Q&A with Lacrosse Head Coach Kim Wayne

What attracted you to Davidson in 2008, and what keeps you here?
The first time I visited Davidson was in 2005 when I was an assistant coach at James Madison University in Virginia. I was unfamiliar with Davidson but came to visit a friend who was the current assistant lacrosse coach. When I stepped onto Davidson's campus, I immediately fell in love with the buildings, the town, the people and, of course, the weather. Three years later, when the head lacrosse position opened up, I immediately jumped on it. I have always enjoyed working with academically driven scholar-athletes like the ones I coached while I was at Columbia University, so I knew Davidson was right up my alley. What keeps me here are the same things that brought me here in the first place. I love everything about the school, the town, my colleagues and, of course, the families, players and alumnae I have had the pleasure of coaching over my 11 years.

What is one of your favorite coaching memories during your time at Davidson?
Three years ago, on April 29, 2017, we played our last regular season game against George Mason University. It was a rough game as we ended up losing at home 19-9 to a talented Patriots team. We knew after the game there was a good chance we would face GMU in the first round of the A-10 Tournament, which happened to be five days later. My favorite memory to date was beating George Mason in the first-round game. After being down 5-11 early in the second half, we clawed our way back and ended up winning 14-13. One of our seniors scored five of our final six goals to help us secure the win. In my opinion, there are few better ways to end your career than winning a game you had no business winning, and doing it in such a way where you have left a mark on a program you invested so much time into. This group believed in each other and left everything they had on the field that day.

We talk about "doing athletics right." How do you see that in action in your daily work?
Davidson is unique in that it is a small liberal arts college with Division I athletics. Smaller class sizes mean you're getting individual attention from your professors in the classroom, and Division I athletics means you're playing against some of the most talented players and teams in the country. Davidson recognizes the importance of both without having to sacrifice one for the other. We allow our players to become doctors, business professionals, professors, social workers, etc. by encouraging them to take any class they are interested in taking. There are no limits to what you can accomplish in your four years. We do athletics right by putting scholar before athlete, but we don't let the order of the words dictate how we view our athletes and the potential they have on the field.

In 2014, Davidson moved 19 of its 21 Division I programs to the more competitive Atlantic 10 Conference. What opportunities has this move brought to your program?
We enjoyed being a part of the Big South Conference. Moving to the A-10 brought tougher competition as well as more extensive travel up north. Since a majority of our recruiting efforts take place up north, the travel brings many of our players closer to home. Prior to joining the A-10, northerners knew about Davidson because of Steph Curry. Since joining, we have come across more and more recruits who have seen Davidson athletics on TV or in their backyards playing against St. Joe's or UMASS. The familiarity people now have with Davidson has helped us bring in strong recruits from Massachusetts, New York and New Jersey that we might not have attracted in the past.

What is the one piece of advice you would give to a new coach, just starting out in his or her college coaching career?
Always remember why you became a coach in the first place. Coaching can be extremely rewarding as you are making a positive difference in the lives of your players, however, coaching isn't easy. I have been asked more times than I can count "what do you do in the off-season?" The answer is simple. There is no off-season. My job as a coach is to teach independence, build character, encourage competitiveness, teach leadership, recruit, plan practice and of course win games. But so much more goes into the daily life of a coach that people don't realize. Coaching isn't just about the wins and losses but if you let that dictate how you feel about your job your players will lose out on everything else that truly matters. In order to FEEL successful, you need to love what you do, but you should also remember your "why."

What is the greatest lesson you learned as a player or as a coach that you've carried with you and aimed to pass down to your players?
Don't allow yourself to make excuses. I believe I would have been a better player had I pushed myself harder and not let other factors stop me from attaining my true potential. Our scholar-athletes are going to class, studying for their next exam, preparing for the MCATs, going on interviews, lifting weights, attending practice, meetings, film sessions and somehow finding time to help the community. They are also expected to find time during the day to put the lacrosse stick in their hand to work on their shooting, their stick work or their 1v1 defense. Sports teaches time management, but having the overall awareness of how important the extra time you spend putting into getting better cannot be taught. It needs to come from a place of "want." Want to get better without giving excuses as to why you can't.

If you would like to hear more about the lacrosse program and follow their season by receiving regular updates, contact the DAF at daf@davidson.edu. Please include the email address you would like to receive updates at and the sport(s) you would like to receive updates from.

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