Teamwork is the Secret of Success!

Kippy Liddle Day speakers Margaret Klein '10 and Emilie Klein '13 urged Brooks students to apply athletics lessons to life and be a true teammate during their joint speech in Chapel on April 15.

“My experience at Brooks completely changed and redefined what being a part of a team and what having a team-first mentality really meant,” said Emilie (above on right), a soccer and lacrosse academic All-American at Brooks who went on to captain both of those teams at Colby College, where she was honored as an ALL-NESCAC First Team members and Defensive Player of the Year. “It also solidified just how much more fun things are when you’re in it for more than just yourself.”

As is tradition at Brooks, each spring the school holds a Chapel honoring Katherine “Kippy” Liddle, a faculty member who died during a pre-season practice in 1984 with the Brooks crew team. In remembrance of Liddle, Brooksians honor the outstanding achievements, accomplishments and character of female athletes.

The sisters took time to speak with current students on the lacrosse and soccer teams at Brooks post-Chapel. 

As Margaret and Emilie shared their stories of athletic success at Brooks and beyond, they encouraged current students to put their teammates, coaches and the programs ahead of themselves, much like Liddle did.

Dedicating herself to athletics was important to Margaret (shown above), also a soccer and lacrosse Academic All-American at Brooks, whose athletic achievement at Washington & Lee University includes being named 2014 Old Dominion Athletic Conference Player of the Year. (She finished her career ranked fourth all-time at Washington and Lee for career goals and eighth for career points, and was also named to the ODAC All-Tournament Team, First Team All-ODAC and First Team All-Chesapeake Region).

Yet when she looks back at her time on teams, Margaret told the students gathered in Chapel that “the moments and bonding outside of practice and the sport itself are some of my favorites . . .  the bus rides and sing-alongs, the team breakfasts and dinners, coordinating outfits on game days, and proudly wearing our uniformed skirts through campus.”

Being able to come together in fun and work “toward a common goal with people from all walks of life, all different backgrounds, and all different skill sets is a lifelong skill and practice that goes far beyond our time on the field,” she added.

See more photos from Kippy Liddle Day on brooksschoolphotos.com.

During their visit on campus the Kleins caught up with former classmates, teachers and coaches, too.

“If you take anything away from today, we hope you can do this: Prioritizing the team is about selflessness and humility,” Emilie concluded. “It's about celebrating the success of the team and others as much as your own and being willing to make sacrifices for the betterment of the team.”

“This holds true for situations beyond the athletic field, from the classroom to clubs and in life after school,” she said. “Find ways to empower the other students and teammates around you. The mutual respect you will build and the relationships you will make through teams of all kinds at Brooks are what will matter most.”

Watch the pair’s speech: