By Angelica Melara
SUNY Plattsburgh athletes are getting back into their old routines as sports teams start back up with practices. One of the teams that started having in-person practices this week was the women’s lacrosse team.
“I’m really excited to get back in the swing of things,” senior midfielder Frankie Porcaro said.
Porcaro began her lacrosse career in eighth grade with her twin sister Chloe. Frankie said her original interest in lacrosse was sparked by her twins’ best friend.
“The game just looked so fun, and we started to practice in our backyard,” Frankie said. “Try-outs were held for the club team, and once we joined, we also got involved with the middle school team which then led into high school.”
When Frankie and her sister originally wanted to start playing lacrosse, the fact they had each other motivated them to join.
“We started late, but we knew we had each other, so that was something that motivated the both of us to start playing,” Chloe said.
Chloe would later become her biggest competitor. The two would play against each other at the field to practice, and wanted to be better than each other, which helped make them better players.
“We’ve always been competitive towards one another, so going throughout our lacrosse careers, we motivated each other to become better,” Chloe said. “Our competitive nature within each other was our biggest motivator.”
Frankie is a business administration and marketing major. One of her academic motivators is Wanda Haby, professor of supply chain management and international business.
“I got an internship through her, and she also asked me to join a club I’m currently in,” Frankie said.
Frankie is a part of SPE Voices, and the American Marketing Association, which are two clubs she joined because of Haby.
“She definitely expanded my knowledge of other clubs and activities that will help me in the future,” Frankie said.
Lacrosse practice started Sept. 29. Each team is required to follow COVID-19 rules and guidelines, each practice is split into two groups.
According to Frankie, the lacrosse team had been provided with a workout packet to stay busy over the summer. However, she would mainly go on runs to maintain her endurance because lacrosse requires a lot of running.
When it comes to her teammates, Frankie mentioned going on the ferry to away games is something cool and memorable they all share together. Her and her teammates have shared many memories like going to the Plattsburgh Bed Races, and the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee picnics.
The bed races are a part of an event that is held in downtown Plattsburgh where each team gets a bed with wheels, and someone from the team lays on the bed. While someone is on the bed, the other members of the team have to push them to the finish line while racing against another team.
“Each year, people from other teams participate in it,” Frankie said. “Racing against the other teams and hanging out with your own is always fun.”
The picnics that SAAC provides for the student athletes involve the members of the sports teams meeting at Memorial Field. Athletes play games, and at the end, have a dance competition.
“Every sport gets divided,” Frankie said. “Once everyone is divided, you get put into groups, so you get to meet someone from every different team.”
According to head women’s lacrosse coach Julia Decker, something that can be seen on and off the field is Frankie’s bubbly personality.
“She’s always really happy and smiley and is someone that just exudes joy,” Decker said.
Decker also mentioned that Frankie has been able to find her voice, and has grown as a leader since she started at Plattsburgh.
“People are naturally attracted to that,” Decker said.
A moment that stands out to Decker that shows who Frankie is as a person was during a practice when the field was icy, and Frankie slipped.
“It was so funny,” Decker said. “It probably hurt a lot, but she managed to just laugh about it, so that shows that she’s not too serious of a person, and it just made sense that she would laugh about it.”
Looking into the future, Decker hopes that just like any other athlete, Frankie continues to play lacrosse.
“She has a good head on her shoulders, and I know she’s going to be successful in whatever she does, and I just hope that she ends up doing something that she loves,” Decker said.
