Every Keene State College athletic team aims to win their end of the season conference games in order to reach the final success. But what goes into winning a conference game and what does it really mean to a team and KSC?
Laura Romaniello / Art Director
Senior and women’s volleyball player Rachel Lamica said that every single member on the team has to have the desire to win in order to win a conference game. “A lot of practice and the drive to win, everyone of the court has to be ready to play and give it their all,” Lamica said.
Facing a conference game can be intimidating for any team because losing could mark the end of a team’s season, which is why it is so important for a team to lay down a solid foundation that will transition into the entirety of the season, Lamica said.
Each practice brings a new level of performance and skill to a team and is vital to a team’s success. “Training is a huge factor in a win or loss because how hard we work in practice will correlate to how well we will do the next game,” Lamica explained.
With training comes a need for consistency in players and in coaching. “Key factors a coach should teach is focus and consistency,” Lamica said.
By teaching these two factors, the team will be able to focus and continue to make plays throughout the ups and downs of a conference game, added the senior. Lamica said, “Conference games can be very long because each team is trying to fight to prove themselves, so making sure the team can focus will bring the team to a victory.”
With all behind the scenes factors set in place, winning a conference game can mean a lot to a team. “Winning a conference game is very important. The more we win, the better the situation is for playoffs. That gives us more time to prepare for the final matches,” Lamica said.
Senior and member of the women’s swim and dive team, Hope Walsh, said that an individual has to have a winning mentality when wanting to perform well in a conference game. “Especially since swimming is more of an individual sport, you have to have that desire to perform for not only yourself, but for your team. Everything connects when in the pool,” Walsh said.
The work that goes into each season and the effort each swimmer puts in will reflect on their ability to do well in conference games. “We put in a lot of work and a lot of hours in the pool. Each drill and each practices build the foundation for the team’s success and ability to perform in high-intensity situations,” added Walsh.
Apart from individual training, the coaching staff is vital in directing, leading and teaching the team skills and technique. “The coaching staff has to teach everyone how to focus and just do what they have been training to do. They have to guide younger players so that one day they can help lead the team,” Walsh said.
“Winning a conference game after all the hard work and dedication you’ve put in means a lot. It makes us feel accomplished and it makes out season results that much better,”
Walsh added.
No other KSC athletes or athletic coaches responded or commented regarding the topic.
All in all, there are a lot of key factors that go into winning a conference game, and the results of winning can have very positive impacts on the team and individual players.
Caroline Perry can be contacted at cperry@kscequinox.com
