CNUsports.com has asked senior women's lacrosse player Stephanie Green to give fans a look at life as a Division III student-athlete. Balancing school work, practice and much, much more, Green provides an inside look in her weekly blog.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS EVERYONE!!! :)

Whether it's your first time enjoying winter break as a freshman, or your last winter break at CNU, all I can say is "CONGRATULATIONS!" We worked hard this last semester, on the field and in the classroom. It definitely shows from the team statistics, championships and GPAs. I am so proud to be a part of a collegiate community which achieves so much both athletically and academically.
 
Now that the semester is complete and I have officially accepted my seat at the Edward Via Virginia College of Osteopathic Medicine for next fall, I can bring my focus back to a project that is very important to me and the main purpose for this student-athlete blog—AdaptLax.
 
AdaptLax was originally designed from an assignment on my Oxford Study Abroad trip back in the summer of 2010. Witnessing how much children can grow when placed within a functioning athletic team, I believed that all children should be given this opportunity. I noticed, however, that there were limited opportunities for those with physical or intellectual disabilities to participate in lacrosse, and it was my dream to change this.
 
My goal for AdaptLax is to be an organization which provides athletic opportunities to those with disabilities. Specifically, it allows individuals a chance to participate in lacrosse. While I do not personally have any friends or family members with disabilities, my passion for AdaptLax came through my participation and volunteer work with the Special Olympics. I was blown away by how sports let children overcome their labeled “disability” and allow them to be “able” to successfully compete in numerous athletic events. It was my desire to make one of these athletic events a lacrosse game.
 
My dream to make AdaptLax a reality did not end once I left Oxford, England. That fall, I applied for and received CNU's Ferguson Fellowship, which granted me $2000 to fund my project. The grant gave me the spark and fire to begin figuring out how to get AdaptLax started. It has been a long and bumpy road and this program is most definitely still a work in progress. However, I believe in everything AdaptLax stands for and I know that soon enough individuals with disabilities will be playing lacrosse.
 
Stay tuned for my next blog post which is dedicated to sharing “The Good, The Bad, & The Ugly” associated with starting a not-for-profit.
 
I wish everyone a warm and safe winter break. I hope it is filled with relaxation, family-filled parties and NO HOMEWORK! Merry Christmas & Happy Holidays!