Penn State Field Hockey's tri-captain, Carly Gannon, is heading into her fifth season with a passion for greatness. This is Gannon's first year as a team captain and she intends to lead her team to a successful season.
Starting last spring, Gannon was beginning to gain more responsibilities, eventually leading her into her role as captain. Gannon started to feel more comfortable with the newfound responsibilities and loved the idea of the opportunity.
As captain, Gannon hopes to reinforce a welcoming environment within an already close and supportive team. One of Gannon's important values is for everyone to understand their presence is appreciated, "I think it's so important that everyone is valued, whether you are playing the whole game or not at all. Everyone brings something whether it's your energy, your ability to talk to people, or your gameplay. There is importance throughout the whole team."
Gannon wants her teammates to be comfortable with her and to be someone they can relate to. The environment she strives for is one where there is a bridge between the players and captains; everyone is on the same page as one another.
Gannon recognizes that being a captain also adds pressure and can create difficult situations. She notes that there is an adjustment with the added responsibility and privilege, "Being one of the oldest and a captain, you do have to make tough decisions and have tough conversations, which is hard," but acknowledges the support of her team, "In the end, I know my teammates know it is for the benefit of the team and because we care about each other."
Hopeful and excited for this season, Gannon's goals are to capitalize on the team's strengths of being unified and supportive of each other, "The season can get long, there are ebbs and flows of good and bad games and days, and I hope that we can continue having each other's backs and staying connected. Having that camaraderie and unity, other things will just fall into place for us."
Gannon is the oldest of three siblings from Havertown, Pa. and played field hockey, basketball, and lacrosse in high school. At Penn State she is a Kinesiology major and is on the path to becoming a health and physical education teacher. Gannon loves to work out, run, and do yoga, and wants to share her passion for movement and health and wellness with her future students.
Overall, Gannon has had a fulfilling experience with the Penn State Field hockey program and showcases her pride for Penn State and the field hockey program proudly. Her positivity and ambition bring strength to her team and that influence is important. "I love it, I care for my teammates, my coaches, and my program. I'm so happy and grateful to be a captain on this team. It's filled with a bunch of great individuals."
