Alumni Reflections: Chase Judkins
Chase Judkins
BSc, Economics; Class of 2019
Saints Lacrosse
Former Lacrosse President and Economics student, Chase Judkins, cannot mention her time at St Andrews without recognising how pivotal sport was in her #SaintsSportFactor experience.
I joined Women’s Lacrosse during preseason prior to the beginning of my 1st year at St Andrews. I was incredibly nervous, but excited at the prospect of once again playing my favorite sport. The club was incredibly welcoming, and that first week made me feel so ready to begin 4 years at the university.
Sports clubs give you a family when you are so far away from your own, and I was incredibly lucky to meet so many amazing women throughout my 4 years in the club. Wednesday night socials were a highlight of my time in the club and provided an opportunity to celebrate all we had achieved in the past week. My academic mums adopted me through the lacrosse club, and I did the same when I became an academic parent. We weren’t just a sports club; we were a family who supported each other through the most confusing and exciting years of a young person’s life.
As Social Secretary in the 2nd year, I hosted socials and fundraising events for the club. The highlight of my time as Social Secretary was planning events throughout preseason to welcome new players. I remembered how much preseason meant to me as a first year and wanted to create the same welcoming environment for the incoming freshers. As president in my third year, I watched the club grow to 3 teams and a social squad. I was amazed to see beginners turn up for the sport, and I think the ability for beginners to play sport is one of the most incredible aspects of Sport at St Andrews.
Playing sport at St Andrews also allowed me to grow as both a student and a person, and I do not think I would be where I am now without the experience I had. As a first team player, I quickly had to learn to manage my time in order to attend practices and games, something which would prove incredibly useful in honours. As president, I learned to stand up for myself, my team, and my club and demand respect for our accomplishments, something women far too often must do.
I would not be who I am without my experience on the lacrosse club. As a 5th grade math teacher, the skills I gained through club outreach programs proved invaluable in the classroom. The experience I gained as president of the lacrosse club provided me with the skills and confidence to stand up for my students when necessary.
There are many other stories I could tell about my time on the St Andrews Women’s Lacrosse Club. The club and members brought me so much joy throughout my time at university, and I cannot explain my experience at St Andrews without mentioning the lacrosse club, my teammates, or Wednesday nights. The club no longer exists in the form that I once knew it and was morphed with the men’s lacrosse team to create a club that contained the two different games of lacrosse. I wish the club the best, and I hope it provides others with the same joy that it provided me. My advice to future St Andrews lacrosse players? Have fun, but also know your worth and do not accept anything less.
