This Is What It Means to Be a Panther

This year, Ashley Hall Athletics consulted with experts from Southern Teachers Agency and The McNair Group to evaluate everything from the School’s sports facilities and operation procedures to program necessities and culture.

“We knew there was a desire on campus to continue to push athletics to a new level,” says Assistant Athletics Director Christian Alcantara. “Getting an unbiased perspective from experts in the field gave us invaluable insight on our biggest needs, our weaknesses, our strengths, and ultimately, our next steps.”

Through campus visits and interviews with administrators, coaches, players, and parents, the consultants they worked with delivered an in-depth Athletics Assessment to help shape a strategic plan for the program which will be released at the start of the 2024-25 school year. But they didn’t stop there. To gain an insider’s perspective on the culture felt within athletics, they surveyed 125 athletes in grades 9-12 on a variety of topics, including this simple question:

What is a core value that you believe is lived in athletics at Ashley Hall?

“Core values are fundamental beliefs that drive behavior,” says Director of Athletics Franny Slay ’80. “They are important to identify because while we can provide the path for our athletes, they are the ones that have to walk it, so we have to be sure it aligns with their spirit. They are ultimately the ones carrying out our mission to be the best we can be.”

Out of hundreds of words, there were a select few that repeated over and over across every sport and grade which was both inspiring and encouraging, Slay says. “From our girls' perspective, we discovered there is a very strong culture within Ashley Hall athletics,” Alcantara adds. “It’s widespread, and the majority of our athletes feel like they are living it every day, which means a strong foundation is set. Now it's time to build on top of it.”

According to athletes, these are the core values that are lived every day at Ashley Hall – and driving the future of Panther athletics.

Sisterhood

"Sisterhood was the first word to come to my mind because no matter the outcome of our game or match at the end of the day, I always have a group of my School sisters to support me. This year, the varsity tennis team ended up in the semi finals at the state championship. My partner and I were in a third-set tiebreaker, and so was the number two doubles team. We finished at almost the same time, shook hands with our opponents, and immediately ran to the other court realizing we had won the match and were headed to the finals. The group hug that followed was unlike any other, proving my true sisterly bond with this small group of girls.

Throughout my time playing sports at Ashley Hall, I have become more confident because I know it is okay to make mistakes, especially when I have a strong support system behind me. I have also become more of a leader because I have been on several teams for many years, and I have been able to watch great captains above me who led by example, ultimately incentivizing me to do the same."

– MARTHA RIVERS '24

Commitment

"I think the most important word in PQV, which stands for ‘Girls with the will have the ability,’ is will. I relate it to your work ethic, and being able to show up every day whether it's to practice or running over Spring Break like we did this year for lacrosse. If you work hard enough, you'll be able to achieve great things. But you need to want to achieve those things, which is what I feel like athletes at Ashley Hall have in common.

I think this is especially important for building a newer program like lacrosse. It’s not like you’re going to win all of your games at first. It's going to take a lot of work. But being able to see progress in the number of goals you’re scoring and see that your work is paying off is the best feeling. Even if you lose, you can recognize you’re improving and playing really well, and that keeps us pushing each other so hard. Everyone on the whole team gets inspired by progress, and you can feel it in every single huddle. We just know we need to keep it up. That’s really all that counts."

– CAROLINE COPENHAVER ’27

Teamwork

"I'm new this year to Ashley Hall, and I've noticed that at my old school, it was the coaches that had to motivate you as an athlete. But here, it's really the team. The coach still has a big role, but my teammates are the ones motivating me to work hard and sparking that energy. People really are in it, and I think that’s because there is a lot more pride at our School. We have such a strong bond being all girls that everybody wants to do well for each other, both on the field and off. You want to do good for your people, and we want to carry ourselves since we don’t have a boys team carrying our reputation. It fires us all up.

There’s also a sense that you're going through all of it together. Playing basketball this year, sometimes we were practicing six times a week. You're with your teammates every single day, so you really connect on a deeper level. Even if we were not always winning, it was always about showing up for yourself and each other and sticking through it together. This has taught me a lot, and I've learned playing a sport is not all about winning which is what my mindset used to be. Of course, I always want to win. But I’ve realized that sometimes you gain even more from losing than winning. It's not always about the end goal. It’s about the stuff you experience together as a team that you don't even realize you'll miss until you’re out of season. It’s our routine. It’s being around each other. It’s our relationships with our coaches. It's not all about our record – there's just so many great things through the journey."

– MOLLY METTLER ’27

Support

"Every player supports each other, even if it's between different sports. I'll always remember the first time I subbed in to play as a freshman on the JV volleyball team. As I stepped up to the line and entered the court, I heard the varsity team screaming my name and cheering me on. I was beyond excited, and I think that was the moment I realized how amazing and supportive the sisterhood is in athletics.

I have gained so much confidence in myself during my time playing volleyball at Ashley Hall. My coaches and teammates have believed in me, and they have taught me how to believe in myself. Now, I'm able to do the same for others, and it feels amazing to know that I'm contributing to the future of Ashley Hall athletics."

– PARKER GRAGG ’25