Coach Katherine Simmons has been head coach of Berkshire's Girls Varsity lacrosse program for three years.
Berkshire Girl’s Varsity Lacrosse coach Katherine “Kado” Simmons was inducted into Cornell University’s Athletics Hall of Fame this month.
Simmons, a former All-American and two-time captain of the Big Red Women’s Lacrosse program, was recognized for her contributions to the team during a campus ceremony held on Oct. 5. Simmons ranks fourth in school history in career goals (128) and seventh in career points (152), and she earned All-Ivy League honors during her sophomore, junior, and senior years.
“It was a really special moment,” said Simmons, who graduated from Cornell in 2008. “It was homecoming, and the weather was beautiful, perfect really, and to see all the Cornell students out in their gear again, it was really cool.”
The Salisbury, Conn. native shared the special moment with family and friends, including her former coaches at Cornell and her twin brother, who waved a Cornell flag while Simmons' name was announced over the loudspeaker during halftime of Cornell’s football game versus Georgetown.
Not long after graduating from Cornell, Simmons’ contributions to the team led the Big Red to name an award in her honor. The Katherine Simmons Brick Award is given each year to the player whose hard work and effort contributed most to the team. Equally as important to Simmons is the bond she's kept with her coaches from her playing days, including longtime Cornell coach Jenny Graap.
Courtesy: Cornell Women's Lacrosse Facebook
"She's still a mentor for me now as a coach," Simmons said. "I'd say our relationship has even gotten better and there's a different depth to it now. My coaches have also inspired me to always give more love and support to my own players and to continue to support them after they graduate."
Simmons has been at the helm of Berkshire’s girls varsity lacrosse program for three years. As a high school lacrosse player at Taft School, she learned under then head coach Jean Maher, who now serves as her assistant at Berkshire.
“Strong, quick, and explosive on the field, Katherine was a standout athlete, but what set her apart was her ability to motivate and inspire her teammates,” said Maher. “Her teammates were fueled by her energy and drive. She pushed them, and they loved her for it. She was the connector, and she brought the team together to compete, eat, dance, sing, practice... you name it, we did it, and we did it together under her leadership.”