By Cole Byerly ’26, co-editor-in-chief
For Gigi Guay, leadership looks the same whether she is holding a tennis racket or standing at the front of a third-grade classroom.
As a co-captain of the LVC’s women’s tennis team, Guay has spent time leading teammates, communicating expectations and helping manage practices. Those same skills became essential during her student teaching placement at Palmyra Area School District, where she worked with third-grade students and quickly had to use her voice in the classroom her senior year.
“As a co-captain, I’ve definitely been able to have more confidence with talking to a group of people and organizing practices, which works alongside the classroom very well,” she said.
She found that teaching required the same structure and preparation as athletics. Even though the classroom environment is very different from the tennis court, planning ahead and staying organized helped her feel confident in both settings.
“I saw myself having a similar format to practices in student teaching, using lesson plans and mapping out what I wanted to do and when,” Guay said.
Balancing practices, matches and lesson planning pushed Guay to manage her time carefully. While the schedule was exhausting, she appreciated being able to commit fully to both tennis and teaching, two areas she is very passionate about.
“It was a challenge, but a good challenge, because it allowed me to improve my time management skills,” she said.
Her experience as an athlete helped her connect with students through ideas like growth mindset, teamwork and perseverance. Guay often used sports as a way to create small connections, making lessons more personal and engaging.
“I feel like I have confidence within the classroom in general, but being an athlete allowed me to have more relatable moments with my students,” Guay said.
By having experience with team dynamics, Guay was prepared to handle conflict in the classroom. She emphasized collaboration and shared goals, lessons she learned through being part of a competitive team.
“Working together and having a common goal is important to success,” Guay said.
After completing her student teaching placement, Guay has continued working with children as a substitute teacher at the same school district. She said she looks forward to meeting and connecting with her students throughout her career.
“I think what motivates me the most is how rewarding of a process it is and the connections I make with students,” she said.
Watching her younger sisters grow sparked her interest in education early on. Shadowing one of her sister’s teachers helped confirm her career path, and LVC’s hands-on education program gave her the experience she was looking for.
“When my sisters were about 5, with a ten-year age gap from me to them, I saw first-hand how young students develop in education,” Guay said.
Despite tennis being an individual sport, Guay believes collaboration is vital. As a captain, she hopes she creates a space for support and encouragement, values she now brings into her classroom.
“I tell my students a lot that tennis is an individual sport, but you’d be surprised how often you have to collaborate with teammates,” she said.
Unlike tennis, where outcomes can often be anticipated, teaching requires constant adaptability. Guay said learning to adjust to the unexpected has been one of the most important lessons kids have taught her.
“Kids taught me that you never know what to expect,” Guay said. “I learned to embrace the unexpected.”
College athletics helped shape her approach to leadership, patience and connection, traits she will be able to apply in her entire career. The lessons she learned on the court now define how she shows up for her students.
“I think I’d be a similar teacher, but being an athlete helped shape who I am as a person,” she said. “It helped enhance who I am and give me experiences to share and connect with my students.”
Guay plans to continue substitute teaching and will be seeking a full-time education job post-graduation.