West Point, to thee
Taylor Korpela, Women's Lacrosse
To my teammates,
As I am writing this we would have been in the midst of league play, working to extend our undefeated record for as long as we could, breaking more records and making more history for the Army women’s lacrosse program.
Now, I am at home using various virtual platforms to see you all as much as possible. I have yet to process that lacrosse is over for me and that I will not have another opportunity to wear an Army jersey.
It has been an unbelievable experience making history with you.
It has been an unbelievable experience making history with you. There were so many milestones we have made together, including our first Patriot League win, earning our first berth to the Patriot League Tournament, having teammates receive conference and national recognition; the list goes on. I could keep going on about how great our team is based on our record and the accolades we received, but that does not account for how much we have grown as a team outside of these statistics.
We have become a family. You have become my best friends. We have gone through a lot together. We have experienced hardships and adversity, and we have grown so much from everything. That is why this letter has been so difficult to write to you now that lacrosse is over.
I am not going to be able to see my best friends every day. I am not going to be able to have dance parties in the locker room before games. I will not be able to sit on the bus with Lexi West as we laugh until we cry on our way to games. However, I will cherish the times we had for the rest of my life.
I am beyond grateful for the opportunity to play with each one of you. You have made me a better lacrosse player, a better teammate, a better friend and a better person. I wish I could have just one more season with this team that we have right now, but I know I would keep wishing for more seasons after that.
I am thankful for everything lacrosse has given me and all the lessons I have learned both on and off the field. I will always keep with me all the good times I have had playing this sport, especially my last four years wearing an Army lacrosse jersey.
To my senior teammates, the countdown has begun until we are dispersed not only all over the country, but all over the world. I am not ready to say goodbye. I do not want the day to come where we must part from each other and leave everything this place has given us. If you know me, you know this is pretty crazy for me to say because I struggled in the beginning and it was you ten girls who got me through the hard times. You have become my sisters, and I will be forever grateful for what I have learned from each of you.
To Rilee: Thank you for being the most positive and caring person I have ever met. You have shown me how to “find your yellow” and I will keep this valuable lesson with me wherever I go as I try to find my yellow.
Maddie Burns: You can make any person’s day with your wittiness and incredible humor. You are a great friend to all, and I will miss your dancing with your chest protector the most.
Juliana: You have been there with me through it all since the first day we stepped foot on campus. You are a unique individual to say the least, and I am beyond grateful to have a best friend like you, 34.
Maddie Miller - Mills!: Who is going to yell “Teeeeeks” to me now? I am going to miss your constant energy. It is very contagious. Never change, Milly.
Taylor Andrews: You are one of the most competitive and hardworking people I have ever met. I will miss all the fun times with you, Tay A.
Isa: You have taught me to always go with the flow and roll with the punches while staying cool, calm, and collected. I will always miss hyping you up when you make crazy defensive plays as the nugget queen.
Sami: I am so thankful for how close we’ve become over the course of the past year. Thanks for always appreciating SpongeBob with me and being the worst influence when it comes to McDonald’s and anything unhealthy.
Madeline Leahy: You are a “low key savage.” You are one of the smartest people I have ever met, but you are also one of the biggest savages I know. You are going to do great things wherever you go and whatever you do. Thank you for always keeping me humble, but also for being a great friend.
Ryan: I will miss our countless fun times and memories. I have always admired your hard work and dedication to everything you do. Hopefully we can play attack in the alumni games so we can finally get the chance to score in a game.
Emma: Wow, how much we have grown since club lacrosse. I am so happy I was able to convince you to go to West Point with me, but most people would probably think it was the other way around because of how well you have thrived here. Thank you for being my best friend since we were little high schoolers, even though I was friends with your twin first. Swole team forever.
To the coaches: Thank you for all you have done for me and for the team. You guys have pushed me to be better and I cannot thank you enough for that. Thank you for never giving up on me. You three are our friends, mentors and role models. You take the time to get to know us outside of lacrosse and try to understand the lives we live when we aren’t at practice. We all appreciate everything you do to make us better lacrosse players and even better people.
To the underclassmen: I hope you can use all the lessons I have learned to make sure you are making the best of your experience on this team and at this school. Last summer I tried to write down all my advice for you after everything that I have learned and experienced. I hope this can help with your last little bit of time you have left at Army.
Do not have any regrets, especially not the ones that involve working hard and giving it your all. As I reflect on my time on the team, I keep wondering what if I worked harder outside of practice and in the summers then maybe I could have had a bigger impact on the team. Do not have these kinds of regrets. Leave each practice knowing you gave it your all. If you think you didn’t, work harder. Work on bettering yourself for you and for the team. You will not regret that. Your hard work will pay off, I promise.
Be you. This is very simple but throughout all the hardships you may face, just remember who you are and why you are on this team. You have worked so hard to get to where you are by being yourself, do not forget this.
You will never be on a team like this again. Treat your teammates like they are your family and bond with them every moment you can. This is a sisterhood unlike any other. Soon, you will be like me, realizing that all my sisters will be all over the world. Take advantage of every moment to be with your teammates and get to know as many of them as you can. Keep making traditions for years and years to come.
Never forget who you play for. Wearing an Army jersey represents playing for something bigger than ourselves. Always count your blessings and do not take this opportunity for granted. Play for each other, for those who have come before you, and those who will join the legacy in the future of the program.
Be your teammate’s biggest cheerleader. Hype everyone up. Be loud. Every person has a special role on the team and every player should feel valued for their hard work and dedication to the team.
Call home. Don’t forget to tell your family you appreciate them and what they have done to get you to where you are.
Have fun every chance you get. I am thankful my last practice was doing something I find very fun, dodgeball. Have fun with your teammates as much as you can. Alone time can be nice and very refreshing, especially for introverts who need to recharge the social battery, but make sure you aren’t taking life too seriously and find ways to have fun, however that may be.
Be kinder and love harder. No matter what is getting you down, whether that is a tough week academically or some personal issues you are dealing with, make sure to always be kind to those around you, not just your teammates. Make sure you are showing your love to your teammates whenever you can. You do not know what your teammates may be going through outside of practice, so that love and kindness could go a long way.
Finally, be where you are now. Do not fall into the trap of counting down the days until you graduate. Compete each practice and play every game like they are your last because it may just well be your last. Take every opportunity you can to do things that make you happy and spend time with those you love. Someday you will not have the luxury of spending hours a day with your best friends playing the sport you love.
Face everything and rise.
-TK #35
To read all of the letters in the West Point, to thee series, please click this link.