With 21 freshmen on roster, leadership is one pivotal piece to success for the Elon University women’s lacrosse team.
Beyond the large freshmen class, four upperclassmen have been practicing with the coaching staff and preparing the launch the program since last spring. The two senior captains on the team, Tierney Guido and Emily Bishop, were both part of the club team at Elon. When they heard the news that a varsity team was being created, they knew they had to go for it.
“I thought, ‘I have to be a part of that. I want to make history at my school,’” Guido said.
Bishop agreed without hesitation. The jump from the club to varsity level may have seemed daunting, but it was something neither one could pass up.
“It was a once in a lifetime opportunity,” she said.
Having been leaders on the club team, the two were named captains of the rising varsity team. That position carries a lot of responsibility, but it came naturally to Guido and Bishop.
“They’re our captains and our two seniors. Even before we made them captains, they naturally were leaders,” Elon head coach Josh Hexter said.
The two have shown a strong ability to connect with the 21 freshmen on the roster. Despite being outnumbered by such a large margin, both Bishop and Guido said it was easy to relate to the freshman.
“It was easy for them to come in and for us to get to know them,” Bishop said. “We get to make our own dynamic rather than fit them into one that’s already there, because everyone is new.”
Stepping into a role distinguishing a person as something more than just a player is a hefty task. For the lacrosse team, a captain is a communication link between the coaching staff and the players and has to be open and honest about the team and the direction it’s headed.
“I feel really fortunate to have them as our team leaders,” Hexter said. “We both give and receive open criticism, which can be very difficult. They’re open and honest about their thoughts on where we’re going and how we’re doing it, and that’s been very helpful to me.”
Guido said the most important aspect of being a captain and a leader on the team is being vocal to maintain a positive presence for the girls.
“As seniors, we see their potential, and we have so much faith in them,” Guido said. “And since I’m not on the field, I just want to be that person to help them and motivate them.”
Guido tore her ACL during the team’s first day of fall season, which put her out of commission for the rest of the year. She said knowing she wouldn’t be able to play at all this season was hard to handle at first, especially after working so hard on the field and preparing with the coaches for months.
She said when she got injured she would lead this team when she couldn’t be out on the field playing with them. But, despite the career-ending injury, Guido stayed committed to the team and remained a strong and positive influence off the field.
“She never put her head down, never complained, never gave up, stayed more committed and has been so helpful to our program,” Hexter said. “She’s a great example for our younger girls to see. I can’t express enough how thankful we are that she didn’t quit on us.”
Guido has almost taken on the role of a second assistant.
“Guido has been a right hand man to both of us, helping out with practice and running stations,” said assistant coach Virginia Crotty. “She has really stepped up in this new role, almost being a coach and leading the girls and keeping them focused, which has really helped our team.”
Guido’s leadership and commanding presence off the field is balanced by Bishop’s quiet yet tenacious mentality.
“I lead by example,” Bishop said. “I always put my best effort forward so the rest of the girls will hopefully follow and we can continue to get better every day.”
Bishop goes into every practice with a positive attitude and works to set the tone of practice and keep everyone on their game. Her work ethic and competitive spirit is a seamless representation of the culture of the team. How she approaches practice every day is exactly the environment the coaches are trying to build for the future of this program.
“It’s very ‘work hard, play hard,’” Hexter said. “We want the competitive spirit and fun to play off of each other. The girls have done a great job of embracing that culture, not shying away from it.”
The players, who are fighting for starting spots each day at practice, thrive in that competitive culture. That, along with the drive to become better individually, makes the job easier for Hexter and the captains to make practice time beneficial.
Captains play a huge role in maintaining a fun, competitive environment on the field and keeping the team focused and close-knit off it. Bishop and Guido have fully embraced that responsibility and taken off with it.
“Many captains wait for direction of the coach, but they’ve been very proactive,” Hexter said. “And hopefully, that’s the culture we have because ultimately, it’s their team. They’re the ones we have on the field.”