. I realized how close and united the team is and I loved both the coach’s and the player’s dedication and enthusiasm.

How did you spend this past summer?
-I spent most of my past summer in my hometown, Wallingford. I spent time with my family, and hung out with my twin brother, Robby. I also got surgery to remove my tonsils and helped out with the Washington and Lee VIP lacrosse camp!

What is the best class you have taken so far at W&L? Why?
-It’s hard to say which class has been my favorite so far because I have enjoyed so many of them. But I especially liked my French culture and civilization class. I learned a lot more about France than I expected and I definitely improved my French.

What is your favorite non-lax activity at W&L?
-Tennis! We just started a club tennis team this year!

What is your favorite Lexington Restaurant? Why?
-Blue sky is one of my favorite restaurants because it has the best sandwiches. Their specials are always really good and it’s close to campus!

Best W&L lax memory?
-Beating Middlebury!!!!

What does W&L lax mean to you?
-To me, W&L lax is a dedicated and committed team that aspires towards common goals. It is a group of motivated girls who love the sport and love playing together. W&L lax is a great experience for me and I’m glad I’m part of such an awesome team!

What was the last book you read for pleasure?
-A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini. It was really good, almost as good as Kite Runner!

Any other fun facts about yourself you’d like to share?
-I love music and playing the clarinet!