Episode Transcript
[00:00:05] Speaker A: Welcome to following the gone are a podcast for Schreier scholars, bringing you mentoring on demand. And our guest today, joining us here in our studio, powered by the Peter Weiler family Endowment. Our first ever episode we're filming in here, is the associate head coach of your Penn State Nittany Lions field hockey team, Laura Gebhart, class of 2015. Laura, thank you for being not only our coach for the field hockey team, but also our guinea pig here today in our new studio.
[00:00:32] Speaker B: I'm so grateful to be here. This is incredible.
[00:00:35] Speaker A: Well, I really want to start all the way back before you even came to Penn State, how did you discover field hockey as a student in k twelve?
[00:00:45] Speaker B: Yeah, so I actually grew up around the sport my mother played, and she played on a club team with my aunt. And funny enough, with our current head coach, Lisa Lev. So I always grew up around it. My mom coached high school, so I was just tagged along, went to camps, all that good stuff. And I always enjoyed the sport. I was a multi sport athlete, and so I tried it into other areas, and I thought I was gonna play softball in college. And then that dream was diverted that it was like, oh, no, field hockey is my thing. And so it just grew into this very deep love and passion for the sport.
[00:01:20] Speaker A: So how did you make that determination then? Like, this is the one that I'm good at. Like, this is the passion point as opposed to softball.
[00:01:29] Speaker B: You know, I think part of it was just, like, the joy.
You know, I loved. I love playing. It sounds like really, you know, superficial, but, like softball, I love that sport just for the strategy behind it, all that stuff and field hockey, it's just so dynamic and very exciting. So, you know, I just. That love just continued to grow. And my older sister played in college, so it was a little bit following her footsteps as well. Yeah. And so it was just kind of a natural pathway.
[00:02:01] Speaker A: Nice. And you were describing it before when we were chatting off camera that it really is like the speed of ice hockey, but just on turf or grass, right?
[00:02:10] Speaker B: Yeah. Our sport has done a really phenomenal job of kind of keeping with the times, meaning, like, how do we make it really dynamic, fun to watch? So we've gone from 235 minutes halves, which I still can't fathom how I ever ran that long, 2415 minutes quarters. And so it's really sped up. And with that, the subbing is really fast. And like we were talking about at the international level, it's super fast, super dynamic that they're making rotations every few minutes.
[00:02:38] Speaker A: Wow. So you were playing all through high school, you said you played some club level, right? Just like family. How did you know that you wanted to take that next step? Because it's one thing to play at high school, it's a whole other to play collegiately, especially at the d one level, like here at Penn State.
[00:02:54] Speaker B: Yeah. So I was really fortunate to have exposure to some pretty high level field hockey. So in addition to high school and, you know, some club sports, I also, you know, got to play for our national team. So U 16, U 19, U 21 national teams, you know, growing up. So that gave me exposure to really high level play, and I knew I just wanted to continue that journey, and it just made sense for us, our sport, the pinnacle in the United States is really to play collegiately. You have the us team, but there's not too much beyond that. So to play at a really high level. Correct.
But to play at a really high level, it's, you know, you go division one and you play field hockey, and you get to live that dream.
[00:03:36] Speaker A: Awesome. And if you're interested in hearing more about women's sports, go back and check our episode with Caroline Fitzgerald. She's doing a lot of cool stuff in that space.
Now walk us through something that you are now on the other side of, which was your recruitment process. What was that like, you know, and how does your experience as a student athlete now impact you as the coach on the other end?
[00:03:57] Speaker B: Yeah. So my journey, you know, mine was pretty unique in that I was really fortunate to have lot of choice.
I was a really high level player for my class. So for me, it was determining what I wanted. And, you know, I was looking for really high level field hockey, of course, but I was also looking for an academic challenge, and I was looking for community.
And so Penn State always stayed in the mix, and Shire was that really enticing component from the academic side. So when it came down to it, it was a combination of those factors. And then ultimately, my family was a big part of that as well. My family is mostly from Pennsylvania, so for me to go to school at Penn State and play here allowed them to come see me play and be part of that journey, which was really special. Now, being on the other side of it, I try to keep in mind I'm talking with 1516 year olds who are trying to figure things out for themselves as well. And so it's coming from a place of compassion, for, one, because it is very overwhelming, but two, it's helping them figure out what's important to them, and how can I speak to that through the lens of Penn State, because we have so many phenomenal things to offer. It's really getting them to understand what's important to them. And do we align with that? Because ultimately we want to be a good fit for them, but they also want to be a good fit for us. So it's finding that out through the relationship building and the communication. So it's a fun journey, but I try to keep perspective based on my experience while also, like, acknowledging that was a little bit unique as well.
[00:05:36] Speaker A: So you ultimately settled on Penn State, obviously, in the honors college, and you came to pick community, environment and development over in the college of AG. What drew you to that major? Because we haven't really talked about academics yet. So what was your thought process on selecting a major as a student athlete?
[00:05:56] Speaker B: Yeah. So coming in, I had no idea what I wanted to study. So, you know, I loved the aspect of the academics, of being challenged in all areas. And I was. I was naturally drawn towards, you know, more like sociology, social sciences. But coming in, I didn't feel strongly about any one major to feel confident in making a decision. So I came in undecided, was in the department of undergraduate studies, and I remember very vividly sitting down with my academic counselor through athletics. And, you know, we were coming to that point of, you know, I need to make a decision. And so I came with a list to show her. And it was anything from, you know, I had sociology on the list. I had forestry, I had economics. I had, like, the most, you know, random smattering of topics. I was like, I could see myself doing this.
And she presented me with community, environment, and development, which I never heard of came across. And so immediately I was intrigued because it was folding in all these different topics that were really intriguing to me. So I took my first course in seed, and I immediately fell in love. So I think within that semester, I think I declared to go into the seed major, and it was absolutely phenomenal.
[00:07:18] Speaker A: Yeah, because you mentioned a couple minutes ago that field hockey, like, the after collegiate, there's really not too many opportunities yet. So how did you start thinking about, like, what did you want life to look like after field hockey as a collegiate athlete?
[00:07:31] Speaker B: Yeah. So I was trying to figure out what that looked like, and seed was the first, like, sitting in a. I forget what it was. I think it was like an urban studies class. It was the first time I was really feeling strongly about, you know, either urban development or, you know, city management. That was just very interesting to me because it was bringing ultimately people together and, you know, listening to people and where they're coming from, and how do you come to solutions and these really complex problems?
So that was the first time I felt something that got me excited, similar to playing, for lack of a better way of putting it. And for me, it's, you know, field hockey. Of course, I knew there was an end life, but for me to kind of study and figure out what I was most interested in, Penn State allowed me to have that exploration, see myself in different careers, and just kind of test out different scenarios to see, okay, when this field hockey thing ends, this could be an option.
[00:08:33] Speaker A: Being a student athlete is one thing, right? And then being a Schreier scholar, if you're watching, you probably know is its own beast. Right. How did you balance being both at the same time?
[00:08:45] Speaker B: Yeah, I think in part because I didn't know anything different. It was just like, you know, we're gonna go all out. I think the biggest piece was just being really on top of my time management. And you hear that with any student athlete, let alone scholar athletes, it's just balancing your schedule of, you have the sport component that is pretty set. And so how do you utilize the rest of your time to get what you need done for the academic side? And so there were definitely times that were overwhelming or I was stressed out, but at the end of the day, it was doable as long as I was really regimented on getting stuff done, communicating with professors, being on top of all that.
[00:09:27] Speaker A: Awesome. And you mentioned that you had an advisor in athletics and for academics. How did that mesh with having your honors advisor in your. You called it the seed major.
[00:09:39] Speaker B: Yeah. So it was pretty complimentary. So on the athletic side, the focus of that academic advisor is really make sure I'm on track for eligibility, so I'm meeting any degree requirements, all of those things. And she was incredibly helpful with just providing a very general overview of what was available. Whereas my community, environment and development, or seed advisor, helped me more specifically with the content of the major and helped guide me, you know, when I was contemplating thesis topics or trying to figure out what direction I wanted to head from an academic standpoint, he was immensely helpful, incredibly wise.
[00:10:21] Speaker A: We'll talk about thesis in a minute here, Laura. But shocker. As a scholar, you found time somehow to not just be a field hockey player and I a student, but you also got involved in different organizations on campus. Can you talk about how that worked for you and why you chose to get more involved beyond those demands that we just talked about?
[00:10:43] Speaker B: Yeah, I think it was important for me to get outside of some of the communities that were already built for me. So getting outside of the athlete community, getting outside of even the scholar community, taking full advantage of those, like, as I could, but exposing myself to other things on campus. And I think Penn State is such an incredible place that, you know, whatever interests you may have or whatever you may want to explore, there's something for it. So, yeah, I was one of the freshmen who had showed up to the involvement fair and had, like, ten flyers. By the end. I was like, I'm going to do ten, probably more. And so I knew from the start I really wanted to make the most of this experience, and so I had to pare it down to what I could manage and what I was most passionate about. So I did. I got involved with ecoaction, which was an environmental organization on campus, got involved with Thon, which, you know, to this day is such a wonderful thing I get to be involved with, and then with our student athlete advisory board. So it just. It ran the gamut. But I appreciate that, looking back, because it made my experience so diverse and, you know, really valuable.
[00:12:01] Speaker A: I want to talk about Thon specifically because this is the first time I've had a guest where I can ask this. I've had a lot of guests that have danced, and I definitely want to hear your perspective on that. But also, did you get to do the pep rally as a participant?
[00:12:15] Speaker B: I did, yes.
[00:12:17] Speaker A: I want to hear all about this.
[00:12:18] Speaker B: Oh, my goodness.
We have this running joke that we were always, like. We were always a bit of a disappointment.
We set such high expectations. Oh, my gosh. So, you know, every year we were fortunate, being a fall sport, that the field hockey team would always be available and be able to participate in pep rally, which is just incredible. And so you come up with this minute. Minute and a half dance. Oh, gosh. And so I think there was a couple years, we got some lionettes to help us out, which just, I think, made it worse because there was no way we could look as good as them. I have so much respect for the lionettes.
[00:12:59] Speaker A: I think there's a reason they don't let them officially compete in it, because they would just. Oh, my God, they would just dominate. Right?
[00:13:04] Speaker B: I could watch them all day. I wouldn't mind if they won. I don't care.
But, yeah, I think it's funny, too. It's like you have these athletes who will play on big stages and are fine, but you put us on a stage in front of thousands, and BJC and, you know, some people step into it and just, you know, really are emboldened by this opportunity to dance. Not necessarily well, but dance with a lot of energy, and some are just, like, freaked out. So, you know, I was the one that would just get dialed in and have a good time, but it was always the most amusing and, I mean, powerful experience. Let's be real. Being on the stage at than is incredible, but.
[00:13:46] Speaker A: And you also got to be on the floor as the dancer, right?
[00:13:48] Speaker B: Yes. Yes. So I actually, my junior year, I was what is now dancer relations. I was a moraler, which was phenomenal. I feel like I was built to be a moraler.
[00:14:00] Speaker A: And then don't say you're definitely giving off some, like, moraler vibes.
[00:14:03] Speaker B: It's like, I was meant for this. It was incredible. I actually got paired with a club field hockey athlete, and so it was cool getting to know the club field hockey team through her and her dance partner.
And then my senior year, I had the incredible opportunity to dance.
[00:14:19] Speaker A: That's awesome. Do you feel like you were prepared for that because you were a student athlete from assuming all the workouts and strength and conditioning that you have to do?
[00:14:27] Speaker B: I think in part, yes. I think what really helped me was some of the mental resiliency of, you know, there were so many times that I knew I had more left, and so it allowed me to push a little bit farther.
I always talk about, you know, with some of our athletes who dance, I give them fair warning of, like, you know, there's this dark time that happens Sunday morning. Yes. You know, it, where everybody just, like, starts to lose it. Like, people are crying, and I can't do, like, can't help it. They just, you know, start bawling. And I just remember, like, I was at that stage of time, but I was feeling okay, and I felt like, oh, my gosh, I'm the only person who's sane right now. What is happening? And so I was able to kind of push through some of those barriers, but by the end, I was, like, I was about to lose it. Like, it was funny. Mine just was delayed. And I think a large part of that was because, you know, with all of the mental resiliency or having to push through things with athletics, I just got to a very different place at a different time.
[00:15:31] Speaker A: So that's definitely an accomplishment. And completing your thesis and ringing the gong is also an accomplishment. But on the field, what was the best, like, memory that you have as a player with your teams?
[00:15:42] Speaker B: I'd say one that sticks out is really early on. It was actually my freshman year. We were hosting the Big Ten tournament here at Penn State, and we got into the final match and we were playing Michigan, and it was just a brutal game. Big Ten field hockey is very Penn State, Michigan.
[00:16:00] Speaker A: Any sport.
[00:16:01] Speaker B: Yes, exactly. So, you know, it was brutal. And I'm a person. I'm really bad at remembering, like, scores or specific details, but I'm like, sorry, I couldn't tell you what the score was, but we won.
[00:16:12] Speaker A: That's what matters.
[00:16:13] Speaker B: That's all that matters.
[00:16:13] Speaker A: You got the dub.
[00:16:14] Speaker B: Exactly.
[00:16:14] Speaker A: Yep.
[00:16:15] Speaker B: So it was just this really cool moment. And for me, it was like freshman year, it was just solidifying, almost that in that moment, it was like, I made the right choice. You know, you always have doubts, you know? Or at least I did going into college. Like, did I make the right choice? Should I have gone somewhere else? And winning in that moment, it was like, no, I'm in the right place.
[00:16:35] Speaker A: Nope, these are my people.
[00:16:36] Speaker B: Right? And it was just awesome. Like, there were streamers coming from the stands. Like, it was such a magical experience, and it just set this really cool foundation for the rest of my time. So that was. That's probably one of my tops. But, man, there's so many memories that were just incredible being part of that program.
[00:16:53] Speaker A: Awesome. So you win the Big Ten as a. As a. As a freshman your last year, one of the last things you get to do. Bring the gong, turn your thesis. What did you write about?
[00:17:02] Speaker B: Ooh. So I actually wrote about, funny enough, Penn State athletics. That.
[00:17:07] Speaker A: Shocker.
[00:17:08] Speaker B: I know, right? So Penn State athletics was like my case study, but I was focusing on equity and collegiate athletics. And so it was looking at institutions of, basically, how did we get to this point of, you know, men's sports versus women's sports and how those are valued and the investment in those, but also looking at perception. So how do athletes feel, more specifically, women athletes? Do they feel like it's equitable or not?
And I was really driven by my junior year, we celebrated the 50th anniversary of women in sports at Penn State, and there was this phenomenal event where we heard speakers from every decade, and hearing their stories was just so empowering. And I felt called to kind of continue that story of, we've come so far and yet we have farther to go. And so it felt. I don't know, it was kind of off topic for my major. So it was funny kind of getting to that spot of deciding on the topic, but it felt like something I needed to do at that moment.
[00:18:18] Speaker A: Absolutely. And I'm sure it'd be interesting to go back and, like, revisit it with everything in the past decade relative to the explosion, it seems, with the WNBA in particular. NWSL.
[00:18:29] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:18:30] Speaker A: Maybe someday there's a professional field hockey.
[00:18:32] Speaker B: Right. We would love that. Maybe I could get back in shape and we can do this again.
[00:18:38] Speaker A: You didn't go straight into coaching. You kind of had, like, a figure it out kind of period, for lack of a better description. Laura, how did you decide what was next after Penn State? And, you know, or at least your first time here, right?
[00:18:54] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:18:54] Speaker A: Because you did ultimately come back, obviously. But how did. How did that first couple years out of school go for you?
[00:19:01] Speaker B: Yeah. So I was sort of in a. I guess we could call it a fortunate position that I knew immediately after graduating, I was going into training with the us team. So during my time here, I was a us national team member, and when I graduated, I was going to go into what's called centralized training. So you're training full time. At that point, we were based in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, conveniently enough, like five minutes down the road from my parents. So that was my plan. So graduated, went into training, and then, like a month later, I was told, in addition to a couple other collegiate athletes who had just graduated, entered the program full time, that we were going under a reassessment, which was fine. I was like, oh, crap.
[00:19:47] Speaker A: You mean you as the players? Are you as, like, the program as a player?
[00:19:51] Speaker B: So it was us, and there was a few other current full time athletes who were then having to play in a tournament that we used to have a tournament that was kind of a tryout, almost for the us team. So we were thrown back into that, which, again, fine. But we got to the end of that and essentially was told, you know, we're not going to invite you into centralized training.
And at that juncture, I had to figure out, you know, do I go abroad and play and then come back and try to get back on the us team and kind of delay life, is how I had it in my mind, or do I get a real job, quote, unquote, a real job? And so at that stage, I felt it was time to start life. I didn't want to, I know I wasn't, but I kind of felt like a burden if I was going to hang around and play and not make much money and, you know, chase after this dream. And it was tough, too, because coming from Penn State, such a rich team culture, really positive environment, and the us team at that time it was just a very different environment that I didn't necessarily thrive in. And so I was already kind of burnt out from working with that team. So to go into it full time and want to get back to that, it was a hard sell. So I was like, you know what? Let's go for this real person job and see where it goes, because I did. I loved my major with community, environment, and development, so I felt really passionately about pursuing that as a career.
So it was weird with the timing. You know, I graduated, didn't go to any career fairs because I thought, you know, this was all lined up. We'll figure that out later. And so all of a sudden, it was like, I need to figure out how to get a job. And at that time, a friend of mine, we grew up together.
Funny enough, we played at Penn State together. We were roommates. She was a year ahead of me. She got a job working seasonally in Alaska. And, you know, I called her up after I was dropped from the team, and she was like, well, we need another deckhand for the ferry boat.
[00:22:06] Speaker A: A deckhand?
[00:22:07] Speaker B: A deckhand.
And so kind of on a whim, I was like, okay, like, I'll come up. So I flew up to Alaska, and I was working up there for a few months, and at the same time, I was applying for jobs and, you know, exploring different things. And it was actually like a really perfect moment to just step back, especially when being a high level athlete. It was the first time I didn't have to be, you know, really on it and dialed in with training and eating and all of the above. So it was a nice little decompression in a beautiful place. And so it was a pivot that at first made me really uncomfortable because it wasn't charted out and it didn't feel like it was a success, for lack of a better term, but it ended up being exactly what I needed at that time. Yeah.
[00:23:00] Speaker A: So what advice would you give to scholars, particularly, but either. And maybe you've had some situations with some of your players where, you know, they are used to succeeding, and then they hit a roadblock. So drawing on that experience with the. With the us team, you know, especially, probably that was right before Rio, I imagine. Right. And, like, what would you say to them about that setback?
[00:23:23] Speaker B: I'd say it's an opportunity. You know, at that moment, it may be very jarring, but there's a path that always opens up. And I do think, you know, some things just open themselves up later down the road. You may not know what path it's going to lead to or where the path is going to lead. But trust in that and trust in your abilities. And just because you didn't necessarily succeed in that moment didn't mean you've failed. You know, there's so many opportunities. You just need to be willing to pivot and stay true to your values. Keep chasing after whatever your dream may be. And if your dream needs to change, that's okay. And if your dream stays the same, find a different path to get there.
[00:24:07] Speaker A: I like that. Now, you mentioned that you were this seasonal temp deckhand, and presumably you weren't like Ryan on the office, who was the temp forever. It seemed like you had to have moved on and you did some nonprofit roles you had shared, but then you were also kind of coaching simultaneously. Walk us through that next stage of your journey.
[00:24:26] Speaker B: Yeah. So, funny enough, before I left for Alaska, I spoke at my local Rotary club. They had invited me to come speak, and at the time, it was because I was part of the us team. I was like, well, that's changed. They're like, it's fine. Still come. And so part of my talk with them was, you know, my life is pivoting right now. But here are things I'm really passionate about, and one of them was economic development. And somebody in that audience actually was on the board of our countywide nonprofit economic development organization.
[00:25:01] Speaker A: Convenient.
[00:25:01] Speaker B: Convenient, right? It's wild how things happen sometimes.
[00:25:04] Speaker A: You said yes to speaking there.
[00:25:06] Speaker B: Right, exactly, exactly. And, you know, sometimes when you just put things out there, magical magic happens. Right? So that gentleman approached me after and said, hey, you know, I'm on this board. And at that time, they were thinking about adding a new position. I was like, I would be super interested. Let me know. And actually, during my time in Alaska, you know, we went through some phone calls and some interaction, but then they put the hiring on a pause, and in my mind I thought, oh, they already hired someone. It's fine. I'll figure something out. But when I got back from Alaska, they were reopening the job, and so they brought me in for an in person interview, and I, by some miracle, I got the job. And my boss at that organization, to this day, I consider one of my mentors. She is absolutely phenomenal. So I started in that work, and I felt like I needed a break from field hockey, but that quickly, that need to be part of the sport quickly returned. So within, I think, my first year working at that job, local high school needed a new head coach. And so I talked with my boss about, you know, potentially going after this. And she said, absolutely. So I started coaching for a high school.
[00:26:25] Speaker A: And that's an addition to your day job, right?
[00:26:27] Speaker B: Yes. Yep. So it was actually really funny. You know, I'd leave my day job and be, like, not speeding, but driving quickly to practice and be, like, changing in the car on my way to practice. And I apologize for anybody on the road. I may have flashed at some point, but it's like, you know, get to practice, and then we dive right into it. So it was a little chaotic, but, you know, nothing out of the ordinary from my time in college was like, I'm used to this schedule. So that was such a great experience, such phenomenal young women I got to coach.
And, yeah, so that was just a nice little balance of non field hockey and field hockey.
[00:27:10] Speaker A: So how did your thought process evolve that you're working in what you majored in, but you got drawn back into coaching? When did you say to yourself, I want to do this as my day job, not the after school activity?
[00:27:26] Speaker B: Yeah. So that realization came when I was up in Vermont. So from my economic development job in Lancaster, I shifted to a job in Vermont. I was leading a small economic development organization in the city of Montpelier, and at that same time, I was volunteering with the University of Vermont field hockey program.
And at that same time, at the end of that first season, I was with them. One of their assistant coaches had left, and so the head coach approached me of, would I want to consider this? And I went through some deep soul searching. I was like, oh, my gosh, I think, yes.
And it's still hard to believe that this is my full time job. And that, like, looking at it at that time, like, being able to coach could be a full time job. Like, wow, what an incredible opportunity. So I went through that thinking, you know, the Vermont opportunity didn't work out, but the bug had bitten me. And I was like, you know, I need to do this. So I pursued a couple other positions and ended up getting a full time coaching position at Bryant University in Rhode island. And, yeah, I've been coaching ever since.
[00:28:42] Speaker A: So you said you were a volunteer coach. What does that mean? Like, how do you just, like, knock on the door and say, hey, can I help?
[00:28:48] Speaker B: Basically, I forget how it went if I think so. Her name is Kate Pfeiffer, head coach at University of Vermont. I think, you know, I forget how this connection happened, but she was teammates with my high school coach at Michigan, and so I can't remember if my high school coach had let her know I was up there or if it was reversed and I reached out to Kate, I don't know, but somehow we got connected and, you know, she welcomed me with open arms to come and help, and we worked out together what that could look like and what was feasible. So I was able to get up to Burlington, you know, a couple times a week for practices and help more with, like, the midfielders. And then, you know, as many games as I could come to, I would be be up there for all of their home games. And if I could get to any away games, I travel to.
[00:29:39] Speaker A: Wow. Yeah, that was really cool.
So you said that then you went and you applied for and got a head coaching job right at Bryant, or did you start as, like an assistant coach? Walk us how that evolved.
[00:29:53] Speaker B: What a fun journey. So I started out as an assistant coach at Bryant, and they just had one assistant. So as the head coach and myself.
[00:30:01] Speaker A: And then what's the typical size for a field hockey staff?
[00:30:04] Speaker B: It varies. So now at the power four level, we can have four coaches. So four full time paid coaches, which is crazy.
And so it varies based on level of the program, level of school, and what they can sponsor, really. So at the big ten, most programs have four, three to four coaches, but when you get to somewhere mid major or lower tier division one schools, it's usually around two to three coaches. Yep. Yep. So it was just the two of us at the time, and, you know, our head coach at the time, he was originally from the Netherlands, and he and his family decided, you know, it was time for them to move back. Totally made sense for them, but then they made that decision. He got a great job, and then Covid hit.
[00:30:58] Speaker A: Oh, gosh.
[00:31:02] Speaker B: And then just chaos ensued. And so he was on for, I think, you know, a month or two during the first Covid shutdown, and then he officially resigned. And so I was put in as interim head coach, and then eventually was, you know, the whole building didn't burn down, so I was elevated to the head coach officially, and I took over that program.
And then, honestly, not too long after that, Sharma Rat Curtis called me up to bring me back home here. So it was a very kind of chaotic time at Bryant and tumultuous, given Covid and just the team dynamics and, gosh, like, envisioning having this whole five year plan for this program, and then all of a sudden, you know, the carpet getting ripped out from underneath, that was really hard. But ultimately the right decision to come back to Penn State.
[00:31:52] Speaker A: So what was it. This may be one of the silliest questions I've ever asked, but, like, what drew you to, like, take that opportunity to come back here?
[00:32:01] Speaker B: It was a couple things, I think. One, being a head coach, I quickly recognized, like, how much more I wanted to learn to be able to properly serve my athletes.
I think I could do, you know, my best just still wasn't enough, and I thought I could do better by them. So, you know, while I was in that head coach position, was doing everything I could to learn and implement and communicate and all these things, but I knew I needed to grow more and ultimately would want to be under someone I could learn from before stepping back into a head coach position.
I think getting the call from Char, like, you don't say no to coming back to.
[00:32:41] Speaker A: She's kind of a legend, right?
[00:32:42] Speaker B: Correct.
Comical. So she called me. I was on a dog walk, and it was like, great. I had just bought a house. It was wonderful. And, you know, Char's calling me, what could this be?
And, you know, then my whole life gets turned upside down, and she says, you know, we have an opening. Would you be interested? I was like, oh, my gosh, we're maybe two weeks out from preseason. Like, this is probably this time of year where we're, like, really close to season. And I say, you know, could I have 24 hours? She's like, absolutely. Hang up. Call my sister right away. And I lay it out for her, and all she says is, don't be stupid.
[00:33:23] Speaker A: Great advice.
[00:33:24] Speaker B: Great advice.
[00:33:24] Speaker A: I'm glad at the circumstance.
[00:33:25] Speaker B: Exactly. And I was like, you're right. You are right.
And so I think the difference is, you know, you're stepping back into this place that, you know, like, it aligns with my values as a person. I love these people. Like, I love shar. I love LB. To be able to come and coach with them is an absolute dream. And, you know, to be.
[00:33:49] Speaker A: LB is the current coach, right?
[00:33:50] Speaker B: Yep. So at that time was the associate head coach and worked with Char for, you know, 29 years. So LB also coached me. So it was really like coming home. And I think the reality, too, of, you know, being able to coach at the big ten level versus at that time, Bryant was in the northeast conference. Just very different resources, very different opportunities.
So it was really hard to say no to that. And especially, like, coming closer to home, to my family once again, coming full circle, giving them the opportunity to be part of this, as well, felt really special.
[00:34:25] Speaker A: So what you talked about this is like, hey, this is an opportunity. I might have a lower title on the chart, but it's an opportunity to learn. So what are the different roles and responsibilities on, like a coaching staff between the head coach and the associate assistant, even the trainers and gas and other folks that are around?
[00:34:46] Speaker B: Yeah, I mean, we're very. And even at that time, talking about when I first came back on staff, it was a very collaborative staff. So everybody kind of shared in everything and there were certain buckets that people would oversee. One of my strengths, we'll call it, is bringing kind of looking at things strategically and bringing order to some stuff. So I did really work for us as a staff to get a little bit more organized in the sense of, let's have ownership over some of these buckets. So we have almost like a project manager in the area of recruiting, in the area of our budget, in the area of game logistics.
So we started to hone that, but everything remained very collaborative.
I would see kind of the chart as the head coach is dictating the vision of the program, direction of the program. They're like the CEO, right. And then as an assistant coach and as the associate head coach, it's helping with that implementation of how do we make that dream come to fruition. And so in all these different areas where we work, you know, on the field, off the field, recruiting the next generation, alumni relations, all these components, it's how are we living out the head coach's vision in all those areas and making progress towards whatever goal we're trying to aspire towards?
[00:36:05] Speaker A: So is your goal to eventually, when the opportunity arises, to move to a head coaching role, is that something?
[00:36:10] Speaker B: Yeah, that's a good question because it's one of those, I'm always like, you know, maybe. And I would love to be a head coach.
And yet with athletics and where we're at right now, it's really hard to look into the crystal ball of what this looks like in six months to five years. Right. It's wild. And so I still remain very open to, you know, I want to coach as long as this fulfills me. And I think having a career in economic development before this gives me some confidence, comfort, knowing I can do something else and something else that I still enjoy. And so while I'm deeply passionate about coaching and I love it, if it no longer serves me or if I reach that inevitable stage of burnout, I'm okay with pivoting. But I do love the elements that a head coach has of creating that vision, talking about that vision with other people, sharing that, driving, you know, driving the boat towards something that's really exciting to me.
[00:37:19] Speaker A: We're sitting here, you kind of alluded to this. This is mid summer. We're not quite a training camp yet, so kind of a downtime for most folks here, unless you are working in student orientation. And could you walk us through like what's the year in the life of a d one coach? Like what's the cycle?
[00:37:34] Speaker B: Oh, yeah. So right now we I'll go from here and then we'll go through our season the lovely, the best time of year. But right now we're having in our recruiting phase. So this is mind boggling for anybody who's not familiar with collegiate athletics. We're recruiting two years in advance. So right now we're talking to rising juniors in high school. So we're deep in the recruiting now, trying to secure that class for 2030.
It freaks me out sometimes.
So we're doing that right now.
Meanwhile, kind of on the side, we're starting some of those higher level conversations of what does preseason look like, preseason camp.
What do we really want to hone in on. So full speed ahead on recruiting and just starting to work on some stuff for preseason. In a couple weeks, it's going to be all out dedication to Penn State field hockey. We'll start bringing in some visits for recruits, but the main focus is on our current squad, how we get them prepared for the season, get them psyched and get them in the right place. And season is just a whirlwind. It is so energizing at the same time incredibly depleting. You know, as a coach, you are working seven days a week, some wild hours, but the joy of it is it's something that gives me energy and so it doesn't feel like you're working twenty four seven, seven days a week.
But yeah. So through season we start mid August, go hopefully to the end of November. That's when our national championship is. And then we have a nice little lull in December. You know, we'll do some recruiting then.
You know, typically there's some international showcases we may be able to get out to and then January, some more recruiting. It's kind of a, like a, like a low simmer at that point, too. We're starting to just gear up for our spring season, which is know our non competitive season. But we focus a lot on practice and training, strength and conditioning. So we start contemplating that, what that looks like, start to schedule that out and then was it mid January? The students come back. So we get back into practice pretty quickly. We have two segments in our spring where we can mostly do strength and conditioning in the first segment and some skill work. And then we'll launch into what we call our 20 hours segment where it's like full on practice again. So that'll run from like February to April.
So we're back all in, still doing recruiting in the side. It's just funny, like things will just kind of wax and wane with the attention.
[00:40:15] Speaker A: So is it fair for the sport that probably most folks are familiar with? It seems like it's almost mirroring what? The cycle of the football program.
[00:40:22] Speaker B: Yeah. Yeah, exactly. Absolutely. Yep. So false. Sports all kind of mimic that cycle with football of competitive season in the fall and spring, you're really focusing on development, looking to get fitter, faster, stronger, better at your sport. And then we hit another lull again around May and then we're launched right back into the recruiting.
[00:40:42] Speaker A: So pretend we're in season and you've got a game coming up in a couple days. Generically, we'll just say it's against Michigan. So you got a big rivalry coming up or maybe did Northwestern win some recently? They're pretty good program, too. So you're, you're planning to, you have those two teams coming up. What does the day in the life of a coach look like at that? In the heart of the season? It's like late October. You're in the, you're in the thick of it.
[00:41:09] Speaker B: Oh, love it. So kind of walk through our week.
So typically we play on Fridays and Sundays. So Monday back in the office, we don't have practice with the team. So that's our time in the office. They like meet as a staff, go over the past week, look at the week ahead, plan all those things out. And that's something we're also very deep into film. So looking at the past games, pulling out things for either individual student athletes to review with them for our position groups, so forwards, mids, backs, goalkeepers, or to look at with the team in general having kind of a debrief. We're also looking forward to the games ahead. And so starting those scouting reports for the upcoming teams and just starting to get an idea of that. And that's going to kind of paint how our practices are going to look. Right. We'll focus a lot on us, but then we'll start to sprinkle in things that are specific to the team that we're going to see. So if we have to change up how we're doing anything, we're going to start to implement that as early in the week as possible.
Yeah. So then Tuesdays is when we'll start hitting the field. So in the office all morning, still working on that scouting report video, maybe have some individuals come through, and then we'll get out in the field and put it all to action. And that looks pretty similar. Wednesday, Thursday, we'll do some film sessions, scouting reports, and then we're back on the field for game time on Friday to beat Michigan.
[00:42:33] Speaker A: Laura, what are some challenges of coaching? And because you kind of alluded to this, like, there's the logistics, right. You've got your game plans, you've got film review, all that good stuff, fundraising, probably even, or at least for your head coach. And the end of the day, your players are all people. Particularly, they're student athletes. So what are some of the roadblocks that you run into being in the role that you're in?
[00:42:59] Speaker B: Yeah, I think it's the human element. Right. And I think we get these student athletes at a time in their life, wherever, man, they're growing at an exponential pace, and they're still figuring a lot out about themselves and about. And being in this pretty high stress environment.
So that brings all sorts of challenges, you know, with, sometimes it's with this cohort that the most challenging piece is kind of translating failure for them or giving them permission to fail or to take risk.
You know, we'll have some athletes who are very, like most of our athletes, very high achieving individuals. And so sometimes it's just like they're so tight, they don't get creative or they don't play loose or they're too. They're afraid of failing instead of, you know, just going for it.
[00:43:50] Speaker A: Take the shot, man.
[00:43:51] Speaker B: Exactly. Yeah, just take the shot.
So sometimes it's just, oh, man, that's the most challenging part, kind of taking some pressure off for them. And I think with this generation, which. Crazy you say, I know it's a little bit cliche, but with this generation, they're much more attuned to their mental health, which I think has a lot of benefits. But for them, too, it's also translating. Is this discomfort or is this a mental health issue? And that can be a challenging conversation as well. We're really fortunate that we have great mental health resources for our student athletes, but sometimes doesn't fall in that category. So they're not necessarily getting their needs met either, because it's not the right solution for what they're dealing with. And sometimes it's just like, oh, man, this is just uncomfortable. And like, I'm sorry, but this is the stinks.
[00:44:41] Speaker A: Like sometimes bad days, just bad day.
[00:44:42] Speaker B: Exactly. And, gosh, you're going to have a lot of them because you're getting pushed to your limit intentionally. So. And that's hard. And we're trying. I'm trying to put you in your, like, outside of your comfort zone. And to get to that point, it takes a lot of trust, takes a lot of communication, and so that can be a challenge. It's like you need buy in from your student athletes, so you need to earn that trust from them.
So, yeah, that can be the most challenging aspect.
[00:45:09] Speaker A: What's, like, your go to generically, because every case is different, but what's like a go to strategy for dealing with that?
[00:45:17] Speaker B: I think it's meeting them where they are, you know, some. Some most effective ways of getting there is just have it like, you know, grabbing coffee with them or, you know, if we're up at the field for an individual, it's just having a chat afterwards. And sometimes it's like humanizing myself for them as well. I think it can be intimidating. Like a coach, it's like, no, no. Like, I'm still a person and I love you and, like, I care about you. So sometimes it's just like breaking that barrier for them. And that just comes with kind of non intimidating situations of, you know, allowing them to open up and try to figure out what's going on and creating a space where they feel comfortable sharing that. And then we can kind of try to come up with some ideas together.
[00:46:01] Speaker A: All right, so this is maybe a loaded question or a rare chance on the show for a hot take, but, Laura, how has nil name, image, likeness, and what seems like the rapidly, almost assuredness of paying players?
I think it's still technically a possibility at the time of recording, but in all reality, by the time this is published, could very well be our reality.
How has that impacted you? First as a coach, but then also as a former player who played in an era where that was, like, not what happened?
[00:46:37] Speaker B: Yeah. Whoo, man.
[00:46:38] Speaker A: It is the first coach hat, then alumni hat.
[00:46:41] Speaker B: All right, so coach hat. You know, we've been fortunate for field hockey that we haven't been substantially impacted by nil. So it's hard for us to empathize, really, with the footballs, basketballs, where that is such a driver of whether a student athlete decides to come and stay. And so we're still able to have conversations with our athletes and recruits that still kind of feel nostalgic almost. So we're talking about academics. We're talking about team culture. We're talking about these intangibles that are really important rather than just dollar signs. So we've been fortunate on the field hockey end to not be affected.
But the way that sports, collegiate athletics is going, we are going to feel the effects in some way, shape or form. What that looks like, who knows? And that is what can be really jarring. Sometimes they equate it to being the pebble that's getting bounced around as the giants. You know, just like trumbull around, like, we have no impact, really. We're a small sport, we're an Olympic sport. We're not bringing in revenue. So it's tough. We don't necessarily have a say and yet we're going to be impacted, but again, we don't know how yet and what that looks like.
I think putting that alumni cap on, it's funny because I almost feel nostalgic for something that may never have existed because I think back to my thesis where we talked about the inequity that existed both by the data but also by perception, more so by perception. And I felt the injustice of that.
I'm putting the same amount of work in as this football player is, but we get very different esteem and accolades and attention, and now we're putting money into the picture. And while we've moved, we've progressed in a lot of ways of promoting women's sports. We are so far behind. And I think paying our collegiate athletes now is, you know, I think it's just going to make the gap even wider, which concerns me more as an advocate for women athletes. And, you know, again, it comes back to it. Like, I would be so frustrated as a player of, you know, I'm putting in the same amount of work, if not more, and this comparable athlete is earning hundreds of thousands of dollars. And I can't, like, I'm, you know, scraping by. I don't know. So that that is tough. I think that part of me, like, really gets frustrated and impassioned by some of that, especially when I feel like I don't really have any influence in that sphere. And when it comes to, you know, changing institutions, which, again, comes back to that thesis, like, we do that by, you know, putting value in different things and we can choose to put value elsewhere, but we're still choosing to put value in these other places that continue to widen the gap between the haves and the have nots. So we'll see how it all unfolds. I think there's still going to be really significant changes that happen even after a decision is made about whether, not whether, but when we pay athletes. I think those models, there's still a lot to be figured out. So we'll see how it goes.
[00:50:01] Speaker A: I think this conversation, Laura, is going to be an interesting artifact.
[00:50:06] Speaker B: Yeah, right. We'll see how this ages two years.
[00:50:09] Speaker A: The rest of our conversation, lots of universal lessons. But I think there's one question, who knows? We'll look back and be like, wow, they were so right or so wrong.
[00:50:17] Speaker B: I know. I wish I could make a prediction. Do you have a prediction on this.
[00:50:21] Speaker A: And the gender equity? I just hope that, you know, maybe there's opportunities to get creative with the athletes. Like, could some of your players be brand ambassadors for field hockey sticks and equipment or something?
[00:50:34] Speaker B: Some of them are doing that now, you know, which is like, this is my other chip on my shoulder.
It's like, yeah, who, like, who gets more of that labor, you know, like for a field hockey player to earn more money, you know, she has to do more work. And, you know, again, this isn't, we're not in paper for play yet, but for another athlete, say, you know, a men's basketball player, all he has to do is show up to an event for ten minutes, somebody already set up for him, sign a couple autographs and gets paid a lot more money, you know. And so our athletes, to their credit, have been super creative and making a whole lot out of very little. And I think that's phenomenal because they're phenomenal young women, but they've also been forced into that position of if they want to take advantage of this, they have to do a whole lot more work and a lot fewer people are calling them up for kind of these really sweet deals.
[00:51:28] Speaker A: They have to seek it out as opposed to it seeking them.
[00:51:31] Speaker B: Exactly. And so I think there's an inequity in that as well. That's really frustrating.
But, yeah, back to our predictions. I am with you. What I kind of foresee with our future is, like, football may break away in some shape or form, like football, maybe men's and women's basketball. And then I think all the other sports, hopefully we, everyone sticks around, right, just across the board, not talking about Penn State necessarily, but just nationally. And I think that starts to move into more regional play, regional conferences. But I think footballs, basketballs may stay on this national stage where they're flying cross country and doing these big, you know, primetime games, but we'll see.
[00:52:19] Speaker A: Yeah, there's one of the gentlemen who calls many a football game for us. Joel Klatt, I think, who's said like, and I've read other folks who are like, there needs to be like a college football commissioner who can just like, oversee the sport for the sake of the sport. And maybe there's something similar for the Olympic sports down the road, too, because there is so much value and there's a few we don't have. Feels like we have every sport, but I think there's a few we don't have, like rowing or something. It's like there's value in all that. Especially who else is going to make up the Olympic teams.
[00:52:48] Speaker B: I know, right? Yeah, that's our, this is our, like, proving ground. College is the proving ground to create these Olympians.
It is incredible. It's like, man, I hope we don't get rid of this incredible experience for thousands of young folks. Right?
[00:53:01] Speaker A: Yep.
[00:53:01] Speaker B: So we'll see. We'll see how this shakes out.
Yeah. Your guess is as good as mine.
[00:53:07] Speaker A: Well, if you're still watching, thank you for deal or bearing with us on our kind of tangent off to the side, but we did talk about the Olympics and we're at the time of recording. By the time you're watching this, it'll have happened. Hopefully we'll brought home lots of gold medals, particularly in field hockey.
But it's coming up. So how does a massive event like this is one of the only times in the cultural zeitgeist the Olympic sports get attention over, say, something like the NFL, MLB.
How does that help you and hinder you as a coach?
[00:53:43] Speaker B: Yeah, from the help standpoint, oh, my gosh, this is an incredible opportunity to just get athletes and our sports, specifically recognition of, we're on this platform of, oh, my gosh, it's. There's no comparison. Right. So there's, you know, young children that are getting to see these different sports being played. And I just think back to when I was a kid watching the Olympics, like, oh, man, I was like doing high jumps over the bed frame. Like, I was so into it. It's like you get so inspired in this moment. And I think that's what the Olympics is all about. It's inspiration. And you see these phenomenal athletes do incredible things. And so from my standpoint, man, this is only a positive. It gets recognition for our sport. It gives amazing recognition to our athletes. And we have two Penn staters representing the field hockey team, which is awesome.
[00:54:35] Speaker A: You said one's a current player, right? One's an alumna.
[00:54:38] Speaker B: Yep. So we have Fia Gladio who is the current player? She is on the team forward.
And then we have Jenny Rizzo, who's a goalkeeper, so she's the alternate goalkeeper. So she's traveling with the team and ready to get suited up should anything happen. Both absolutely phenomenal individuals.
[00:54:56] Speaker A: Can we claim to, like, goalkeeper you between her and, like, Alyson air for winning soccer? Seriously, our friends in athletics, marketing. You're welcome. You can have that for free.
[00:55:05] Speaker B: Trademark.
Yeah. So it's. It's awesome. I really. I don't see much of a hindrance. No, no hatred.
[00:55:14] Speaker A: I know. If there was, like, suddenly such an explosion of interest every four years in sport where you're like, how do I handle?
[00:55:20] Speaker B: No, I would welcome that problem come my way. Yes, yes.
[00:55:25] Speaker A: So you've mentioned that you had. There was a. Your connection at Vermont, was a former teammate of your high school coach. Have you ever had to coach against any of your former teammates? And if you have, how did you approach that and with the personal versus the professional? And then if you haven't, how would you.
[00:55:45] Speaker B: Oh, man. Yes, I have. I've run into quite a few of my former teammates both at Penn State and through the US program. Field hockey is a very small community, so you're always going to run into people you've played with or, you know, have been coached by, you know, runs the gamut. So I absolutely love those experiences. Seeing former teammates is the pinnacle. Right. I love seeing them. And again, it's always this shared experience we come back to, and we had such a positive experience, and there's a deep love there and a deep respect. I always talk about teammates being deeper than friends. It's people you go through a lot with, and you learn how to communicate with each other, hold each other accountable, which is really tough. And it kind of goes beyond being a friend of tough love. So it's like you're in between that friend and family category. Right. So there's just a very deep relationship there when it comes to separating that personal professional. I've never had issues with that with any of my colleagues. It's always a greeting or hug or whatever. A conversation beforehand. If we have time or just like, high five and run away, you know, game time, we're gonna be, you know, in our own corners, like, doing our thing, trying to beat the other one, as we should.
[00:57:04] Speaker A: Yep.
[00:57:04] Speaker B: And then afterwards, it's always, you know, a hug and any friendly trash talk. Of course. Of course.
So, I mean, that's one of my favorite parts of this job, getting to see these phenomenal people and seeing them in their element, that's so cool. And getting to go against them is fun.
[00:57:22] Speaker A: So similar to shrier. It's almost like it's a little sorority of field hockey alumni. Right?
[00:57:28] Speaker B: Right. Yeah. It's like your own special community.
[00:57:31] Speaker A: I love it. Now, we talked about, like, gender equity and funding and something that's going really well for your program and is a top priority on the fundraising side in every sport is facilities. And you have a brand new rebuilt facility. This is the best way to describe it. Like, you had the feel, but that, like, all new, everything around it. Give us a preview and maybe we can throw in some photos of it because by the time this airs, there'll be, you know, some games that you'll have played. So we can throw those in. But, like, walk us through how that influenced everything going on with your program.
[00:58:05] Speaker B: Yeah. So that's been a dream of Char Mirack Curtis's for years. You know, we always joked like we all, as alums, got that pitch on our recruiting visits. So me included. You know, I saw this pitch for this beautiful stadium when I was coming to visit, and now it's finally coming to fruition, which is so amazing. And so after years, you know, going on decades of really hard work, it's up and almost fully functional. You know, we'll have the keys in a few knock on wood days, weeks, and so we're so pumped. So essentially, you know, the turf remains intact. We used to have bleachers on the side and so now it's this beautiful stadium that houses. We have team rooms in there that we can meet during halftime. Opponents have showers, so in the past we've had to cart them over to Pagula or the softball facility or multi sport facility. So that makes it really convenient for them. And then up top, we have a press box. Gorgeous. And then kind of indoor and outdoor mezzanine seating. And we'll be able to put high tops up there so we can have events up there, alumni events, donor events, what have you, tailgates, recruiting events, recruiting events. So, I mean, it's absolutely beautiful. It's been fun to see it. Just the development over time, and it's huge. We're always struck by like, oh, my God, it's so big and it's beautiful. But, you know, from the alumni side and as a former player, it's like, absolutely, we deserve this. This is amazing. Being a coach, I'm like, oh, my God, I'm incredibly grateful.
[00:59:46] Speaker A: Like, talk about a nice thing to talk about with those class of 2030 I know.
[00:59:51] Speaker B: Right?
[00:59:52] Speaker A: And beyond.
[00:59:53] Speaker B: I know.
[00:59:54] Speaker A: Oh, my gosh. So that was the last main question I had on field hockey. And your journey to date. Before we get to the wrap up kind of questions, Laura, was there anything in being a coach in women's sports, anything in that vein or in community and economic development that I should have asked you about? Maybe questions you get from players, recruits, family members that you're like, how did he not ask me that?
[01:00:18] Speaker B: Oh, man. That's a good catch. All right.
[01:00:21] Speaker A: I know what I'm doing.
[01:00:22] Speaker B: Sometimes I would say a question of the parallels between economic development and coaching. Yeah. So to answer that, that's a great question.
[01:00:37] Speaker A: Laura, how about you? Why don't you answer that? Sounds like you have some great thoughts on the matter.
[01:00:41] Speaker B: Oh, my gosh.
[01:00:42] Speaker A: I.
[01:00:43] Speaker B: Well, you know what's interesting? Like, it all comes down. So to answer that question, there's so many parallels, it's actually comical.
[01:00:51] Speaker A: Future thesis topic for somebody watching.
[01:00:54] Speaker B: Right. So community and economic development, you're dealing with a lot of people who have opinions.
[01:01:01] Speaker A: Yep.
[01:01:02] Speaker B: And it's trying to bring, you know, some cohesion to that or find a path forward. What a fun challenge. Right. And sometimes, like, crazy. Have you watched parks and rec.
[01:01:13] Speaker A: Love it. Yes.
[01:01:14] Speaker B: So it's real.
It is real.
[01:01:18] Speaker A: You are Leslie Knope, aren't you?
[01:01:20] Speaker B: Oh, my gosh. I wish. I wish the dream. But when I tell you some of those town hall meetings, like, I have been in those town hall meetings, where it's like, you get very passionate individuals, which I love. That is what being a good citizen is about. Go to your public meetings, folks.
But some things that come out in those public meetings, you're just like, what is happening? It's wild. But at the end of the day, economic development was. I loved it because it was some of these really complex problems, and it was all about thinking about, how do you bring voices to the table? Who am I missing? Who needs to be here? It was awesome. I love that.
[01:01:57] Speaker A: Do we need a bigger table?
[01:01:58] Speaker B: Right. Always. Always.
And with coaching, man, there is a lot of conflict management in a good way. Right. It could be as simple as, like, well, you know, one of my players sees the play like this, my other player sees the play like this. Well, you're both right.
How do we make a decision? Right. How do we move forward? And so it's coming. Trying to figure a path forward in these intractable problems. So that's super fun. And again, it's with communication, meeting people where they are. Everybody's voice is important. And being honest about that. And, you know, tapping down your own ego sometimes of, like, I shouldn't be the one talking even here.
Who needs to be talking right now or who has that expertise or just that wisdom to share.
[01:02:49] Speaker A: I had a thought. As you're talking, you could also add, once they're on the, like, you can't actually go out and play on the field. Like, you draw the best game plan and hope you communicated it right. But you can't actually be the one to go out and, like, you're not the one taking the stick and whacking the ball.
[01:03:06] Speaker B: Yeah.
[01:03:07] Speaker A: As hard as you can pass the goalie. Right.
Gotta hope that they understood the instructions.
[01:03:13] Speaker B: Oh, my gosh. Right? I mean, talk about humbling. It's like, when things go wrong, gotta look at yourself first. It's like, oh, man, I did not. Especially at practices, full, like, design a drill. If it does not go well, it's typically designer's error.
So it is interesting, and it's. That was an interesting transition, too, of being a player who you could control, or at least like, try to control as a coach. It's like, ooh, I'm giving this to you to try to control. Good luck.
[01:03:46] Speaker A: So why are you not understanding this? I've showed you, like, 17 different ways because.
[01:03:53] Speaker B: Poor explanation. Yep.
[01:03:55] Speaker A: Is it me, or is it all, however, 16 women on the team?
[01:03:59] Speaker B: Right?
[01:04:00] Speaker A: I know numbers don't lie, and this is a great opportunity for you to brag. What would you say is your biggest success that you've had to date? Whether it was as a scholar athlete, as a coach, as a community economic development professional, or maybe even as a deckhand while you were on some kind of ferry off the coast of Alaska.
[01:04:23] Speaker B: Wow. Well, when you bring that to mind, I'm like, oh, man, I'm thinking about all the bald eagles I pointed out. I'm like, that could be my biggest success. But that aside for those tourists that.
[01:04:34] Speaker A: Day, it probably was.
[01:04:35] Speaker B: Oh, my gosh. Bald eagles. Fascinating. Fascinating creatures. Shit. We'll chat after.
[01:04:41] Speaker A: So we'll save that for college of Ag podcast.
[01:04:44] Speaker B: There we go. Call me up. So, honestly, I would consider my biggest success was being part of the staff to go to the final four two years ago. So in 2022.
Man, I still get chills about that, because in that moment, it felt like such an accomplishment that I was never able to get to as a player, and that was really hard as a player. I felt like I let my team down by not helping us get to that moment. And so we were in Michigan actually playing this the elite eight game, so the last of the regional cycle to get to the final four and we won. And I just remember standing on the field afterwards, like, I think I was waiting for game film, so I was by myself and I was just like looking around crying and, oh, what a magical experience. Because again, it was not long after coming back to Penn State and it just felt really fortifying of this was the right choice and I felt like I could. I added value in that last year, year and a half to get us to this point.
And there were so many things that had to go right for us to get to that, that moment. But I felt. I felt valued by Shar. And I think a really humbling moment was for Char, just to say, to welcome my input and my feedback and my changes. And for a coach as legendary she is and as long, long standing as she was, to welcome that challenge from me was really incredible. So I felt like I could add value and we were churning and burning that year and magic happened. And again, like, getting to the final four, it was so elusive to me as a player to get there as a coach.
One of my top moments.
[01:06:41] Speaker A: Amazing. Is there going to be some kind of banner hanging at the new facility?
[01:06:45] Speaker B: Oh, that's a good question. I don't. Maybe so.
There's been so many things floated out because right now we have some screening that has our Big ten championships and semi finalist appearances.
So I think there was talk about some plaques, but don't hold me to that. When this is published, we will know.
[01:07:06] Speaker A: Well, if you go check out a field hockey game, hopefully there'll be something up there by then acknowledging that. And then maybe after this 2024 season, there'll be something even a little bit bigger.
[01:07:14] Speaker B: I would love that.
[01:07:15] Speaker A: That'd be awesome.
[01:07:15] Speaker B: That's the goal, isn't it?
[01:07:17] Speaker A: Banners and natties, right?
[01:07:19] Speaker B: Exactly.
[01:07:20] Speaker A: On the flip side, though, Lara, what would you say is the biggest, like, transformational learning moment or mistake that you've had in your career career and what you learned from it?
[01:07:28] Speaker B: I gosh, that's right.
[01:07:30] Speaker A: We went from the high of the.
[01:07:31] Speaker B: Final four crashing down to the low. You know, we talked about this. It's just my transition from the us team to kind of that next phase of life.
That for me, getting through that, I think was one of those transformational moments because, you know, as a scholar, as somebody who is like, trying to be really high achieving, I thought I needed to have everything planned out and to do it really, really well. And all of a sudden the plan was gone. Right. And I felt like I wasn't masing these expectations, but I didn't know what those expectations were. It was just a very jarring moment to get through that and to then go into a career that was really fulfilling. It was like getting through those rumble strips.
I learned that it's okay for everything to fall apart, even though it really didn't all fall apart, but it felt.
[01:08:25] Speaker A: Like it was gonna say, it feels like it at the time, right?
[01:08:28] Speaker B: And it just kind of built that self confidence a little bit of like, it's gonna be okay because I'm gonna make it okay.
And I hit that a similar juncture when I was deciding whether to stay in economic development or pivot to coaching. And I remember calling my mother and was like, oh, man, like, do I give up this career I've been working on to all of a sudden do this? And she was just brought reality into perspective of, you're still so young. I think I was, like, mid twenties at the time. And she was like, you will be able to figure it out, you know? And my mentor from Lancaster, she had similar feedback of you. You can always go back to this. It's okay to step off the path for a little bit and explore something different. And I think those kind of two forks in the road changed my perspective on how life is supposed to go. Like, it's okay not to have a plan and just, again, kind of stick to what's important to you and do the best you can.
[01:09:27] Speaker A: Speaking of mentors, you've mentioned that coach a few times. You mentioned calling your sister, your mother, and others. How do you approach mentorship as still a pretty young coach? And how do you encourage your players or scholars to approach being mentored and then paying it forward as a mentor as well?
[01:09:45] Speaker B: Yeah, I am in this, like, really kind of fun time where I'm. I mean, I think you can always benefit from being mentored and mentoring somebody else, but I feel like I'm a play in a place in my career where I actually feel at least a little bit more equipped to mentor somebody. You know, a few years ago, I was like, I was like, I just. I just can only get the mentoring.
So now taking advantage of those mentors in my life, I think it's been trying to be really adept at reaching out to people, and I still am a bit reluctant to reach out to people for advice or help because I don't want to bother them. And my advice to scholars especially, don't worry about bothering people, reach out. And I try to pay that forward with my current and former student athletes of, you know, sometimes I'll just initiate to get the ball rolling just to open that door, because it can seem like such a high barrier to entry. But in reality, like, there's so many people so willing to help you, you have to just ask, right? So I try to be proactive with that, especially with our recent graduates, of figuring out what drives them. How can I help? Either I can help connect them with somebody, or, I don't know, maybe I do have some nuggets of wisdom. I'm not sure.
But again, trying to open them up to asking and reaching out to people and leaning into their network.
[01:11:12] Speaker A: So you've mentioned a couple folks, including current and past field hockey coaches here. Are there any professors, friends, teammates that you wanted to give a shout out to here at the end of our conversation?
[01:11:26] Speaker B: Oh, yeah. So I think professors Tim Kelsey and Ted Alter in community and economic development or community, environment and development.
Phenomenal professors. And so formative for me as I was going through that major and just opened my mind to different ways of thinking and perspectives, to incredible human beings. So big shout out to them. And then beyond that, there's so many people at Penn State who made my time really special. My teammates were absolutely part of that crew. So shout out to all my teammates, I love you so much.
And, you know, there was just so many really incredible people through the university, kind of outside of my bubble, who made my time really special. So shout out to them, whether they were students or I, you know, professors or advisors.
Again, I was really fortunate, and there's so many people who are fortunate here to have a very strong village to lean on. So just a general, you know, blanket thank you to. To my village here at Penn State.
[01:12:36] Speaker A: One thing I did want to ask about is, as a coach, especially during the season, it's really hectic being a scholar and a student athlete. Hectic. How do you encourage yourself and your players to find work life balance or student life balance or however you want to phrase that here?
[01:12:52] Speaker B: Yeah, I think, first, with my students, it's sometimes recognizing when they're in that chaotic mode, you know, seeing a little bit of myself in them, of recognizing when that's happening, when they're getting really stressed out or really tense, just kind of meeting with them or just taking a pulse check and helping assure them that it's going to be okay. Maybe we need to pull back on some things. And what could that realistically look like? Do we need to pull back on some field hockey pieces? That's okay. Let's figure out a way to make that work, or is there other areas where we could manage time better, differently?
With myself, it's being really reflective.
I am aware that I'm somebody who can quickly run myself into the ground chasing after something, especially in season, you know, full steam ahead. So it's recognizing when I'm getting close to that space of not being helpful to anybody because I'm so tired or mean.
And so it's carving out time then to take care of myself. You know, I walk the dog every day, twice a day. That's a very great moment for me to decompress. I have a wonderful partner who allows me to vent to him. And so, you know, leaning on my support network in those moments, too.
And then when I can find the time to pull back, I do. So in May and December, those months that are down, months for us, I really, as much as I can, try to pull back and turn my brain off, because typically at that time, it's like we just got through season, and I have all these ideas, and so it's trying to put myself in my own place of.
[01:14:34] Speaker A: No, write it down, deal with it later.
[01:14:36] Speaker B: Exactly. Chilled and. Yep, get out of this space for a little bit and just, you know, decompress. So I try to be aware of that. It's always a place of growth for myself. Um, but I'm always working on it.
[01:14:49] Speaker A: I think you've mentioned your dog a few times. You're going to have to send me a photo that I can overlay on the video here. Uh, this is a very dog friendly podcast.
[01:14:56] Speaker B: Oh, I love that.
[01:14:57] Speaker A: So, uh, definitely need to make sure that we give your. What's your dog's name?
[01:15:00] Speaker B: Duck.
[01:15:01] Speaker A: Doug.
[01:15:01] Speaker B: Duck. Like the bird?
[01:15:03] Speaker A: Duck the dog.
[01:15:04] Speaker B: Yes.
[01:15:04] Speaker A: Love it. That's awesome. So, Laura, if a scholar wanted to reach out to you and connect, what's the best way that they can get ahold of you?
[01:15:13] Speaker B: I would say. Oh, gosh. Anyway, so email, that's available online.
[01:15:19] Speaker A: Gopsusports.com, presumably.
[01:15:21] Speaker B: Exactly, yes. So you can dig in, find me there. Otherwise, social media. I'm on x, formerly Twitter, whatever they.
[01:15:29] Speaker A: Call it these days.
[01:15:30] Speaker B: Such a pain. And then Instagram as well. I have a coach account that feel free to reach out. Happy to be of service.
[01:15:36] Speaker A: Awesome. What's your final piece of advice that you would leave scholars with?
[01:15:41] Speaker B: I would recommend really work to get outside of your own bubble.
So explore outside of the world of shrier, out of your college, your major, do something uncomfortable and meet different people.
Gosh, I think the most value I had was just meeting people that I would never have naturally bumped into. And such amazing connections came out of it that served my organizations and me personally.
But it also just exposed me to incredible people at this university that you don't know exist until you put yourself out there.
[01:16:20] Speaker A: Now, the very final question I have for you today, Laura, if you are a flavor of Berkeley creamery ice cream, and as both a scholar alumna and a college of agricultural sciences alumna, no less, which would you be? And most importantly, why would you be that flavor? Give me your best on the road recruit sales pitch here.
[01:16:39] Speaker B: Oh, gosh. I mean, hard sell for all Berkey creamery products. I'm a big fan.
[01:16:45] Speaker A: Sponsorship still available.
[01:16:47] Speaker B: I'm here and I'm ready. So maybe we can get some cool.
[01:16:51] Speaker A: Hockey players, brand ambassadors.
[01:16:53] Speaker B: Oh, my gosh.
[01:16:53] Speaker A: Sponsored the show.
[01:16:54] Speaker B: I want to coach.
I'm always like with these nil deals, like, can I get a part of that?
[01:16:59] Speaker A: Yeah. Seriously?
[01:17:00] Speaker B: Oh, yes. Okay. My answer would be wPSU coffee break.
[01:17:05] Speaker A: Ooh, good one.
[01:17:06] Speaker B: Gosh, I love it so much. I might have to get it after this because, okay, one, I am a sustaining supporter of WPSU. Go sponsor your local public radio.
But also, oh my gosh, there's always at least some little bit of coffee flowing through my veins. So I feel like it's only necessary to be part of.
[01:17:28] Speaker A: I feel that in my soul.
[01:17:30] Speaker B: Oh my gosh, it's so good. And, you know, I think there's some fun sprinkled in with the chocolate bites. Oh, amazing. Like some texture in there. It's great. So that is my answer.
[01:17:40] Speaker A: I really like that. That is a very popular pick here, but a very original answer. So I appreciate that.
So, Laura, thank you for joining us. I think if you're still watching us also, thank you. Had a great conversation about coaching field hockey. Community economic development went off the rails a little bit. Trying to be sears for the future of collegiate athletics in the 2020s. If you're still watching, make sure you, like, subscribe the whole deal. If you're listening to the audio version, follow on whichever podcast app you're listening to this on. We really appreciate that. So, Laura, I'm going to let you have the final word here in our very first episode in our brand new engagement studio that we have. So the floor is yours.
[01:18:23] Speaker B: Great. Well, first, I want to just commend this beautiful studio. This is very comfortable.
So great kudos, final words. I mean, I'm very appreciative for this opportunity. It's humbling listening to other episodes with absolute rock stars. Special shout out to Caroline Fitzgerald. I'm a big fan girl. There may be a pendant hanging in my office, but yeah, this was just a very humbling opportunity, so I hope people enjoyed. Come out to field hockey in our new stadium, come watch a game. It's very, very fun sport to come see, so come support bonus content if.
[01:19:01] Speaker A: They want to go to a field hockey game or three.
How do you go? Like, what's do you just show up with your student id? Is it free?
[01:19:09] Speaker B: It's free. So just you show up and you wear your best Penn state gear. Come with a loud voice and it's okay if you don't know all the rules. I promise. All you just need to watch for is the goals being scored.
[01:19:21] Speaker A: Excellent. So give you have the actual last word, so.
[01:19:27] Speaker B: Oh, goodness. Well, thank you again. And we are Penn State.
