09/22/2026
RESILIENCE REPORT | Howard Women’s Lacrosse 🥍 What happens when a team decides that vulnerability is not a weakness—but a strength? For the Howard University women’s lacrosse team, that question has become part of their journey over the past two seasons. The numbers tell an important story….but perhaps the more meaningful change has been in how the team experiences adversity together.
Every team is going to have moments when things get hard. Mental fitness is not about preventing those moments. It is about helping athletes and teams have a plan for what they will do when those moments inevitably arrive.
For Howard, that work has included developing a shared language and a collection of skills that players can draw upon both individually and collectively. Just as importantly, they have continued to build the kind of team environment where athletes can be honest about what they are experiencing and trust that their teammates will meet them with support with support rather than judgment.
Karen Healy-Silcott has noticed a shift during games in the way the team has handled preparation. “I have seen a huge change in how the team approached this summer and stayed connected, which has led to the most cohesive start to fall ball that we have ever had.”
Because every team is going to have moments when things get hard. There will be mistakes. Momentum shifts. Tough opponents. Disappointing losses. Players who are struggling. Moments when confidence disappears.
Mental fitness is not about preventing those moments. It is about helping athletes and teams have a plan for what they will do when those moments inevitably arrive. That is what Howard Women's Lacrosse does, and it is working.🤝
