This story initially appeared on Behind the Whistle, the official blog of the IWLCA, and is being republished with permission from the organization. Clare Short head coach of Queens University of Charlotte.

[Editor’s Note: From time to time we will feature a short Q&A with an IWLCA member coach. The format will be one question about lacrosse, one question about life, and one fun question.]

1. Describe some of the intangibles you look for in a player and why they are important.

Attitude, effort, and preparation. Those are three things that you can control as a student-athlete at any level. I harp on those three to my team frequently. There are a lot of things out of your control in the game of lacrosse. A lot of coaches say, “control the controllable,” but I think sometimes student-athletes don’t know what they can control.

• Attitude: Your attitude can be changed in an instant. You control how you feel. You can determine how you’re going to act that day. If you bring a positive attitude daily, you’ll have a positive outcome.

• Effort: Effort is also controlled by you. You are the only person that knows how much more you have to give. Your coach can’t physically get more reps in for you or determine how fast you really can run.

• And lastly, Preparation, which I find is the forgotten one: Athletes think they can just show up and get the job done. Showing up is important, but honestly, it’s not enough. It’s preparing your body and mind with the right tools that will help you perform at your best.

2. What do you think is the best thing a young person can do to develop leadership skills through team sports?

One trait that isn’t talked about enough is self-reflection. The ability to evaluate yourself is crucial to your success. Reflecting on your own game and attitude can help you become a leader. Unfortunately, athletes will often take that statement as a directive to criticize themselves. They also might take it as being overly confident in your skills and therefor develop a lack of accountability. But self-reflection is having your own personal pros and cons list after every practice, game and season.

Confidence is a huge part of someone’s state of mind. You can only build that confidence if you believe it yourself. You can also build that confidence if you take ownership of your actions. If you can reflect on your own game, then you’ll be ready to lead with your voice and lead by example.

3. You are stuck in an elevator for three hours with someone famous. Who is it, and what do you talk about to pass the time?

Honestly, I’d like to have a funny, casual chat with someone. I think Jennifer Lawrence is pretty funny and intelligent. She’s around my age, and I also think I could be honest with her and tell her I need some silence after us talking for hours. Ha ha! I think she’d have some great stories, good life advice, and I’d love to learn how the “other half” lives.