Kirsten Seyffer’s journey with lacrosse began on Christmas morning when she unwrapped her first lacrosse stick at only three years old. From the second she picked it up, she knew that she would never look back. Now at eighteen years old, Kirsten is committed to play lacrosse at Union College and is one of the captains leading the Ramapo Girls Lacrosse team for one last season.
Kirsten learned the importance of hard work and dedication at a young age from both of her parents. Kirsten went on to say, “They push me to be a better version of myself each day, in and out of sports.” She maintained this mentality throughout her later years of elementary school as her commitment to the sport grew stronger. Kirsten joined her first club team, X-treme Lax Factory, in fourth grade, and in sixth grade, she transitioned to play for Building Blocks Lacrosse, further fueling her passion for the sport. Kirsten’s club schedule involved traveling to different tournaments around the East Coast during the fall and summer seasons. In the spring, Kirsten played on the Wyckoff Recreational team throughout elementary and middle school. Kirsten knew that playing lacrosse was what made her the happiest, and her intense schedule from a young age certainly reflects her talent.
Even with Kirsten’s intense schedule, she managed to excel in every aspect of Lacrosse she has been involved in. When asked what awards she has received in lacrosse, Kirsten stated, “In club, I’ve received Player of the Match honors at the IWLCA Championship’s Cup.” For Ramapo Lacrosse, Kirsten has scored over 100 goals and counting, and has an impressive collection of awards, including first-team all-league, second-team all-county, and all-academic team for both her sophomore and junior years. Kirsten has served as a team captain in both her Junior and Senior years, which demonstrates not only her skill but also her leadership on the Ramapo Girls Lacrosse team.
Now, halfway through her senior season, Kirsten has shown grit and determination in every aspect as one of her team’s captains. One of Kirsten’s co-captains, Ava L’Heureux, has been playing lacrosse with Kirsten since rec league in elementary school. When asked about Kirsten as a teammate, Ava goes on to say, “Kirsten is genuinely one of the most hard working people I know. Whether it’s coming to practice 30 minutes early to shoot balls, or hustling every minute of every game, no matter what the score is. I’m so happy to have Kirsten as a teammate, and I know she’s going to do great things in college.” From a coaching standpoint, Kirsten is seen as a reliable teammate and skilled leader. Head Coach of the Ramapo Girls Lacrosse team, Coach Mulder has seen Kirsten progress since her junior year. When asked about Kirsten’s leadership abilities, Coach Mulder remarked, “Kirsten is an outstanding athlete and a natural leader who’s always pushing herself and her teammates to be their best. As a two-year captain, she leads by example on and off the field–not just with her skills and understanding of the game, but with her character and dedication. She sets the tone for what it means to be a Ramapo athlete. It’s hard to not feel inspired talking to Kirsten about lacrosse— her passion, drive, commitment, and love of the game is a big part of what makes her stand out as a player.” Following glowing feedback from her team, it is clear that Kirsten’s talent and positive attitude has carried through the Ramapo Girls Lacrosse program, and her dedication to the sport is truly admirable.
Kirsten’s love for lacrosse is one of the most important elements that has kept her going throughout her career. When she was asked what her favorite part about playing lacrosse was, Kirsten explained, “I love that I’m able to focus on one thing while playing. Lacrosse really just silences my brain, and I feel it helps me tap into myself in ways that I truly can’t normally.” Kirsten went on to say that lacrosse has taught her much more than just how to cradle a stick; it’s helped her discover who she is. “ I’ve learned many life-lessons through lacrosse, the most important one being to dedicate yourself to what you love, and it really applies to everything I do in my life now. It has also brought me so many long-lasting memories and relationships that I wouldn’t have had otherwise, and for that I’m always grateful.” Kirsten’s titles, awards, and talent are all incredibly commendable. However, her mindset regarding what she has learned about herself is debatably more difficult to achieve.
Every great athlete has faced adversity in their sport, and Kirsten is no exception. Kirsten opened up about the difficulty of her recruiting process, which began in the fall of her sophomore year. While most students have barely gotten the hang of a real high school schedule, Kirsten was already trying to figure out where she would end up playing in college. Kirsten explained the details of her frustration during this tedious process, “No matter how successful my team was, no matter how hard I tried to get in the coaches’ faces at tournaments or prospect days, nobody seemed to be interested. It’s really disheartening to hear radio silence when you’ve been wanting to play in college your whole life.” After nearly a year and a half of struggling, Kirsten connected with the coach at Union College, who she discovered had appreciated her talent from the beginning, and is incredibly grateful to have found her home for the next four years.
Kirsten has so much to look forward to after her hard work and commitment to Ramapo. Kirsten makes her extracurriculars intentional, aligning them with her passions as the President of the Women’s Sports Coalition, highlighting the victories and power behind women in athletics. Kirsten has proven to be an incredible example of a talented player, supportive teammate, and she embodies the title of a student-athlete.
