Emma Magazine - CASE

15actionIn the last two minutes of the game, the coachbegan pulling out the seniors and Lindsay was the lastone off. Coach Holston and Assistant Coach Quinnshook her hand and congratulated her, and as shewalked down the line of players on the bench, theyall stood and hugged her.“The team knew that I had given it my all and thatwas their way of thanking me—not just for playingwith heart and encouraging them to play with heartin this one game, but for the whole season.“There’s an intensity and power and drive when youplay like that. You are not thinking about anything else.That’s all there is at that moment. That desire.”Though she is passionate about sports and has competedon teams since she was five years old, Lindsaythinks of herself as a student-athlete, with emphasison the word student.“I love sports.” Lindsay asserts. “I love the game, thecompetition, but I’m a student first. I’ve always been intoacademics, and then sports.”How does a three-sport athlete with such commitmentto her teams manage to put that same spirit of “giving ither all” into her academics as well?Her biology teacher, Linda Maier, lauds Lindsay’s zealfor any challenge, her diligence, and her natural leadershipas a boon to any classroom. “Lindsay is absolutelyfantastic,” writes Maier, “her attitude, drive, motivation,sensitivity… She is bright, curious—a teacher’s dream!Whether in the classroom, on the athletic field, or mentoringher classmates, Lindsay gives 100 percent.”Lindsay’s AP Biology course with Maier was the firstbiology course she had taken, so the demands of thewritten materials and of the lab were new to her and sheneeded some guidance in how to handle it all. “It was adifficult course at first,” admits Lindsay, “but Miss Maierhelped me find ways to handle the course load better.”Maier says that Lindsay not only rose to the challengesof the class, but she was also a natural class leader. “Herdemanding athletic schedule coupled with her rigorousreading-intensive course selections could have been arecipe for disaster,” wrote Maier in a letter of recommendation,“however Lindsay took charge of her learning.”In order to attend classes, participate in sports practice,compete in games, complete homework, and still“There’s an intensity andpower and drive whenyou play like that. That’s allthere is at that moment.”have time to eat meals and have a little down time withfriends and family, Lindsay has learned to follow a preciseschedule.“I don’t watch TV,” she says. “I use all my free timewhen I’m not in class to do my homework. I’m organized;I’m on top of things.”Lindsay will continue with her science studies nextyear at Hamilton College, and though she’ll play sports,she expects it will be club sports, rather than intercollegiatecompetition.“There are other things I wantto explore,” she says, “like Outing Club.”Hiking is an important part of Lindsay’s life andit has been since she was an 11-year-old camper attendingCamp Chingachgook on Lake George. She recentlycompleted a leadership training program, where shehiked the high peaks of the Adirondacks. “We hikedabout seven high peaks in like four days,” she says withsome satisfaction.“I just like being outside,” she says. “I like nature.I like carrying the heavy pack and being a little dirty.I think I like uphills for some reason!”There are a lot of uphill moments in sports andLindsay has experienced them in not only hiking andbasketball, but in her other two sports—soccer andlacrosse. In the last game of the soccer season, the gamewent into overtime. It was snowing and she rememberssliding around the field. They’d already been playing for90 minutes but in spite of fatigue, “we were pumped.”In the end, there was just one final penalty shot andLindsay took it. “It was my last game. That’s the lastthing you can ever put into that game. I put all myfocus into the shot.”Though Lindsay’s shot went in, the team didn’t endup winning the game. But that part of it doesn’t fazeLindsay. “It was sad, but knowing I put so much intoit made it a better ending.” Summer 2012