The following is a spotlight profile on Lauren Malcolm, St. Bonaventure University's nominee for the prestigous NCAA Woman of the Year award. The Atlantic 10 had 15 institutional nominees for the award (READ MORE). Each weekday until July 22, the Atlantic 10 will profile one of the institutional nominees.
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SNAPSHOT
Sport: Soccer
Position: Goalkeeper
Major: Sociology
Hometown: Moon Township, Pa.
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Lauren Malcolm
PROFILE
Lauren Malcolm spent four years in goal for the St. Bonaventure Women’s Soccer Team, earning her place in the Bonnies’ record book at third in career saves (452), third in career shutouts, tied for first for career games in net, tied for third for shutouts in a season with five, tied for second for best goals against average in a season. She was named the honor NCAA Player of the Week in October of 2017. She also excelled in the classroom, earning Atlantic 10 Commissioner’s Honor Roll distinction all four years. Malcolm volunteered at the Pittsburgh Children’s Hospital, coached with the Special Olympics program, and helped lead National Girls and Women in Sports Day (NGWSD) every year. She also volunteered at the Warming House, West Hills Health and Rehab Center, and helped with K-9 training for Cattaraugus County Police.
STORIES
GOBONNIES.COM: WSOC | Bonnies Stories: Lauren Malcolm
Q&A WITH LAUREN
What hard goals have you set and/or accomplished?
In my undergrad of college, I knew that I wanted to continue my education and go to graduate school. Unfortunately, COVID-19 happened and as with many of my fellow senior classmates, my plans have changed. I decided that it would be better to take a year off and work in order to better assess what my next best course of action would be to achieve that goal.
I believe that experiences build character. In the book titled, “The Defining Decade” by Meg Jay, she gives advice about life after college to those currently in their twenties. She coined the term “character equity” that states the importance of pursuing interests in all forms and not only those interests that are for economic motivation only. In her book, she explains that life is not just about making money, but rather, she emphasizes the importance of exploring avenues for the sake of building individual interests and to become a more versatile/eclectic person. Building character equity requires continuous effort in exploration into oneself by investing each new experience into a bank of experiences. It is probably the only bank in which one cannot take withdrawals from because no one can take experiences away from you.
What are three words your teammates would use to describe you, and why?
Mentally tough- At times being a goalkeeper can be psychological warfare. There’s always pressure to perform. Mistakes could be game ending, especially in the sport of soccer where goals are hard to achieve. Therefore, letting in easy goals or goals in general could be detrimental. Each goal that is scored makes a goalkeeper question themselves, and hyper analyze how it happened and what to do to deflect any future goals going forward. As a goalie, I feel the game required more mental perseverance at times than physical performance which makes the position so uniquely challenging.
Hardworking: Although I felt I was never the fastest or had the best endurance, I always put in as much or more work in order to be successful. Goalkeepers are often criticized for not doing the physical work required of the rest of the team. I never wanted to be known as the stereotypical goalkeeper who could not pass running tests or used the excuse I do not need to run for my position. Therefore, I worked as hard as I could in order to excel at all the running tests the field players had to.
Empathetic: We all have our struggles. We all make mistakes. I believe that it is important for every individual on a team to realize what their own struggles are and to address their own mistakes when they happen. By staying aware and humble, the result is gaining the respect of those around you if there is intent to improve. As a teammate I tried to integrate a symbiotic relationship of holding people accountable for their mistakes while understanding that mistakes happen and we needed to move forward as a team. Teammates, no matter the relationship, need to support each other, and be supported as well.
What’s the best piece of advice you have ever received? The worst?
Advice for relationships:
The best piece of advice I have ever received was from my Mom. She told me, “In order to have a friend you have to be a friend”. This statement has impacted all areas of my life and encouraged me to examine all of my personal and professional relationships. I never expected anything of others that I would not do myself for them. Her advice promotes empathy for others which is important and sometimes vital to the success of a team. I have been able to apply her advice to all of my relationships which has allowed me to get to know and become friends with some amazing people.
Advice for Sports:
I had a soccer coach who would always say, “Hard work beats talent when talent doesn’t work hard.” That quote has resonated with me throughout my life. It has motivated me to work hard, especially at times when I felt like I wanted to quit. He also used to say to me specifically that “Doubt kills more dreams than failure ever will.” I was always a ‘Nervous Nellie’ and sometimes struggled to find my confidence in the net. During those times I would remember his advice and I would get this surge of determination and reassurance in myself.
What is the most courageous thing you’ve ever done?
At first, I had a difficult time answering this question. When I think of the word courageous, I think of risking your life or other heroic actions in which universal acceptance of that word would be used. Courage occurs in all forms no matter how big or small. In fact, some of the bravest moments occur in settings that are often overlooked. Many people have phobias pertaining to social anxiety that can occur in moments such as public speaking because no one wants to be an outcast, judged or rejected.
The most courageous moments are those times when people have a choice to stand up for what is right or bypass the bystander effect. That being said, there have been several people in my life that have had to face seemingly insurmountable obstacles whether they be mental, emotional or physical. Their personal struggles and conditions are not for me to specifically tell. However, their situations have taught me to step outside my comfort zone and find the courage to address uncomfortable issues head on. In my own experience, it was terrifying to confront those closest to me with problems they were attempting to hide from the rest of the world. In fact, there were many times I tried to convince myself to take the easier option and avoid the confrontation, like so many others did. However, I knew their well-being was more important than my comfort zone. I give the utmost respect to those I have known who had to endure those experiences. They allowed me to find courage when it was difficult to do so.
If You Could Know the Absolute and Total Truth to One Question, What Question Would You Ask?
The ocean takes up about 71% of earth’s space, and 95% of that we have yet to explore. Therefore, I would love to know what exists in the parts that have yet to be discovered. That kind of goes for space too.
What are the top three things on your bucket list?
- Explore at least one national park in each of the 50 states [that has one].
- Be able to change/impact strangers’ life in a positive, meaningful, inspirational (big) way.
- Hire a live-in chef for two weeks and try a dish from different cultures for each meal.
What accomplishment are you most proud of?
It is impossible to overlook a dream that was 15 years in the making. I remember falling in love with soccer when I was six years old. I felt the soccer field was home to me even with my weaknesses. I never felt I had the best foot skills and I was always tripping over the ball earning me the nickname ‘clumsy lemon’ (lemon because my initials spell LEM). My college coaches have watched me fall more times than I can count during our running tests. But it was those weaknesses that led a coach to hide me in the net. Little did he know that would be what sparked my passion of being a goalkeeper.
There were innumerable times I would stay after soccer practices with my dad perfecting my punts and goalkeeper techniques that we researched online. I was always somewhat insecure in my goalkeeping ability, but it never stopped me from wanting to play at the collegiate level. As I think back on the beginning of my soccer journey at such a young age through the recruiting process and then my college career, I feel overwhelmed to think about all the perseverance, humility, hard work and dedication required to get to this point in my life and career. Therefore, I feel it is only fair to give credit to soccer as one of my greatest accomplishments.