Recipient Testimonials
“I just wanted to take the time to thank you for the honor I have received and how grateful I am to be one of the recipients among such a great group of women lacrosse players that have been given the honor in the past. It is still very surreal that I received such an honor and every day I have to look at the trophy to make sure it was not just a dream.”
“It is truly an honor to receive this award. I’m proud to be part of her legacy.”
“Words cannot convey the honor I feel in having received the HLA award.”
“I am so appreciative of this opportunity to be associated with such a prestigious foundation. It is an honor to have my name next to many of the finest players in the game.”
“I am very excited to be the first recipient of the HLA Award to attend Princeton. It came down to 3 schools..including Duke and Virginia. You can imagine how difficult it was to decide! My Princeton application included questions about the most significant honor that I have ever had… I wrote about the HLA Award.”
Princeton Application, Essay #4
“Last summer at the U.S. Lacrosse Women’s Division National Tournament, I was named the recipient of the Heather Leigh Albert Award as the Nation’s “most outstanding school girl lacrosse player in spirit as well as athletic ability” (according to the inscription on the trophy). The award is one of the most cherished in world of lacrosse, particularly because the person for whom the award is named was an extraordinary person and athlete. Although she died in a tragic accident when she was only 21 years old, Heather Leigh Albert’s spirit and attitude toward her family and friends will live forever.”
“Ever since I began playing lacrosse and watched my sister play in the National Tournament, I have dreamed about one day having a shot at winning the award and having my name among the many great names engraved on the trophy. With that in mind, I was completely overwhelmed when at the end of the championship game in this year’s National Tournament; Heather Leigh Albert’s father announced to the crowd gathered in Lehigh Stadium that I was the award recipient. My face even started to ache because I could not stop from smiling so broadly. After all of the running, lifting, practices, summer camps, tournaments, clinics and time that I have put into lacrosse, it was so incredibly gratifying to receive such a high honor. The award could have gone to any number of girls on my team, because they were all outstanding. As I said to a reporter after the championship game and after receiving the award, ‘We are a team, play as a team, win as a team, and get awards as a team. I really thought it would be someone else.’ Although the award is a great personal honor, I will never forget that my teammates made it possible. Being chosen for this award is the highest compliment I could ever receive. I am very proud to be a part of this elite group.”
“You cannot imagine how much it means to me. I feel very honored. Sometimes I find myself staring at the trophy and replaying that day. It was one of the greatest and most proud moments of my life.”
“I am thrilled to have received the award. It is very special and I feel honored to be chosen”“I can’t believe I was honored to receive the HLA Award again. I never thought it could happen, but am so glad it did.”
“I am truly honored and fortunate to be a recipient .. twice.”
Friends and Coaches Testimonials
“The joy and happiness you give a lacrosse player and her family is incredible. It is a moment we will always cherish.”
“We feel strongly that the game has benefited from your involvement – a great legacy. ”
“Heather made a huge impact on my athletic life and I looked up to her as someone I would hope to be like one day. When things get tough for me I still look at the poem she gave the girls on our team called “Don’t Quit”.”
Don't Quit
Author Unknown
When things go wrong, as they sometimes will,
When the road your trudging seems all uphill,
When the funds are low and the debts are high,
And you want to smile, but you have to sigh,
When care is pressing you down a bit
Rest if you must, but don't you quit.
Life is queer with its twists and its turns,
As everyone of us sometimes learns,
And many a failure turns about
When they might have won, had they stuck it out.
Don't give up though the pace seems slow,
You may succeed with another blow.
Often the struggler has given up
When he might have captured the victors cup;
And he learned too late when the night came down,
How close he was to the golden crown.
Success is failure turned inside out
The silver tint of the clouds of doubt
And you never can tell how close you are,
It may be near when it seems so far;
So stick to the fight when your hardest hit,
It's when things seem worst that you must not quit!
“I am sending a copy of this to each one of you. I received this poem when I was down at Loyola. Our coach gave this to each one of us on the team. I hope you enjoy it and can hang it somewhere you will always see it. GOOD LUCK!”
The WINNERS vs the LOSERS
Author Unknown
The WINNER is always part of an answer.
The LOSER is always part of the problem.
The WINNER always has a program.
The LOSER always has an excuse.
The WINNER says "Let me do it for you".
The LOSER says "That's not my job".
The WINNER sees an answer for every problem.
The LOSER sees a problem in every answer.
The WINNER sees a goal near every trap.
The LOSER sees two or three traps near every goal.
The WINNER says "it may be difficult, but it's possible".
The LOSER says "it may be possible, but it's too difficult".
“We are still on cloud nine about Kelly being selected by your Heather Leigh Albert award. It means so much to her. We’ve been reading about heather and what an awesome person she was.. It’s a wonderful tribute to honor her through this special award that touches the lacrosse community which she loved.”
“Thanks again for the big honor... And one of the most memorable days of our life...”