Senior leaders showing the way for Lehigh women's basketball
12/9/2015 1:50:00 PM | Women's Basketball, Tickets
The Lehigh women's basketball team walked off the court in the 2015 Patriot League Championship Game proud of what they accomplished, but undoubtedly itching for more.
"That loss has been a motivating factor in our season," said senior Elizabeth Sharlow. "Whenever times are tough, our coaches always remind us how close we were. I think second place can be the toughest place, but it's also taught a great deal about what we can improve upon in order to be number one."
To reach the top, any team must feature more than simply talent and ability. Intangibles that stem from strong leadership are critical on championship squads, which is exactly what the Lehigh's senior class of Sharlow, Kerry Kinek, Amina Affini and Elizabeth Jordan is providing.
"We're fortunate to have four seniors who set the standard with their leadership and work ethic, on and off the court," said head coach Sue Troyan. "They are exemplary students excelling in the classroom (class GPA of 3.45), exemplary leaders involved in many of the leadership groups in our department (Student-Athlete Mentors, Student-Athlete Council) and exemplary basketball players who all play a critical role in our team's development and success. Perhaps most importantly, our senior class features quality young women who come from outstanding families and bring a high level of character, integrity and loyalty to our program."
Even though Sharlow and Kinek are "officially" the team captains, all four are playing critical leadership roles this season. The four are on the same page, leading as a group with a consistent message.
"We all complement each other and bring our own set of talents and contributions to the table," said Jordan. "We are all great leaders by example. We are all hard workers, dedicated and devoted to the same team goal, winning a championship."
Talks of a championship is a common theme around the Mountain Hawks these days, and they're backing up their aspirations with the work that's required. The seniors have made a concerted effort to do what it takes, which includes investing a great deal of time with Director for Athletics Leadership Development Julie Ammary.
"This group has set the tone for our entire program's buy-in of this type of leadership programming and how it can help development and growth," said Troyan. "Our seniors live the five pillars in their daily interactions with our program. I believe our ability to make a run through the Patriot League Tournament last winter and make it to the championship game was due in large part to the commitment this group made to Julie's programming."
Ultimately, team chemistry is one goal of leadership. There's a need for leaders to set the tone for the program, and unite the group as one. An opportunity grow closer and "become one" happened this past August when the Mountain Hawks traveled overseas to Europe.
"The trip definitely gave us a jump-start in terms of team bonding," said Kinek. "There were so many opportunities to connect with different teammates in a completely different setting. It was truly an awesome opportunity for our team."
"Spending 10 days in Europe definitely made us strong and closer as a group," said Affini. "Being able to experience something so great, with 14 of our best friends, created memories that will last forever. It allowed us to get closer together, and gave us a jump-start on playing together, which I believe will give us an edge this season."
The four seniors are very different types of people, and the ability to complement each other is what makes them so special.
"All four seniors bring important leadership and captain qualities to our team," said Troyan. "Liz (Sharlow) is the vocal leader of the team, and someone who sets the standard in terms of holding teammates accountable and to a very high standard. On the court, she is the 'enforcer,' doing all the little things that teams need to do to win games, like taking charges, blocking out, diving on the floor for loose balls and gaining extra possessions."
Like most, Sharlow entered Lehigh as a reserved freshman, but has grown into her role. Her growth is a testament to not only her, but also Lehigh Athletics' leadership programing.
"I used to be a person who wasn't confident in my abilities to be a leader, but I learned how to be more open," said Sharlow. "The Student-Athlete Mentors (SAM) program has helped me tremendously because it has allowed me to share my Lehigh experience with freshmen athletes as they try to find their way in the upcoming years."
Even though Sharlow is the most vocal leader, the remaining seniors contribute in ways that are just as important. They all have their niches and are embracing their roles, for the betterment of the team.
"Kerry is the leader by example; she brings a tremendous work ethic to our program and holds her other teammates accountable to bring that same level of intensity," said Troyan. "Amina is the captain of our guard group and the leader on the defensive end of the court, holding teammates to a high standard of accountability on the defensive end. LJ (Liz Jordan) is another leader by example, a soft spoken player who has an unbelievable work ethic as someone who spends a lot of time in the gym outside of practice perfecting her shooting. Although soft spoken, LJ may have the greatest ability to impact the level of energy of the team through her playmaking abilities."
On the surface, something like extra work outside of practice may not feel like leadership, but it is. Actions like that set the tone for not only their current teammates, but also the culture within the program.
The legacy of these four seniors will last well beyond their playing days. The leadership of some former captains is still impacting these Mountain Hawks today.
"My freshman year, I really looked up to Becky Guman who was a senior captain," said Sharlow. "The way she carried herself and her passion for the game was really admirable. She taught me the value of working hard and the importance of being a leader. My sophomore year, I really looked up to Lindsay Hoskins, who was a fellow post player and captain, and Hilary Weaver, who was also captain. Last year, Katie O'Reilly and Sarah Williams were both fabulous leaders with such a high basketball IQ and always put the team on their backs when the going got tough. I have been extremely privileged and blessed to play with such amazing role models and have learned so many life lessons from all of them."
In many ways, the Mountain Hawks are poised for success this season due to leadership from the past. They planted the seeds with Sharlow, Kinek, Jordan and Affini. Now, the group looks to lead Lehigh to its first Patriot League Championship since 2010 and beyond that, foster a culture that breeds sustained success.
"Going to the Patriot League Championship last year and not coming away with a win has not only made us stronger by making us work harder and harder for what we were so close to achieving, but also hungrier," said Jordan. "Being that close and losing such a big game was beyond heartbreaking. We all believe and know we are fully capable of getting to that point, and further, we know we are capable of winning that game."
For the Mountain Hawks, last year's run to the finals was bittersweet, heartbreaking and also motivating heading into 2015-16. The team knows it can do damage come March.
"This year, we return with a hungry mentality propelled towards our goal that we almost attained last year," Jordan continued. "However, that almost is what drives us; that feeling of almost winning, and almost being Patriot League Champions was not enough. This year, we look to take those lessons we learned and the pain of losing that we all felt, and use it to propel us to win a championship."
"That loss has been a motivating factor in our season," said senior Elizabeth Sharlow. "Whenever times are tough, our coaches always remind us how close we were. I think second place can be the toughest place, but it's also taught a great deal about what we can improve upon in order to be number one."
To reach the top, any team must feature more than simply talent and ability. Intangibles that stem from strong leadership are critical on championship squads, which is exactly what the Lehigh's senior class of Sharlow, Kerry Kinek, Amina Affini and Elizabeth Jordan is providing.
"We're fortunate to have four seniors who set the standard with their leadership and work ethic, on and off the court," said head coach Sue Troyan. "They are exemplary students excelling in the classroom (class GPA of 3.45), exemplary leaders involved in many of the leadership groups in our department (Student-Athlete Mentors, Student-Athlete Council) and exemplary basketball players who all play a critical role in our team's development and success. Perhaps most importantly, our senior class features quality young women who come from outstanding families and bring a high level of character, integrity and loyalty to our program."
Even though Sharlow and Kinek are "officially" the team captains, all four are playing critical leadership roles this season. The four are on the same page, leading as a group with a consistent message.
"We all complement each other and bring our own set of talents and contributions to the table," said Jordan. "We are all great leaders by example. We are all hard workers, dedicated and devoted to the same team goal, winning a championship."
Talks of a championship is a common theme around the Mountain Hawks these days, and they're backing up their aspirations with the work that's required. The seniors have made a concerted effort to do what it takes, which includes investing a great deal of time with Director for Athletics Leadership Development Julie Ammary.
"This group has set the tone for our entire program's buy-in of this type of leadership programming and how it can help development and growth," said Troyan. "Our seniors live the five pillars in their daily interactions with our program. I believe our ability to make a run through the Patriot League Tournament last winter and make it to the championship game was due in large part to the commitment this group made to Julie's programming."
Ultimately, team chemistry is one goal of leadership. There's a need for leaders to set the tone for the program, and unite the group as one. An opportunity grow closer and "become one" happened this past August when the Mountain Hawks traveled overseas to Europe.
"The trip definitely gave us a jump-start in terms of team bonding," said Kinek. "There were so many opportunities to connect with different teammates in a completely different setting. It was truly an awesome opportunity for our team."
"Spending 10 days in Europe definitely made us strong and closer as a group," said Affini. "Being able to experience something so great, with 14 of our best friends, created memories that will last forever. It allowed us to get closer together, and gave us a jump-start on playing together, which I believe will give us an edge this season."
The four seniors are very different types of people, and the ability to complement each other is what makes them so special.
"All four seniors bring important leadership and captain qualities to our team," said Troyan. "Liz (Sharlow) is the vocal leader of the team, and someone who sets the standard in terms of holding teammates accountable and to a very high standard. On the court, she is the 'enforcer,' doing all the little things that teams need to do to win games, like taking charges, blocking out, diving on the floor for loose balls and gaining extra possessions."
Like most, Sharlow entered Lehigh as a reserved freshman, but has grown into her role. Her growth is a testament to not only her, but also Lehigh Athletics' leadership programing.
"I used to be a person who wasn't confident in my abilities to be a leader, but I learned how to be more open," said Sharlow. "The Student-Athlete Mentors (SAM) program has helped me tremendously because it has allowed me to share my Lehigh experience with freshmen athletes as they try to find their way in the upcoming years."
Even though Sharlow is the most vocal leader, the remaining seniors contribute in ways that are just as important. They all have their niches and are embracing their roles, for the betterment of the team.
"Kerry is the leader by example; she brings a tremendous work ethic to our program and holds her other teammates accountable to bring that same level of intensity," said Troyan. "Amina is the captain of our guard group and the leader on the defensive end of the court, holding teammates to a high standard of accountability on the defensive end. LJ (Liz Jordan) is another leader by example, a soft spoken player who has an unbelievable work ethic as someone who spends a lot of time in the gym outside of practice perfecting her shooting. Although soft spoken, LJ may have the greatest ability to impact the level of energy of the team through her playmaking abilities."
On the surface, something like extra work outside of practice may not feel like leadership, but it is. Actions like that set the tone for not only their current teammates, but also the culture within the program.
The legacy of these four seniors will last well beyond their playing days. The leadership of some former captains is still impacting these Mountain Hawks today.
"My freshman year, I really looked up to Becky Guman who was a senior captain," said Sharlow. "The way she carried herself and her passion for the game was really admirable. She taught me the value of working hard and the importance of being a leader. My sophomore year, I really looked up to Lindsay Hoskins, who was a fellow post player and captain, and Hilary Weaver, who was also captain. Last year, Katie O'Reilly and Sarah Williams were both fabulous leaders with such a high basketball IQ and always put the team on their backs when the going got tough. I have been extremely privileged and blessed to play with such amazing role models and have learned so many life lessons from all of them."
In many ways, the Mountain Hawks are poised for success this season due to leadership from the past. They planted the seeds with Sharlow, Kinek, Jordan and Affini. Now, the group looks to lead Lehigh to its first Patriot League Championship since 2010 and beyond that, foster a culture that breeds sustained success.
"Going to the Patriot League Championship last year and not coming away with a win has not only made us stronger by making us work harder and harder for what we were so close to achieving, but also hungrier," said Jordan. "Being that close and losing such a big game was beyond heartbreaking. We all believe and know we are fully capable of getting to that point, and further, we know we are capable of winning that game."
For the Mountain Hawks, last year's run to the finals was bittersweet, heartbreaking and also motivating heading into 2015-16. The team knows it can do damage come March.
"This year, we return with a hungry mentality propelled towards our goal that we almost attained last year," Jordan continued. "However, that almost is what drives us; that feeling of almost winning, and almost being Patriot League Champions was not enough. This year, we look to take those lessons we learned and the pain of losing that we all felt, and use it to propel us to win a championship."
Players Mentioned
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/ Women's BasketballLehigh Sports Central: Women's Basketball
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