Wednesday, December 28, 2011
Thursday, December 1, 2011
Spring Event: CFHA goes back to Cornell
This past Spring, we all headed back to sunny Ithaca to partake in an alumni weekend with the current team. There was time on the field, time on the ropes and time eating, talking and getting to know each other. We're already looking forward to Spring 2011!
Check out all the good times below.
Lt. Colonel Jennifer Caci speaks to current CUFH team!
Former Cornell Field
Hockey player and Lt. Colonel recently spoke with CUFH to provide career and
leadership advice.
The current
Cornell Field Hockey team was lucky enough to receive a visit from former
Cornell Field Hockey player and now Lt. Colonel, Jennifer Caci, in October. LTC Caci spoke to the team about her career and how Cornell and Field
Hockey prepared her for a life serving our country. The players, coaches and
CFHA members are truly grateful for LTC Caci’s time and advice. Here’s what
some of the current players had to say about the experience:
Jennifer Caci is a true hero. Her various tours to
countries such as Haiti, Iraq, and Afghanistan had a direct impact on the
lives of others. Not only did Jennifer have very interesting stories to
tell about being in the army, jumping from airplanes, and getting shot at, but
she had great stories about leadership. Further, Lt. Colonel Caci is a great
inspiration because of the connection she has with the Cornell Field Hockey
team. All of her wisdom and advice seemed to resound with me even more because
I knew that she had experienced what I do on a daily basis. I will never
complain about being too busy again because I cannot imagine how she handled
being on the varsity Field Hockey and Track teams while being a part of ROTC.
It was truly a pleasure to be able to listen to Jennifer speak. It’s great to see the connections with
amazing, inspiring women that I will have for the rest of my life because of
Cornell Field Hockey. ~ Alaina Skalski
I was very inspired by Jennifer`s visit. Being able to see
the different career paths that alumni have taken allows for me to explore
different options available to me. It was an honor to be able to interact with
such a dedicated and decorated individual. ~ Isabel Fratt
Having Jennifer come to visit us was such a lovely and unique
experience. It not only gave us an idea of what it was like to be a part of
Cornell Field Hockey in the past, but what it means to be a part of Cornell
Field Hockey for life. It is extremely interesting to hear about what CUFH alum
are up to, and we really enjoyed her stories about her work as a medical
entomologist. It was especially nice to hear about how Jennifer's experiences
with Cornell Field Hockey helped to prepare her for work and life outside
Cornell. It was great for the team to connect with such an enthusiastic alum! ~ Genevieve Collins
Jennifer is such a great mentor for the players on our team.
Through her stories and during
her talk, she exemplified leadership and courage in her post-graduate
endeavors. Jennifer was able to share stories about her experience in the
military and how Cornell prepared her for this particular career path. I
especially liked when she talked about how she was immediately thrown into a
leadership role, managing a squad of men. Being the only woman, it was
interesting to hear how she gained the respect of her colleagues and succeeded
in motivating her team. There were many parallels to the CUFH team and her
experiences. Overall, her talk to our team was truly inspiring and motivational.
Our program is lucky to have such helpful and enthusiastic alumni. ~ Alex Botte
It was really inspiring to hear Jennifer/Lieutenant Colonel
Caci talk about the importance of humility in leadership. She touched on how sometimes
being a leader or good teammate can just come from being caring and doing
little things to look out for those around you. As an upperclassmen I think it
is easy to feel pressure to always need to know the perfect thing to say or
make a big booming speech to the team, but she gave a nice reminder that those
things may be a necessary part of the job, but sometimes small gestures can go
a long way too. ~ Olivia Boyd
A SPECIAL THANKS TO JENNIFER CACI FROM CUFH AND CFHA!
If
you are interested in speaking to the current team about your career path please
let us know! Please email cornellfieldhockeyassociation@gmail.com.
Everyone Needs a Mentor. Please Volunteer Today!
Want to mentor a current or former player? Have
career advice to give? Please fill out a Mentoring
Questionnaire today so we can get you involved! THANKS!Meet the Cornell Field Hockey Goalies!
Former Cornell goalie
Maureen (Mo) Mauk chats with current Cornell goalies Alex Botte and Carolyn
Horner about their love of goalkeeping. Sacrificing their bodies every day for the Cornell team,
we honor their hard work and dedication!
1.How did you decide to be a goalkeeper? Alex: I had played soccer since I was five, so I had good feet. They (high school field hockey team) immediately stuck me in goal. Carolyn: I was a really uncoordinated field player when I started out in 6th Grade so my mom casually suggested I try goalkeeper. Actually, she was also a goalie in high school, but needless to say since then I just kept with it!
2.What is your favorite part of goalkeeping? Alex: Having the best goalie friend (Carolyn). Making those great saves. Not having to run when the field players run. Taking on a unique leadership role that none of the field players have. Carolyn: Making a great save, whether it be a stack in a 1v1 or a dive on a corner. That feeling is unbeatable. Also, Ali Harris, Botte and I have all become super close, making Dodsie a really fun place to be!
3.What are some of the least glorious parts of being a keeper? Alex: Smelling, definitely. Carolyn: Botte and I have become really creative with who or what we smell like on any particular day. Recently, I’ve been smelling like Febreeze because I pour an entire bottle on my stuff after games!
4.What is the most painful injury you’ve had? Carolyn: Well, last spring while diving for a ball Katie Laventure ended up kicking me in the head. My helmet flew off, but I didn’t realize I had a concussion until the next day. As for who has the hardest shot- Brittany Thompson has an amazing reverse chip and it always ends up hitting me in a place with no padding. I also have a theory that because Mallory Bannon only eats cucumbers and plain pasta for pre-game meals, this has contributed to her having a deceivingly killer hit!
5.Are there any specific personality traits that you think someone needs to have to consider the position of goalkeeping? Alex: The ability to stand pressure and understand that you are the last line before the goal. Carolyn: It took me awhile to realize that (besides the occasional kick in the face by Lavs), you are the most protected player on the field. Once you realize that, then you begin to take risks and be more aggressive. I think the best goalies are those who are composed, yet never hesitate to take these risks, even if at times they are mistakes.
6.Do you have any pre-game rituals, habits, good luck charms? Alex: Pre-game rituals… well we always get milkshakes the night before a game. We always sing the alma mater before heading on the field (lately we have been rapping it instead of singing). The team always has an intense dance party before we play. We also say “red” during the national anthem when we are on the field during “…the rockets’ RED glare.”
7.What is the best way to teach a person to dive for a ball? Alex: Well, if you are teaching Izzy Fratt or Olivia Boyd, you would place a king sized candy bar about five yards to their right. Have them face forward. Instruct them they only have 4 milliseconds to get that bar. Guarantee they will dive.
8.What do you think you’ll do when you graduate? Alex: This summer I had a great finance internship in New York City. I will be going back to Barclays after I graduate doing prime brokerage sales. Carolyn: I think working in Washington, D.C. or perhaps for an American company overseas in Asia would be a really great experience!
9.How is the season looking so far for Cornell Field Hockey? Alex: We have had some disappointing games, but we are really coming together as a unit. There are many things we are learning from each other, both on and off the field, that have given us the chemistry necessary for a team to be successful. Carolyn: Our team grows stronger every game and even closer every day. We are still excited to get out, play, and improve. So, I think with that mindset the rest of the season is very promising!
10.What can we, as alumni, do to help the team show our support? Alex: The alumni are already great! We really enjoyed getting to know you better last spring during the alumni weekend. We love hearing stories about how the team used to be or old rituals you had. Also, I like the idea of a database to connect players with alums. This is helpful for networking and getting career advice. Carolyn: For me, I am undecided in what feels like everything at times, but knowing I am a part of this extended Cornell Field Hockey family is such a reassuring and exciting thing. Continuous participation in the Alumni Tailgates and other functions really means so much to me, and I know to all of my teammates, we love to see new (and old!) faces!
1.How did you decide to be a goalkeeper? Alex: I had played soccer since I was five, so I had good feet. They (high school field hockey team) immediately stuck me in goal. Carolyn: I was a really uncoordinated field player when I started out in 6th Grade so my mom casually suggested I try goalkeeper. Actually, she was also a goalie in high school, but needless to say since then I just kept with it!
2.What is your favorite part of goalkeeping? Alex: Having the best goalie friend (Carolyn). Making those great saves. Not having to run when the field players run. Taking on a unique leadership role that none of the field players have. Carolyn: Making a great save, whether it be a stack in a 1v1 or a dive on a corner. That feeling is unbeatable. Also, Ali Harris, Botte and I have all become super close, making Dodsie a really fun place to be!
3.What are some of the least glorious parts of being a keeper? Alex: Smelling, definitely. Carolyn: Botte and I have become really creative with who or what we smell like on any particular day. Recently, I’ve been smelling like Febreeze because I pour an entire bottle on my stuff after games!
4.What is the most painful injury you’ve had? Carolyn: Well, last spring while diving for a ball Katie Laventure ended up kicking me in the head. My helmet flew off, but I didn’t realize I had a concussion until the next day. As for who has the hardest shot- Brittany Thompson has an amazing reverse chip and it always ends up hitting me in a place with no padding. I also have a theory that because Mallory Bannon only eats cucumbers and plain pasta for pre-game meals, this has contributed to her having a deceivingly killer hit!
5.Are there any specific personality traits that you think someone needs to have to consider the position of goalkeeping? Alex: The ability to stand pressure and understand that you are the last line before the goal. Carolyn: It took me awhile to realize that (besides the occasional kick in the face by Lavs), you are the most protected player on the field. Once you realize that, then you begin to take risks and be more aggressive. I think the best goalies are those who are composed, yet never hesitate to take these risks, even if at times they are mistakes.
6.Do you have any pre-game rituals, habits, good luck charms? Alex: Pre-game rituals… well we always get milkshakes the night before a game. We always sing the alma mater before heading on the field (lately we have been rapping it instead of singing). The team always has an intense dance party before we play. We also say “red” during the national anthem when we are on the field during “…the rockets’ RED glare.”
7.What is the best way to teach a person to dive for a ball? Alex: Well, if you are teaching Izzy Fratt or Olivia Boyd, you would place a king sized candy bar about five yards to their right. Have them face forward. Instruct them they only have 4 milliseconds to get that bar. Guarantee they will dive.
8.What do you think you’ll do when you graduate? Alex: This summer I had a great finance internship in New York City. I will be going back to Barclays after I graduate doing prime brokerage sales. Carolyn: I think working in Washington, D.C. or perhaps for an American company overseas in Asia would be a really great experience!
9.How is the season looking so far for Cornell Field Hockey? Alex: We have had some disappointing games, but we are really coming together as a unit. There are many things we are learning from each other, both on and off the field, that have given us the chemistry necessary for a team to be successful. Carolyn: Our team grows stronger every game and even closer every day. We are still excited to get out, play, and improve. So, I think with that mindset the rest of the season is very promising!
10.What can we, as alumni, do to help the team show our support? Alex: The alumni are already great! We really enjoyed getting to know you better last spring during the alumni weekend. We love hearing stories about how the team used to be or old rituals you had. Also, I like the idea of a database to connect players with alums. This is helpful for networking and getting career advice. Carolyn: For me, I am undecided in what feels like everything at times, but knowing I am a part of this extended Cornell Field Hockey family is such a reassuring and exciting thing. Continuous participation in the Alumni Tailgates and other functions really means so much to me, and I know to all of my teammates, we love to see new (and old!) faces!
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