A three-year member of Andover Girls Lacrosse, Co-Captain Claire Kister ’16 enters her Senior year on the team looking to lead Andover to the success it achieved late in last year’s season.
Kister’s tremendous work ethic inspires her teammates to give their best effort every time their feet touch the field.
Nikki Dlesk ’17 said, “Claire is above all motivational. There is no one on the team that gets us more fired up than Claire. Her hard work ethic has the power to make us want to be better. Offensively, she has the drive to win every draw and ground ball. Defensively, she is a huge presence as she tries to stop every shot and intercept every pass.”
In an email to The Phillipian, Head Coach Kate Dolan wrote, “Claire leads with her effort and tenacity. In practices and games, she competes and plays with 100 percent intensity and that sets a great example for her teammates. She works very hard, she is determined, resilient and expects a lot of herself; she has high standards for her performance on the field, in the classroom, wherever she is.”
“Claire’s a great Co-Captain because she knows how to make the rest of the team work and really leads by example. On the field, Claire works her hardest and shows how we should all play the game. And off the field she brings everyone together with her energy and smiles,” said Jordy Fenton ’17.
Throughout the season, Kister has made herself readily available to each member of the team to give them guidance and assist her teammates on and off the field.
Fenton said, “Claire makes sure that everyone is a part of the team by reaching out and checking in with the girls. She is always there to answer questions on the field and makes sure that everyone understands.”
“Claire has grown into the role of being the one who now has to look out for her younger teammates,” said Dolan. “She has to be the one who is checking in on teammates, and she has to be a positive, consistent communicator with her teammates and coaches. Being captain is an honor, but it also requires a great deal of time, energy, and effort and on and off the field, and I think Claire has learned the necessity of being available, being sensitive and aware of how all her teammates are doing.”
Especially with a newer and younger team, Kister has made it one of her priorities to ensure that every member feels included in the team dynamic.
Kister said, “The team this season is very young, and it has been great getting to know underclassmen. I really enjoy playing with younger players.”
“We break up into a buddy system. Older players are paired up with the younger players. We will drill and warm up with our buddies. This creates a very inclusive atmosphere on the team,” continued Kister.
Apart from being a great role model for the entire team, Kister also knows when it is appropriate to lighten the mood and have some fun.
Fellow Co-Captain Kelly McCarthy ’16 said, “One of my favorite qualities about Claire as a Co-Captain is that she finds the balance between being serious and being silly. She knows when to inspire and motivate her teammates and when to make us laugh.”
“Claire and Kelly have been partnering their leadership skills and qualities since before the season began. I think they have good and open communication between them, which allows them to share and divide tasks and also enables them to be direct and honest with one another about how the team is doing, what the team needs and what they need as well. Trust and communication are the cornerstones for making any relationship work and I think Claire and Kelly have that which in turn allows them to function extremely well as co-captains,” wrote Dolan.
“Claire and I draw energy from each other. If I am having an off day, she is always there to pick me up, and I try to do the same for her. Together we are super enthusiastic, a quality that I attribute to our close friendship,” saud McCarthy.
Kister is optimistic for the rest of the year and hopes to finish on a high note in her final season with Andover Girls Lacrosse.
