Get to Know Your Raiders: Liz French

 

In two years of collegiate lacrosse for Shippensburg, Liz French has more than proven that she belongs on the field, earning All-PSAC First Team honors in each of her first two seasons.

A Sykesville, Md., native, French has started in all but one game as a freshman and sophomore and has totaled 73 groundball pickups and 67 draw controls as a shutdown defender. She has 29 career caused turnovers and has made an impact on offense as well, totaling eight goals and five assists.

A junior accounting major, French and her teammates open up the 2013 season at home on Tuesday afternoon with a 4 p.m. matchup against Holy Family from Robb Sports Complex.

Get to know Liz French…

What is your favorite pre-game ritual?

My favorite pre-game ritual is when we listen to music in the locker room to get us pumped up for the game. Right before we leave the locker room, we get in a circle and do affirmations before we go onto the field.

What part of Shippensburg, either the campus or the town, do you most enjoy?

The part of Shippensburg that I most enjoy is Robb Sports Complex. I spend a lot of time there with my teammates and I have lots of great memories playing on that field. I also enjoy watching soccer and field hockey there, too.

What is the best class you've taken at Shippensburg?

The best class I have ever taken at Shippensburg is Spanish. It is so much fun to learn a new language. You not only learn the language, but you learn a lot about the cultural background of the people in the different Spanish-speaking countries. It was a class that was challenging, but worth the time getting to know and understand another culture and language.

If you weren't majoring in accounting, what would your major be?

I most likely would be a finance major or supply chain major. I really enjoy taking business classes and studying about the business culture of our world.

What is your favorite day of the week, and why?

Sundays, because it is the day we do not have practice, so I can rest and catch up on my schoolwork. I can just hang out and not have to be anywhere at a specific time.

Which are your favorite PSAC schools to compete against, and why?

My favorite PSAC school to compete against is Bloomsburg. We match up very closely and are very similar teams. It always is a very close, competitive game when we play each other. Also, I like competing against West Chester and Lock Haven. They are always very competitive, challenging, fast-paced games.

If we asked your teammates to say a few words about you, what do you think they would say?

They would probably say that I am very hardworking, determined and confident. I always give my all on the field and in the classroom.

Which individual athletic accomplishment are you most proud of?

The individual athletic accomplishment I am most proud of is making All-PSAC First Team my freshman and sophomore years.  It is a great honor for all my hard work.

What's the most difficult part of being a student-athlete?

Time management. You have to learn how to balance your time between practices, classes and homework. It is important to find a balance and to plan ahead to make sure you get all your schoolwork done and can practice hard each and every day.

What’s the most important thing you’ve learned being a student-athlete?

You have to plan out your time and get ahead in all of your classwork. When traveling with the team, getting your work accomplished and turned in ahead of time allows you to focus on the game and not to worry about the classes and work you left behind.

What piece of advice stays with you at all times?

One of my lacrosse coaches when I was younger told us that you always need to give 110 percent and hit the books. I always keep that in my head when doing challenging workouts. Knowing you gave 110 percent every time will allow one never to have regrets. Also, I know even after going hard at practice or in a game that I have to still focus on my academics no matter what because that is where my future is.

If you could talk to children who are just beginning to show an interest in lacrosse, what would you tell them they should focus on?

I would tell them to have fun with the sport and gain a passion for the game. Focus on the little things like catching and throwing, ground balls and shooting. Once you have the basic skills down, the knowledge of the game will come. The more time you put into practicing or just playing wall ball, the more you will improve and become the best player you can be.

What legacy do you hope to leave behind for future athletes at Shippensburg?

The legacy I hope to leave behind for future athletes at Shippensburg is that you need to work hard to get where you want to go. I am a leader both on the field and in the classroom. I hope that others see that and they can use it to help them succeed both on the field and in the classroom.  Also, they should see that even though you play a sport you can still be involved in clubs and other campus activities too, which helps one become a well-rounded athlete.