What drives an athlete? What makes the struggles, the pains, the frustrations and the time commitment all worth it? To senior hockey player Caeleigh Beerworth, the taste of victory is what keeps athletes motivated.
“It all comes down to the fact that I love to compete,” Beerworth said. “The feeling of competition and coming out on top is what makes any sport worth it. Any dedicated athlete would tell you that it’s the taste of success at the end of a long road that keeps them playing the game.”
Beerworth has been a dedicated hockey player for a long time. Aside from earning three college varsity letters, she has been a valuable part of the Red hockey team.
She was named co-rookie of the year in her freshman season, scoring four points in her first four games with the Red.
Beerworth also demonstrated her skills in the 2005-2006 season with six multi-point games. Learning from her hard work at both the North American Hockey Academy — for which she played four years while attending Rutland High School — and from Cornell hockey, Beerworth has definitely learned what it takes to stay in great shape.
“I run,” Beerworth said. “For me, running relates to everything, so the more I can do the better off I am. Weight training is also a big component, but I don’t think it makes as much of a difference for girls as it does for boys.”
While they might have different weight training regiments, Beerworth and the women’s ice hockey receive a lot of support from the men’s team.
“As everyone knows, Cornell hockey is huge, especially the men’s program,” Beerworth said. “Both the men’s and women’s programs get along and we all support each other. With the amount of time and energy we all put into hockey, it would be dumb to compete. Knowing that we have the men’s support is great, so we can only do the same for them. If nothing else, we can learn something from a strong program like the men’s team.”
While playing a sport can sometimes be a chore for athletes here at Cornell, Beerworth realizes how privileged she is.
“I think being an athlete is more of a privilege than anything,” Beerworth said. “So many high school athletes dream of making it to the college level, but never do. We sometimes forget that what we have at Cornell really is special.”
“The biggest disadvantage of being an athlete is the time commitment,” Beerworth said. “Between practice, games, traveling, and school work, there isn’t much time left over.”
Being a senior now, Beerworth will play an instrumental part to the Red’s success this year and beyond by mentoring the team’s underclassmen.
“If I could teach [new players] one thing, it wouldn’t be anything related to hockey skills or techniques,” Beerworth said. “That’s up to the coaches. It would be to enjoy your successes and to not dwell on your failures, because four years is a short time and in the end it’s going to be the great times that you remember the most.”
Caeleigh is an example of a successful student and athlete that knows how to balance her work, practice, and social life. College athletes struggle with time management—making their time meaningful and well-spent while also leaving some time to relax.
“Enjoy your four years at Cornell,” Beerworth said. “They go by way too fast.”