My Teammates

The intensity and physical demands of being a collegiate athlete has shaped the last few years of my life.  Part of the benefits of being a member of the team are the deep friendships that are forged amidst the players.  I grew up playing ice hockey and lacrosse. Both of these sports are very aggressive and involve heavy contact during the game. Becoming an athlete naturally made me become very competitive in all aspects of my life, but it also taught me how to lose gracefully. I remember plenty of times when putting in hard work allowed the team to win but there were instances when despite our best work, we lost. Being an athlete has affected my life since I was three years old, and now in college I couldn’t be more grateful for the experiences and friendships from joining the Women’s Lacrosse Team.

This project documents the experience of being a collegiate athlete through portraiture and spontaneous moments on and off the field. These photos are presented in a diptych style to show the dynamism among my teammates. The portraits are made either outdoors with natural lighting or within the locker room. The photo “2-9-23, 8:37 AM” includes two of my teammates, Sammi and Oddo, in focus with gear necessary for practice within the background. It shows Oddo braiding Sammi’s ponytail as this is a very important moment in any sport especially played by women. Braiding hair can be used to keep the hair off of the face and out of the way during the game. New styles and designs are always made but a classic hairstyle in women’s lacrosse is a braided ponytail. This picture is then paired with one of Meghan who is napping before the game. 

This body of work was only possible because of the exceptional, unique connection that I have with my teammates. I will miss them all and forever cherish the memories that were made with all of them this year.

April 28th, 2023