Dec. 12, 2000
One day after finishing her UNC field hockey career as a starter in the NCAA Championship game, Kate Sidebottom was inducted into Phi Beta Kappa, the prestigious academic honors society. Teammate Holly Huff, also a senior, already was a member.
Sidebottom, who started in the midfield for the Tar Heels this season, will graduate with honors in December with a major in history and a minor in chemistry. She spoke with TarHeelBlue.com about the challenges of excelling in both academics and athletics.
Q: How have you maintained a balance with academics and athletics?
A: I've always been a serious student and motivated to earn good grades, but I have also always loved playing sports, competition, and exercise. I think I developed good time management skills while at boarding school at St. Andrew's (Middletown, Del.) and was able to make the balance work between academics and athletics. My habits carried over to my college experience. I became so accustomed to both being such large parts of my life that I would have felt something was missing if one or the other was no longer there. Although keeping the balance was often challenging, I think it helped my happiness to have two things that I was passionate about.
Q: What have you learned from excelling academically and athletically?
A: I've learned that hard work, perseverance, and a good attitude often lead to positive outcomes. Also I learned that sometimes what you think is most definitely the end of the world, is oftentimes what you learn from the most as long as you keep trying.
Q: What has been a more difficult accomplishment--excelling at field hockey or in the classroom?
A: Excelling at field hockey has been the more difficult accomplishment for two reasons. First, I was not recruited by Coach (Karen) Shelton, but was invited to join the team as a recruited walk-on. Therefore, I wasn't expected to be an impact player. I had to work my way up the ladder, so to speak. Second, I suffered two major knee injuries that kept me off the field for long periods of time each - these were obviously setbacks that I had not expected. With injuries come new physical and mental challenges that must be taken into consideration and overcome.
Q: Carolina is one of the few schools that has top-level athletics combined with excellent academics. How much did that influence your choice of schools, and as you look back on your college years, how important has that balance been?
A: As I said before, the balance between the two has kept me happy. One without the other would not have been the same. Balancing both may have driven some people crazy, but I believe it helped keep me sane. Sometimes one was an outlet for the other. It was a dream of mine to come to Carolina, ever since I was a little girl. I initially thought I wanted a smaller Division I school, but I realized that I had an incredible opportunity to become a student and an athlete at a well-respected school of my dreams...how could I pass that up?
Q: What are your plans for after your graduation in December?
A: I will remain in Chapel Hill next semester, apart from doing a little traveling. I will begin the job search, and perhaps study to take the MCAT exam. I have a lot of decisions to make regarding my career direction. However, I am looking forward to being in Chapel Hill having some free time while I make some important decisions.
Q: Can you reflect on your career here at UNC playing field hockey?
A: My career has been somewhat of a roller-coaster, with my knee injuries and having to persistently work my way onto the field for playing time. Every moment, good and bad, made the experience worth it though! Certainly having a good senior season -- earning a starting position, winning lots of games, and making it to the NCAA championship game was very exciting for me. It's always nice to end things on a positive note, and although we lost that final game, I felt like I/we did just that.
Q: What has been your most memorable experience playing field hockey at Carolina?
A: On the field, my most memorable experience has been this past season's final four. I was so thrilled to be a part of it (on the field) as opposed to the final fours in '96 and '97 when I wasn't actually playing but cheering from the sidelines. Off the field, my most memorable hockey experience was performing really well in the '99 preseason conditioning test - the Gauntlet. The test is feared and dreaded (so, I'm happy that I never have to run another one!) and I was excited that a hard summer's worth of training had paid off. Also, being an athlete here at UNC introduced me to so many wonderful people: my teammates, other athletes, coaches, trainers, fans, etc. I feel as though I am a better person after having the chance to know and interact with so many special people!
Q: What has been the most memorable part of your academic career?
A: I have three most memorable academic experiences: Earning an A in Organic Chemistry, completing my honors thesis, and being inducted into Phi Beta Kappa (and having my teammates cheer for me as my name was called!)
Q: What advice would you give to college students trying to balance academics and athletics?
A: Time management is key, as is setting priorities on a day-to-day basis. You must be able to work past hard times, and use one or the other as an outlet if you are struggling with either. Also, you have to leave time for things not associated with academics and athletics or else you may tire of one, or both. As I said before, I think having a positive attitude, a good work ethic, and never giving up, both on the field and in the classroom, are great things to keep in mind.
