West Point, To Thee
March 12 was a day that left every senior spring athlete with a pit in their heart.
We would never get to finish our final year as athletes.
When I reminisce on my career at West Point, and even further back into my youth playing lacrosse, I realize every value I hold dear to my heart I learned through this sport.
My dad was my coach for most of my life, and he always told me, “Ryan, you have to be the hardest working kid on the field so nobody can say you’re just playing because I’m your dad”.
I did just that. I outran everyone on the field, trained with a coach outside of practice hours and worked out whenever I had the free time. My dad taught me that work ethic is irrevocable. As an athlete, if you’re working hard, you will be rewarded.
My freshman year at West Point was anything but a breeze. First semester came and went, but second semester felt as if it dragged on forever. I was a starting defender, but within five games, I found myself on the bench.
Initially, this hurt. Quickly, I learned what it meant to be a good teammate. I learned that there are so many aspects of being an athlete, and one of those is being a good motivator. I cheered on my teammates from the sidelines and picked them up when they felt down after a game.
At the same time, I encountered pressure on the home front. I had to learn how to deal with all those stressors. I found the importance of staying focused on what mattered most in the moment.
It was a lesson that would carry me the rest of my four years.
This experience taught me another core value, resiliency. I left freshman year hungrier than ever to earn a starting role as a sophomore. I would not let my downfalls of the previous season affect my mindset when I came back after the summer.
I would be coachable throughout the fall and put in the extra work to ensure I was ready for the spring. When that time came around, I found myself back on the field. That year proved to me how important it is to be resilient and determined.
Junior year was met with difficulties. I went through the roller coaster of playing time again. But this time I kept my head high and I worked hard. I stayed mentally ready for whenever I would have my number called.
That season taught me the importance of confidence. If you can’t believe in yourself, then nobody else will either. So, when I was given another shot on the field during the Army-Navy game, I played with fearless confidence.
In those times of struggle, I learned more about myself than ever before. That season I also had incredible teammates who pushed me, believed in me and coached me. We were ready to take on the 2020 season as a family. I left my junior season determined to go through my senior year with minimal disturbances.
Then it was my Senior year. I had never felt so passionate about lacrosse in my life. Even as I write this, I feel my heart rate pick up and my adrenaline rise. My class of 10 other seniors and I were ready to make this team unforgettable. We would instill the values of family, hard work, and connection.
My class had seen the program at every stage, and we knew that this was the year we would make history. We were looking forward to taking on Navy this year, a rivalry game that every cadet-athlete who has the privilege to play at Army has circled on their calendars. We knew we would break records throughout the entire season. We had never felt more connected.
After the road win at East Carolina, our team held a 7-0 record, tying our program’s best winning streak. With Holy Cross due up the following Sunday, we had never felt so hungry for a win.
Then came the news.
The Patriot League cancelled all competitions and tournament play effective Monday, March 16th.
This allowed us one more game to make history and break our own record.
A few more hours passed by before the NCAA came out with their statement that said all spring tournaments were cancelled.
Just like that, our senior season was over.
As my teammates know, I rarely cry, and especially not in public. But when that news came, an immediate sadness came over me. My heart broke into so many pieces. I cried not only because I would never play again, but because the memories I was ready to make and the records we were ready to break could never happen.
My heart felt like it broke into pieces because our time together ended all too abruptly.
This team was part of me for the last four years, but it was my world and my passion even more so my senior year. My class had poured so much energy and emotion into the 2020 season; just like that, it was gone.
I have never learned more about myself, life and humanity than I did being a part of the Army women’s lacrosse team.
I have never learned more about myself, life, and humanity than I did being a part of the Army women’s lacrosse team. Being on a roster of 45 strong, brave, and athletic women is something I will forever hold dear in my heart.
Walking into that locker room everyday put a smile on my face. I am forever thankful to my coach, Kristen Skiera, for giving me the opportunity to play for such a team and for allowing me to be a part of a program that gave me so many important life lessons and values.
My heart is heavy knowing we could not finish what we were so determined to start, but I know that the team is more driven than ever to take on the next season with an unwavering effort.
While I am able to look back at every year and pick out a value it instilled in me, I am still unsure of the meaning behind this past season. I am a strong believer that everything happens for a reason, and so, there is a silver lining.
As I end this letter as my final closure to the sport, I urge every athlete to never take a day for granted. Don’t ever wish away a sprint or a minute of practice. Being where I am now, I would give anything to be back on the goal line with my team. I have never felt more connected to people than in those moments.
To my teammates, thank you for everything you have taught me about myself and being part of a team. You have no idea the impact you’ve made on me. There is so much strength when women work together, and our team proves that.
So, I end it all by saying -- Go Army. Beat Navy!
With Love,
Ryan Murphy
#Team5 #FEAR
To read all of the letters in the West Point, to thee series, please click this link.