The chain of High success
10/20/2016 6:00:00 PM | Field Hockey, Athletics
By: Justin Lafleur, Lehigh Sports Communications
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A supply chain deals with all the details from developing a product through delivering that product to the customer.
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While Janelle High's experiences as a student have included studying the supply chain process, her experiences as an athlete have led her to embracing another process - building the Lehigh field hockey program under the direction of a new head coach.
Â
With a new head coach comes the need to adapt. Adapting is something that High is comfortable with.
Â
"I'm very open to change and I go with the flow," she said. "I don't really get stressed out about things, so if something changes, I'm able to make the most out of the situation."
Â
Entering her senior season, High could have been upset by a coaching change, but she, and the entire senior class, has really bought into first-year head coach Caitlin Dallmeyer's vision.
Â
Even though the rebuilding process can be long and doesn't always lead to instant gratification, it's essential that the seniors buy into the process. It's much like a supply chain; every detail doesn't directly lead to instant gratification, but every detail is critical to the overall success.
Â
"With the coaching change, I could have wondered what was going to happen and ask myself why everything's changing now," said High. "Our entire senior class was really open, which I think really helped in the transition period. As seniors, we are the primary leaders, and the underclassmen look up to us. If we were negative about all the changes that were happening, it would have trickled down and the transition wouldn't have been as smooth."
Â
The seniors set the tone for a strong transition to Dallmeyer.
Â
"The senior class assisted the team in reflecting on the past, so they knew how they wanted to move forward towards the future," said Dallmeyer. "Without the work that was done by the seniors in the interim time without a coach, I don't think the team would have been as well prepared for the change."
Â
It's in High's nature to bring people together in times of change. Change is inevitable, whether it's from season-to-season, within a season or even within a game. High is a stabilizing force.
Â
"I'm a positive person," she said. "To keep moving forward, you have to build off your past, but not focus on the past."
Â
"Janelle's personality is ideal for a leadership position," said Dallmeyer. "She is able to always keep things in perspective and takes a very logical and thoughtful approach to all problems at hand. Whenever there is a coaching change at any point in one's career, it is met with a variety of emotions. This senior class did a great job of taking hold of the team and leading with great optimism for what the future could hold. In doing so, they made my job a lot easier as a new coach."
Â
Not only did High deal with a new coach this season, but also a new position. She was moved back to midfield for 2016, High's third different position as a Mountain Hawk.
Â
"As a freshman, I was more of a midfielder and even played a little forward. During my sophomore and junior seasons, I played left back," said High. "Moving to midfield was something I needed to adapt to, be open to and accept."
Â
High has started every game since the start of her sophomore season. No matter her position, her influence on the field is always felt.
Â
"Janelle has speed, endurance and great vision on the field," said Dallmeyer. "She has the ability to carry out of traffic situations and come up with big defensive plays. Perhaps one of her biggest strengths is her leadership ability on the field, which is why a center midfield spot is very fitting for her. I felt with her endurance and competitive drive on the field, she could be a critical piece of our lineup and I wanted to push her out of her comfort zone and into that role."
Â
Adaptability has been prevalent throughout High's life. This past summer, she was forced to adapt when she interned with Carlisle Interconnect Technologies in St. Augustine, Florida.
Â
"The company works primarily in the aerospace industry, making wire and cable," said High. "They also handle other components that go into planes, and they have industries outside of planes as well."
Â
The Supply Chain Management major worked the corporate side of supply chain.
Â
"I got to meet directly with suppliers and sit in on meetings," said High. "I also worked on a project that incorporated all the different plants. Being so young, I was talking to people who are much more experienced than me, and they were taking me seriously."
Â
The internship led to High securing a full-time position as part of the Supply Chain Leadership Development program.
Â
"For the first two years, I'll go to four different locations," said High. "They have a bunch of different plants in the United States, and also overseas. I'll be at each location for six months each. In each rotation, I'll be doing something a little different, all within the supply chain field."
Â
The beauty of the rotational position is the opportunity to learn what area fits best for High.
Â
"After my two years is finished, I can decide what I like best," she said. "By learning all the different roles, it also helps with whatever role I'm going to choose so I can better understand supply chain."
Â
At the moment, High isn't sure exactly where she'll be located, but some (of many) possible locations include St. Augustine, Seattle, Phoenix, Milwaukee and Los Angeles.
Â
"I only live an hour away from Lehigh," said High. "This summer, I got to experience something new and was surrounded by new people in Florida. It'll be nice to experience new things over the next two years, and see what kind of lifestyle I really fit into."
Â
High's internship experience allowed her to mature. She is looking to continue developing every day, on and off the field.
Â
"It was the first time I had been that far away from my parents for an extended period," said High. "I didn't know anyone, so I had to make friends. I had to branch out and be more outgoing than normal."
Â
High developed skills that have translated onto the field this fall. Those skills have not only benefited her, but have also helped move the entire Lehigh field hockey team in the right direction.
Â
"I developed an ability to confront people and have difficult conversations," she said. "During my internship, I forced myself to speak up in meetings and talk to higher-ups who I was a little nervous around. At Lehigh, that translates to having difficult conversations with teammates."
Â
High has developed as a leader over her Lehigh career, taking part in Leadership Legacies, Emerging Leaders and Pride as part of the Leadership Academy. She has taken everything Lehigh Athletics provides in stride, and has made the most of her opportunities.
Â
"I have friends who play Division I field hockey and they don't have the same resources that we have here," said High. "The leadership programs are very intense and they're always pushing you out of your comfort zone to keep improving and never be complacent. You can always improve your leadership skills."
Â
Those leadership skills help set Lehigh student-athletes apart as they enter the workforce.
Â
"Leadership is huge, not just for athletics, but also in life," said High. "You can help other people around you and ultimately, help a company's bottom line. It can translate into company culture as well."
Â
High's impact on Lehigh field hockey's culture has been immense. Patience is a virtue, but it can be difficult for a senior in the last chapter of her collegiate career.
Â
"Coach stresses patience to us every day," said High. "We're not going to one day come in here and everything is going to be fixed. Right now, our record isn't where we want it to be, but there are a lot of improvements that go unnoticed."
Â
"As of now this is one of the most successful seasons in wins and losses that this senior class has experienced, and I attribute a lot to the leadership they have provided in transition," said Dallmeyer. "Janelle was voted by her peers onto the Leadership Council where she has grown to be one of the most respected leaders on our team. She does not hesitate to hold her teammates accountable for their actions and comments on and off the field. These qualities have been tremendous in helping the coaches build a winning culture."
Â
High understands she's part of something bigger than herself, and as a supply chain management major, she understands that each component of the "supply chain" doesn't lead to instant results, but is equally important for long-term success.
Â
"It's tough to live through the change and work through the grind that comes with implementing new philosophies, but know that you won't be here to reap the long-term benefits," said Dallmeyer. "This class has been selfless in making sure that the transition has been smooth for the entire team, and this class has worked to assist the coaches as we navigate common practices from the past versus what we want in the future."
Â
"It's going to be really exciting for me as an alumnus, looking back and seeing how much Lehigh field hockey has changed," said High. "I'll be proud that I was part of the initial process."
Â
Â
A supply chain deals with all the details from developing a product through delivering that product to the customer.
Â
While Janelle High's experiences as a student have included studying the supply chain process, her experiences as an athlete have led her to embracing another process - building the Lehigh field hockey program under the direction of a new head coach.
Â
With a new head coach comes the need to adapt. Adapting is something that High is comfortable with.
Â
"I'm very open to change and I go with the flow," she said. "I don't really get stressed out about things, so if something changes, I'm able to make the most out of the situation."
Â
Entering her senior season, High could have been upset by a coaching change, but she, and the entire senior class, has really bought into first-year head coach Caitlin Dallmeyer's vision.
Â
Even though the rebuilding process can be long and doesn't always lead to instant gratification, it's essential that the seniors buy into the process. It's much like a supply chain; every detail doesn't directly lead to instant gratification, but every detail is critical to the overall success.
Â
"With the coaching change, I could have wondered what was going to happen and ask myself why everything's changing now," said High. "Our entire senior class was really open, which I think really helped in the transition period. As seniors, we are the primary leaders, and the underclassmen look up to us. If we were negative about all the changes that were happening, it would have trickled down and the transition wouldn't have been as smooth."
 The seniors set the tone for a strong transition to Dallmeyer.
Â
"The senior class assisted the team in reflecting on the past, so they knew how they wanted to move forward towards the future," said Dallmeyer. "Without the work that was done by the seniors in the interim time without a coach, I don't think the team would have been as well prepared for the change."
Â
It's in High's nature to bring people together in times of change. Change is inevitable, whether it's from season-to-season, within a season or even within a game. High is a stabilizing force.
Â
"I'm a positive person," she said. "To keep moving forward, you have to build off your past, but not focus on the past."
Â
"Janelle's personality is ideal for a leadership position," said Dallmeyer. "She is able to always keep things in perspective and takes a very logical and thoughtful approach to all problems at hand. Whenever there is a coaching change at any point in one's career, it is met with a variety of emotions. This senior class did a great job of taking hold of the team and leading with great optimism for what the future could hold. In doing so, they made my job a lot easier as a new coach."
Â
Not only did High deal with a new coach this season, but also a new position. She was moved back to midfield for 2016, High's third different position as a Mountain Hawk.
Â
"As a freshman, I was more of a midfielder and even played a little forward. During my sophomore and junior seasons, I played left back," said High. "Moving to midfield was something I needed to adapt to, be open to and accept."
Â
High has started every game since the start of her sophomore season. No matter her position, her influence on the field is always felt.
Â
"Janelle has speed, endurance and great vision on the field," said Dallmeyer. "She has the ability to carry out of traffic situations and come up with big defensive plays. Perhaps one of her biggest strengths is her leadership ability on the field, which is why a center midfield spot is very fitting for her. I felt with her endurance and competitive drive on the field, she could be a critical piece of our lineup and I wanted to push her out of her comfort zone and into that role."
Â
Adaptability has been prevalent throughout High's life. This past summer, she was forced to adapt when she interned with Carlisle Interconnect Technologies in St. Augustine, Florida.
Â
"The company works primarily in the aerospace industry, making wire and cable," said High. "They also handle other components that go into planes, and they have industries outside of planes as well."
Â
The Supply Chain Management major worked the corporate side of supply chain.
Â
"I got to meet directly with suppliers and sit in on meetings," said High. "I also worked on a project that incorporated all the different plants. Being so young, I was talking to people who are much more experienced than me, and they were taking me seriously."
Â
The internship led to High securing a full-time position as part of the Supply Chain Leadership Development program.
Â
"For the first two years, I'll go to four different locations," said High. "They have a bunch of different plants in the United States, and also overseas. I'll be at each location for six months each. In each rotation, I'll be doing something a little different, all within the supply chain field."
Â
The beauty of the rotational position is the opportunity to learn what area fits best for High.
Â
"After my two years is finished, I can decide what I like best," she said. "By learning all the different roles, it also helps with whatever role I'm going to choose so I can better understand supply chain."
Â
At the moment, High isn't sure exactly where she'll be located, but some (of many) possible locations include St. Augustine, Seattle, Phoenix, Milwaukee and Los Angeles.
Â
"I only live an hour away from Lehigh," said High. "This summer, I got to experience something new and was surrounded by new people in Florida. It'll be nice to experience new things over the next two years, and see what kind of lifestyle I really fit into."
Â
High's internship experience allowed her to mature. She is looking to continue developing every day, on and off the field.
Â
"It was the first time I had been that far away from my parents for an extended period," said High. "I didn't know anyone, so I had to make friends. I had to branch out and be more outgoing than normal."
 High developed skills that have translated onto the field this fall. Those skills have not only benefited her, but have also helped move the entire Lehigh field hockey team in the right direction.
Â
"I developed an ability to confront people and have difficult conversations," she said. "During my internship, I forced myself to speak up in meetings and talk to higher-ups who I was a little nervous around. At Lehigh, that translates to having difficult conversations with teammates."
Â
High has developed as a leader over her Lehigh career, taking part in Leadership Legacies, Emerging Leaders and Pride as part of the Leadership Academy. She has taken everything Lehigh Athletics provides in stride, and has made the most of her opportunities.
Â
"I have friends who play Division I field hockey and they don't have the same resources that we have here," said High. "The leadership programs are very intense and they're always pushing you out of your comfort zone to keep improving and never be complacent. You can always improve your leadership skills."
Â
Those leadership skills help set Lehigh student-athletes apart as they enter the workforce.
Â
"Leadership is huge, not just for athletics, but also in life," said High. "You can help other people around you and ultimately, help a company's bottom line. It can translate into company culture as well."
Â
High's impact on Lehigh field hockey's culture has been immense. Patience is a virtue, but it can be difficult for a senior in the last chapter of her collegiate career.
Â
"Coach stresses patience to us every day," said High. "We're not going to one day come in here and everything is going to be fixed. Right now, our record isn't where we want it to be, but there are a lot of improvements that go unnoticed."
Â
"As of now this is one of the most successful seasons in wins and losses that this senior class has experienced, and I attribute a lot to the leadership they have provided in transition," said Dallmeyer. "Janelle was voted by her peers onto the Leadership Council where she has grown to be one of the most respected leaders on our team. She does not hesitate to hold her teammates accountable for their actions and comments on and off the field. These qualities have been tremendous in helping the coaches build a winning culture."
Â
High understands she's part of something bigger than herself, and as a supply chain management major, she understands that each component of the "supply chain" doesn't lead to instant results, but is equally important for long-term success.
Â
"It's tough to live through the change and work through the grind that comes with implementing new philosophies, but know that you won't be here to reap the long-term benefits," said Dallmeyer. "This class has been selfless in making sure that the transition has been smooth for the entire team, and this class has worked to assist the coaches as we navigate common practices from the past versus what we want in the future."
Â
"It's going to be really exciting for me as an alumnus, looking back and seeing how much Lehigh field hockey has changed," said High. "I'll be proud that I was part of the initial process."
Â
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