Krissy Turner: “I feel strongly our players are adapting well and navigating these choppy waters as best they can.” (Photo courtesy of the Monmouth SID)

Monmouth University women’s head coach Krissy Turner has written a letter to the Hawks soccer family and the school’s athletic department shared it with the rest of the soccer community.

Dear Monmouth Hawks Family,

Our program takes a lot of pride in academic excellence and these last few semesters we have raised the bar to incredible heights with our team grade-point average. Our expectation for the spring semester was to raise the bar one more time! However, we must revisit our priorities due to the current crisis the world is facing. We are now more focused on ensuring our student-athletes are healthy, mentally, emotionally and physically as well as being in a good place for staying safe and learning remotely.

On the first day back from spring break we met as a team through the use of video conferencing. While it was clearly different, it is our new normal. The sooner we embrace change, the quicker we can adapt. One of our core values is discipline. I reminded the team that those who stay most disciplined in their lives during this challenging time will be more likely to achieve success now and in the future. This discipline applies to following social distancing, our academics and to the athlete. All student-athletes across the country are in the same boat and we want our boat to rise one day at a time.

Online learning is different. The onus is placed more heavily on the student. It appears each academic discipline at the University has a unique plan for attacking this new normal of teaching. This will require our athletes to communicate more now than they have before with their professors and fellow classmates to achieve success.

I feel strongly our players are adapting well and navigating these choppy waters as best they can. We are checking in on each one individually at least once as well as having two team conversations per week. Also, we have encouraged them to follow a weekly workout plan designed with collaboration of our amazing coaching and support staff. Through the efforts of associate head coach, Kylee Flynn and assistant strength and conditioning coach, Bri Rubino, a workout plan was devised that encompasses a multitude of ideas aimed at helping our student-athletes grow.

Our team quote for the core value of discipline is “Discipline is being able to force yourself to do something in spite of how you feel, over and over, until it becomes a habit.” We all are in this together – our team, our families, our alumni, our supporters and our fans. We need to rely on each other as one big Monmouth Family to inspire and motivate to keep us on track during these uncertain times. The one thing I am certain of is that if we remain disciplined we can persevere! We look forward to updating you on our how the team is progressing but I can promise we are sticking to our core value of discipline in all aspects of our lives. Best wishes to you and your families.

Fly Hawks,

Dr. Krissy Turner, Monmouth women’s soccer, head coach

Front Row Soccer editor Michael Lewis has covered 13 World Cups (eight men, five women), seven Olympics and 25 MLS Cups. He has written about New York City FC, New York Cosmos, the New York Red Bulls and both U.S. national teams for Newsday and has penned a soccer history column for the Guardian.com. Lewis, who has been honored by the Press Club of Long Island and National Soccer Coaches Association of America, is the former editor of BigAppleSoccer.com. He has written seven books about the beautiful game and has published ALIVE AND KICKING The incredible but true story of the Rochester Lancers. It is available at Amazon.com.