Whether it’s early morning conditioning or a zero-degree windchill on game day, playing lacrosse in Hamilton, N.Y., can be grueling. Despite this reality, the Colgate University women’s lacrosse team has built a culture that enforces values of tenacity, unity and strength. Their recent experience with The Program, an elite leadership training organization run by special forces veterans, demonstrated their tight-knit culture, where challenges are sought after while team cohesion is emphasized.
In the fall, the coaches asked the captains to poll the team on doing a weekend event with The Program. The pitch to the members of the team was that the event would be extraordinarily difficult but it would help their team’s success in the long term. The results came in and they were unanimous: everyone was on board.
Senior captain Kyra Lucey commented on the team morale surrounding the event.
“I wasn’t surprised by the poll. Our thought process was that, in the worst case, we would have a bunch of fun stories,” Lucey said.
As winter break came to a close, nerves rose about the players’ weekend with a Green Beret and Marine Raider. Junior midfielder Kendall Belanger shared what she imagined the Program would be like prior to the event.
“I was nervous because I expected us to be outside in the snow lifting logs in just our shorts and t-shirts for hours,” Belanger said.
At 3 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 20, the program began. The players gathered in their film room and awaited their battle-hardened gurus. The two instructors, who served Army Special Forces and Marine Special Operations Forces respectively, entered the room and quickly set the tone for the weekend.
“We were all slouching in our chairs when they walked in. Immediately, they barked at us to sit up and we paid attention,” Lucey said.
From there, the instructors laid the groundwork for the next two days of team building. They emphasized integrity, loyalty and selflessness, a set of core values chosen to define the event. After, the players got started with the much-anticipated exercises. Saturday afternoon was spent doing meticulously coordinated core workouts and carrying logs and heavy sandbags. One person would be selected as the leader and relay their instructions quickly and clearly to the other 28 players.
Saturday was best remembered for one “mission,” consisting of flutter kicks, jumping jacks and pushups, which was supposed to last 16 minutes. However, the instructors insisted that the players restart every time they fell out of sync. After 90 minutes, the team finally was able to complete their mission.
Junior midfielder Lucy Licata commented on the lessons the team gained from this exercise.
“After that, our team learned about the value of attention to detail and clear communication,” Licata said.
By this point, the women’s lacrosse players had begun to get to know their instructors and build meaningful relationships. Junior captain Nelle Kniffin stressed the importance of connecting with their instructors throughout this process.
“We were nervous about how tough they were on us, but then we realized that they were relatable people and that helped their message land better,” Kniffin said.
The Sunday morning session on Jan. 21 started at 4 a.m. in the Lineberry Natatorium for Raiders. The focus hadn’t changed. To start, the team was given a list of household items that they had to pack. The order was given to dump their bags so the instructors could take inventory. Inevitably, some people were missing granola bars or water bottles and the mission leaders were promptly reprimanded.
The pool exercises were most feared and yet most helpful. One mission was to tread water in a sweat suit, remove the soaking sweatshirt, hold it above one’s head in coordination with all other team members and then exchange it with a partner.
“It built so much trust. If you were struggling, you could just lean on your partner,” Belanger said.
Sunday’s challenges were not without a bit of comic relief. Each mission was to begin with a call and response between the leader and the team, which would take the form of calling out whatever the task was then yelling “ready” followed by “attack.” Anyone who entered the Lineberry Natatorium at 6 a.m. that Sunday would have been greeted by a small army of lacrosse players screaming, “Cross Stroke, Ready, Attack!” in unison.
The unorthodox methods left the Raiders with lasting changes.
“Every practice since, our lines are straight and our water bottles and sticks are organized,” Lucey said.
In addition to the immediate impact the Program had on the team’s discipline following the event, the players’ relationships with the instructors are not over either.
“It’s cool because it’s not a one-and-done. [The instructors] will be in touch with our team throughout the season,” Licata said.
After The Program ended, the team returned to their locker room, where they found a message from the instructors on the whiteboard.
“Attack the things that scare you. Good luck this season,” the message read.
