Behind the Whistle: Lessons from a Legend

This story initially appeared on Behind the Whistle, the official blog of the IWLCA, and is being republished with permission from the organization. Charlotte Cunningham is an assistant coach at Gettysburg College.

In November, Carol Cantele was honored and inducted into the IWLCA Hall of Fame. In finding a way to celebrate Carol, I asked past players, assistant coaches, friends, family and coworkers to share their gratitude and congratulations for Coach.

The “Thank You Board” was flooded with stories of the impact Carol has had on so many and the love they have for their coach, mentor, coworker and friend.

With the recent announcement of Carol’s retirement after 30 years of dedication to Gettysburg College, and even more to the game of lacrosse, I thought it fitting to share with the lacrosse community the words I shared with her. A tribute to the impact she’s had on me in just four years of getting to work alongside her.

I’ve quickly learned that Carol’s excellence goes beyond the game of lacrosse. So, while it’s hard to sum up, below are five lessons that Carol has taught me about being a coach, a leader and most importantly, a person.

NEVER STOP LEARNING

Stepping into a role working with a coach who had led her team to three national championships and countless conference titles, I thought I’d have little to offer, that I’d be learning and adapting to a system that was established from years of working at the craft. What I soon came to learn was that Carol wanted to learn as much from me as I from her. She is a continual student of the game and challenges her staff and players to never stop reflecting, adjusting and learning new ways of doing things. She teaches me something new every day that we work together but is also continually challenging herself to learn and grow as a coach and as a person. This commitment to learning has paid off in her immense success year after year in a rapidly changing sport.

THERE IS ALWAYS TIME FOR PEOPLE

As a leader, Carol invests wholeheartedly in the development of the people around her. Whether it is a phone call with an alumnus or stopping in the hall to chat with players from another team about their game, Carol always makes time for her PEOPLE. As coaches, we too often get so buried in answering emails, organizing schedules or breaking down film that we lose sight of the power of interactions. Carol has taught me to always prioritize investing in relationships over everything, and the minute you take to chat with a colleague or check in on a player is never time wasted. These relationships and interactions always pay off in the long run and is what people remember about Carol — she cares, pauses to listen and makes time for people.

EMBRACE FAILING FORWARD

We often urge our players to take risks, get out of their comfort zone and not be afraid of failing. As we advocate, failure is necessary in the growth process. But as coaches, we seem to struggle with this same sentiment and many times seek to present ourselves as perfect and put together to our players and colleagues. Carol has quickly taught me to embrace failing forward myself: taking risks and trying new things is the only way to push the boundaries and continue to improve. Allowing our players to see us fail also shows them that we are human. In embracing failure ourselves, we give them permission to do the same. Carol has emulated how being a leader isn’t about presenting a strong front, but rather modeling how to overcome failure and challenges.

SURROUND YOURSELF WITH GREAT PEOPLE

Carol has always highlighted the significance of the support of the people around her in contributing to her path to success. She takes time to invest in those people to create environments that invite collaboration. One example of this is Barb Jordan, associate lacrosse coach and head field hockey coach at Gettysburg and a USA Lacrosse Hall of Famer who has been working in tandem with Carol for 20 years and is another role model and legend who has taught me so much in my time at Gettysburg. Carol always tries to recognize and show gratitude towards the athletic training staff, the equipment managers, the dining staff, the support staff, the college leadership and to all the moving pieces that make a successful program. She has surrounded herself with driven, passionate, caring individuals in her colleagues and in her friends.

NEVER STOP DANCING

Two of the four years I’ve worked with Carol have been through a pandemic and have easily been the toughest years I’ve experienced as a coach. Through all of it, Carol has continued to celebrate the little things, to relish in the time we get to spend together as coaches and as a team and to keep FUN a main priority of our lives. Carol has taught me that life is short and moments are fleeting — remember to enjoy the ride and DANCE! To Bruce Springsteen, specifically.

I didn’t share any secret plays or coaching tactics, as Carol’s success goes well beyond wins and losses, goals or caused turnovers. She has taught me that the true role of a coach is to be a leader, a role model, and to help shape strong young women for the future — to listen to them and value them.