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    APSU women’s soccer team, Lifeliner females build bonds

    APSU women’s soccer team, Lifeliner  females build bonds

    Photo By Sgt. 1st Class Neysa Canfield | Second Lt. Natalie Pyle, platoon leader for the Ground Support Equipment section in...... read more read more

    CLARKSVILLE, TN, UNITED STATES

    08.26.2016

    Story by Sgt. Neysa Canfield 

    101st Division Sustainment Brigade Public Affairs

    CLARKSVILLE, Tn. – With boots laced and uniforms on, female officers from the 101st Airborne Division Sustainment Brigade “Lifeliners,” 101st Abn. Div. (Air Assault) were ready to head out to the field.

    This field, however, had markers, goal posts and seats for spectators.
    Eight officers from the “Lifeliner” Brigade visited the Austin Peay State University women’s soccer team for Women’s Equality Day Aug. 26, at Fortera Stadium, here.

    First Lt. Francine Lane, executive officer for 218th Military Police Company, 716th Military Police Battalion, 101st Abn. Div. Sust. Bde., volunteered to speak to the student athletes.

    “I wanted to be able to share some of my personal success stories and challenges with these girls,” said Lane, a Rancho Cucamonga, California native. “I was a college athlete just like they are now, so I know how hard it can be to balance the different things going on in their lives.”

    Lane, a former United States Military Academy volleyball player, shared with the APSU athletes what she said was one of biggest leadership lessons she learned during her time in college.

    “With any relationship, including teams, there are always issues that arise, and you have the choice to either face and resolve them or ignore them and let them fester,” said Lane.

    As a freshman at West Point, Lane said she witnessed how addressing and resolving issues early on can keep the team’s mindset focused on what is important and keep their relationship strong. She added she was able to carry out that lesson through her four years in college and even through her military career as a platoon leader and now an executive officer.

    After each of the officers shared personal stories and team-building techniques with the team, players and officers broke down into small groups to answer any additional questions the players had.

    Among the players was Natalie Smith, a native of Soddy-Daisy, Tennessee.

    Smith, who plays center back for the APSU women’s soccer team, said she didn’t grow up around a military community, so having the opportunity to listen and talk to the female officers allowed her to learn a lot about both the military and females in the military.

    “My perception of military females has changed,” Smith explained. “They aren’t just these hard core fighters; they are just regular people.”

    Smith added that it was great to hear the personal stories that each officer shared about their experience in teams, school, and even in the military, but the one thing that she really took away from the visit was not taking things for granted.

    “Being a senior, the end [of college] is just around the corner, so hearing that some of these former athletes are still getting to play every once in a while, and [still] getting to see old friends and teammates [they once played with] was nice to know,” said Smith.

    As the visit came to an end, Kelley Guth, head coach for the APSU women’s soccer team, gathered her players to the corner of the club level room, in front of the wall with a big red “AP,” to take a group photo with the female leaders.

    “It’s always great having special guest coming to speak to the athletes,” said Guth. “This was a great opportunity to have women in leadership roles come talk to the players and be an example to our girls who are young college students still trying to find their way, and I hope we can continue this relationship with the military community.”

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    NEWS INFO

    Date Taken: 08.26.2016
    Date Posted: 08.28.2016 16:40
    Story ID: 208390
    Location: CLARKSVILLE, TN, US
    Hometown: FORT CAMPBELL, KY, US
    Hometown: RANCHO CUCAMONGA, CA, US
    Hometown: SODDY-DAISY, TN, US

    Web Views: 155
    Downloads: 0

    PUBLIC DOMAIN