This edition of #NadoCulture features the 2019-20 Brevard College Women's Lacrosse team. Stay tuned to bctornados.com through the Spring of 2020 for #NadoCulture features on all the Spring sports at Brevard College.
BREVARD, N.C. – Similar to every program across college athletics, the Brevard College Women's Lacrosse team's 2020 competitive season ended with the cancellation of this year's remaining schedule due to the impact from the COVID-19 virus. The BC Women's Lacrosse team, under the direction of Head Coach Kristin Rosato and Assistant Coach Tempestt Smith, however continues to make the best of the situation as a result of an impressive team culture that the Tornados have built over recent years.
"Rise as One"
Each year, the Tornados Women's Lacrosse team chooses a motto to keep in the forefront to inspire the student-athletes and keep the entire team moving in the same direction. Typically the coaches choose the theme for each season, however this year the student-athletes had the opportunity to pick the motto that would serve as the theme for the season. The 2019-20 Tornados chose the motto "Rise as One".
"Our team comes geographically from so many different places," said Rosato. "We are also a young team with nine freshmen and are in the middle of a new start in NCAA Division III, therefore we decided to come together as one and do it all together - to rise as one."
"More Than Just Lacrosse"
This year's "Rise as One" motto fits right into the team culture of the Brevard College Women's Lacrosse team that embodies a holistic approach instilled by coaches Rosato and Smith. As a result, off-the-field success is as paramount as anything on the lacrosse field with academics, community service and personal growth continually emphasized.
"We want to be more than just lacrosse," said Rosato. "Academics are super important as is personal growth. Academically, we are going to push the student-athletes to really build their resumes and to get involved on campus. This isn't about just the lacrosse side of things, but to build the student-athletes as people."
"Academically, we as a team have the goal of a 3.0 team GPA or better and to improve on that every year," added Rosato. "We had a 3.2 last year and this past Fall we had a 3.4 which is something we are very proud of."
The team culture extends from the classroom to the community where the BC Women's Lacrosse team continues to do exceptional work in the local community on an annual basis.
This academic year, the Tornados split their time contributing hundreds of hours mainly to three different organizations – the Cindy Platt Boys and Girls Club of Transylvania County, the Rooster Head Plantation, and the Cat Café.
Giving back through community service at the Boys and Girls Club proved to be a great fit for several of the Tornados, especially those looking to enter a career path in education. The BC Women's Lacrosse student-athletes spent time with the kids and shadowed in different activities and in classroom settings. Other service projects included cleaning, crafts with the kids and the setting up of the venue's Haunted House for Halloween. In addition, the team assisted with parking and guest services at last Fall's Mountain Song Festival, a major fundraiser for the Cindy Platt Boys and Girls Club.
The Rooster Head Plantation, a veteran-owned organic farm, was particularly well suited for several student-athletes who are Biology majors and animal lovers. The Tornados were engaged in a variety of tasks around the farm ranging from putting hay out for pigs, to feeding chickens, to cleaning chicken coops. The BC student-athletes helped move big bundles of hay, while also assisting on more gentle tasks working with baby chickens, baby ducks and puppies. One major project which the Tornados were able to complete was the start of a brand new garden at the farm.
Several Tornados also assisted at the Pisgah Paws Cat Café, an adoption service for cats in Brevard, North Carolina. The Tornados came in and helped clean the facility to make the setting healthier for the orphaned cats.
"We have the opportunity to be involved with different things and the student-athletes then get to see different perspectives," said Rosato. "I think that is what is really cool about getting out in community service and the different opportunities that we can offer our student athletes. It is going to help them develop as young adults. To engage in these different experiences, all that is really important."
Leadership on Campus and Beyond
While the BC Women's Lacrosse student-athletes are active in the community, the Tornados are equally impactful on campus in a variety of leadership roles which contribute to the personal growth of the student-athletes on their path to graduation and eventually their careers after college. To name a few, Nia Davis (Resident Advisor, Student Ambassador, IWIL member); KC Collins (SAAC, Teachers Assistant); Hannah Scharf (Resident Advisor, ELC Tutor); Micaiah Vacchiano (President of Fellowship of Christian Athletes, SAAC, ELC Tutor, Senior RA); Nicole O'Connor (TA, Officer for Criminal Justice Honor Society), Kelly Wilkins (SAAC Marketing Coordinator) and Savannah Colliver (FCA Leader) all have taken on significant leadership roles on campus.
Two more examples are seniors Diana Loaiza and Cameron Ranslow.
Loaiza, a senior defender and team captain from Greenville, South Carolina, is set to graduate this May with a degree in Exercise Science with a minor in coaching. On campus, she has participated as a Peer Leader and the Treasurer for the Life Club while also working as a Department of Athletics work-study to gain experience relevant to her future career.
As a result of her work on campus and in the community, along with strong academics, Loaiza was one of 40 student-athletes from throughout the country to be selected to participate in the NCAA Division III Student Immersion Program this past January. The action-packed program, held in conjunction with the annual NCAA Convention in Anaheim, California, gave Loaiza and fellow Brevard College student-athlete Josh Romero (Football) an exceptional opportunity to be exposed to a magnitude of NCAA programming to help them prepare for a career in athletics.
Loaiza and Romero attended the NCAA legislative voting session, received DiSC training and sat in on USA South Conference meetings with member Presidents and Athletic Directors. Moreover, the student-athletes attended several talks by motivational speakers and leaders in the industry. As a result, Loaiza experienced significant professional development which will help springboard her to a career following graduation.
"Meeting new people and getting out of my comfort zone at the NCAA Convention was a huge benefit for me personally," said Loaiza. "I am more open now talking to people, introducing myself and trying to make connections. I learned so much more about the business of athletics and I feel like my love for athletics grew even more."
Following graduation, Loaiza now has a summer position as the Lacrosse Program Director at Camp Bryn Mawr in Pennsylvania. She will then look for internship or full-time opportunities in sports as well as Master's programs in Sport Management.
Ranslow is a senior attacker also from Greenville, South Carolina who is set to graduate with a degree in English with emphasis areas in Literary Studies and Teaching Licensure. While at BC, she has served as a Peer Leader, a member of the IWIL (Institute for Women in Leadership), a member of honor societies Omicron Delta Kappa and Alpha Chi, an English tutor for the Experiential Learning Commons and a student ambassador for the Admissions Department.
Ranslow credits the Women's Lacrosse team's culture for her successful involvement in so many areas.
"When I initially joined the lacrosse team I was concerned how I was going to juggle it all, keep my academics up and play a sport," said Ranslow. "As I spent more time with the coaches and my teammates, I soon learned how they put a lot of things before athletics with academics being the priority which I value a lot. I want to be an educator and academics is my top priority, so that fell right in line with my values."
The future educator has been gaining experience as a student teacher at The Franklin School of Innovation this academic year. She looks to become a high school English teacher following graduation.
Loaiza and Ranslow both credit much of their success to the experiences as student-athletes within the team culture of the BC Women's Lacrosse team
"We are a family," said Loaiza. "There are some many different personalities on the team but we all kind of melt into each other and all get along. There is a sense of unity and belonging and really a strong bond between each other. It is a place that you can feel safe, say what you want to say and you can also truly be yourself.
"If you like Lacrosse and you want that familial aspect on your team outside of the classroom, then this is the place for you," said Ranslow. "Our coaches will push and support you but also challenge you to become a better person."
The two senior student-athletes also have found Brevard College as an ideal environment for their academic, personal and professional growth.
"Being a student-athlete at Brevard College is different than a lot of places because your academics are going to come first," said Ranslow. "If you are looking at a school to play a sport, at the end of the day you are getting an education. I believe the Athletics Department really drives home the point that academics comes first always while also stressing the importance of being a strong student-athlete and being committed to your sports."
"At Brevard College, I like the small community where you get the chance to connect with so many people," stated Loaiza. "I am still meeting new people every day and I can build strong bonds with everybody. I built relationships with my teachers in high school but it was never at this level. Since you grow so much in college, I think it is very important to pick the right place where you can create bonds with people, truly be yourself and grow into the person that you want to be. That is exactly what you can have at Brevard."
Coaches Rosato and Smith
Naturally, the successful, holistic team culture of the Brevard College Women's Lacrosse team would not be possible without the leadership and direction of coaches Rosato and Smith.
Rosato, in her fifth season as the Head Coach of the Tornados, originally came to BC as a soccer coach following a stellar playing career at the University of Montevallo.
Both Loaiza and Ranslow describe Rosato as a strong motivator who cares deeply for her student-athletes.
"She can be a tough coach and pushes us to be our best and to live up to our full potential," said Loaiza. "She is so committed to this team and in helping us succeed not only in lacrosse but also with academics and in our careers."
"When I first joined the team, I honestly didn't believe in myself as a player and didn't foresee myself excelling to the expectations I had set for myself," said Ranslow. "Coach Rosato is not the type of person who is willing to let you give up and she saw a lot in me that I didn't see in myself. Her character and the inherent drive that she instills in all of us is so impactful. I see her as a mentor, a coach and hopefully someone I would see for the rest of my life as a friend."
Smith, an alumna of Brevard College who was a stellar defender for the Tornados, is in her third season as Assistant Coach. In many ways, Smith brings a balance to Rosato's coaching style.
"I can depend upon Tempestt and she is 100% loyal wanting the best for the program and the student-athletes," said Rosato. "She is great at is building strong relationships with the players. They all feel super comfortable going to her and know they can go sit in her office and have that moment with her."
"On the field, she specializes in defense," added Rosato. "She does a good job of simplifying things. Our defense can be a bit confusing at times requiring a lot of communication and she does a really good job of breaking it down. In general, she is a good positive counterpart to me sometimes when I may be pushing them really hard on the field, she can be a good balance to me and be the first one to say 'good job'. She brings up the positivity on the field and is a great counter to me."
Making the Most of an Unprecedented Situation
With Coaches Rosato and Smith at the helm, the Tornados were five games into their 2020 season when the announcement was made of the cancellation for the remainder of the season due to the impact from the COVID-19 virus.
The team decided to conduct an impromptu Senior Day celebration for the six seniors – Kelly Wilkins, Diana Loaiza, Tabor Ryan, Nicole O'Connor, Micaiah Vacchiano and Cameron Ranslow. The locker rooms were decorated by the underclassmen and an emotional celebration began with hugs, tears and even a piñata. The team then held a ceremony for the seniors prior to their final practice followed by a team for dinner to cap off the bittersweet day.
"We did everything we could to replicate a traditional senior day for that final practice," said Rosato. "It was goofy and silly at times with no one there to see it, but I think those moments made it all very special for the seniors."
"When we came out to practice, they announced us as if it was Senior Day," said Loaiza. "We were all crying and it was very emotional. It was very memorable and I was very thankful that we were able to experience that."
While five of the six seniors were present for the final practice, Ranslow was at her student teaching position at the The Franklin School of Innovation when she received word.
"I received a video of the seniors walking onto the field for the ceremony with one of my teammates walking for me," said Ranslow. "I was in my classroom and started crying because I knew at that point that this was it. I joined the team for dinner that night where I had the chance to hug all my teammates and see the locker room. I had to take Coach Rosato and Coach Smith aside to tell them how grateful I was to be a part of such an amazing team culture. I gained best friends who I will get to stay in touch with for the rest of my life and discovered a new found love for sport that I didn't know that I loved."
Moving forward following the final practice, the team has continued to stay in touch and keep the team culture alive via a group Snapchat that is active daily with updates and positive affirmations between the teammates. Moreover, the coaches have kept involved in the student-athletes transition to online classes as well as helping stay in strong physical shape through body weight workout plans through Volt Athletics.
Valuable Support
While the team culture for the Brevard College Women's Lacrosse is very much internally driven, support from the faculty, staff and local community have all aided in the team's success.
"In the past couple weeks, I have had the opportunity to interact with a number of faculty members and it's great to see how interested they are in how we are doing," said Rosato. And we have professors who are willing to work with our student-athletes to make sure they are still able to archives success."
"In terms of our community, Brevard is fortunate in the support that we have with the Tornado Club and other local fans who want to come out and watch BC athletics," continued Rosato. "On a busy day where we may have a lacrosse, softball, baseball and tennis going on the same day, they will come out and literally attend every single one of those sports. Then after the game, they will approach us and want to learn more and be involved."
The parents of the student-athletes made a significant impact in this short season, inspiring the Tornados on the field at both home and away games.
"Our parents have been outstanding," commented Smith. "They are at every game that they can make it and at every game they are loud. Sometimes I have to turn around just to see how many people are behind us since they are so loud."
"Thanks to our parents this year, every away game felt like a home game," added Rosato. "We had so much support even though we had such a short season. Support is certainly one thing we are not short on."
An Organic Team Culture
All in all, the Brevard College Tornado Women's Lacrosse program will continue to shine both on and off the lacrosse field. The Tornados embody the team culture and the "Rise as One" mentality in an organic way that benefits others through their service and example while also growing personally.
"Sometimes I don't think they notice that they are doing it, they are just being who they are and being involved and trying to have as many experiences as possible," said Assistant Coach Smith. "I don't think they realize how much they much they are giving to themselves and building within themselves while just enjoying the things that they want to do. Whether it is leading on campus or being a part of a club because it is something you enjoy doing, you are actually filling yourself up with all these good important lessons for yourself by just being involved and giving back because it feels good. At the same time as you are giving back people start to look at you different. Watching some of our seniors blossom since they first arrives has really been amazing.'
The coaches are actively looking for the next wave of Tornado student-athletes to join the remarkable team culture of BC Women's Lacrosse.
"If you want to come to a team and play competitive lacrosse, 100% we can give you that," said Rosato. "If you want to go to school and be successful with coaches, faculty, surrounding staff and teammates around you that are going to make sure that you accomplish what you want to do, we can give you that. You will have the resources here in terms of people, internships, and community to really help you and get you where you want to go. And then, if you want something besides just the constant of lacrosse and to really make a make a difference, the personal growth we can offer our student-athletes in terms of community service, personal workshops – we have something here that is bigger than lacrosse. Small classroom sizes, one-on-one attention makes Brevard a really good fit."
To follow the latest news and updates surrounding Brevard College Athletics, follow the Tornados on Twitter and Instagram @bctornados, subscribe to 'Brevard College Tornados' on YouTube, follow 'Brevard College Tornados' on SoundCloud, or like 'Brevard College Athletics' on Facebook. In addition, follow "brevardcollege" on Flickr for the latest photos from all Brevard College events.
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