Balancing life as a Belmont Women’s Soccer player and a nursing major presents challenges. Overcoming those obstacles, however, has helped Belmont alumnae grow stronger as nurses.
Lauren Paynter, Heather Ferrari, Meg Howard, Ali Alcott, Patience Whitten, Emily Jones, Lauren Trappey and many others are Belmont Women’s Soccer alumnae currently working in the healthcare field and helping the United States fight COVID-19.
“Learning things like teamwork and leadership, I’ve used those types of skills every day that I’ve worked as a nurse,” Paynter said. “Especially now during this virus outbreak, we’ve really had to come together within the hospital setting. Using those learning aspects (at Belmont) has been very valuable.”
Paynter played at Belmont from 2009-12, collecting the 10th hat trick in program history as a freshman on September 18. 2009 against Alabama A&M. The Danville, Ky., native is currently working in Stanford, Ky., working in the labor and delivery field.
Most recently, Paynter obtained her degree to become a certified nurse midwife. With Belmont allowing its women’s soccer players to pursue a nursing career, Paynter believed balancing the two impacted her career in a positive way.
“Belmont is very unique in that it allows for a very challenging soccer career as well as a very challenging nursing career,” Paynter said. “I felt very fortunate throughout the four years at Belmont that I was able to accomplish both of those goals.”
Ferrari, who played at Belmont from 2014-17, accumulated the 10th most career minutes in program history with 4,689 and was named to the OVC Commissioner’s Honor Roll three times. The Duluth, Ga., native currently works as a nurse for Vanderbilt Health in Nashville, working in the Cardiovascular ICU.
During the fight against COVID-19, Ferrari’s job has been more than getting her patients medicine and typical day-to-day duties. With Vanderbilt Health not allowing families and visitors in the unit during this time, Ferrari and her co-workers act as the primary support system for their patients.
“Normally what family members do, we’re having to do as nurses,” Ferrari said. “We’re having to be that emotional support, No. 1 cheerleader for each of our patients…Instead of just being the nurse, we’re having to be the emotional support, trying to show them love even though we’re not the family.”
Howard, who played at Belmont from 2013-16, owns the program record for the fastest goal scored in program history, only taking nine seconds to score on Oct. 27, 2016 against Jacksonville State. The Brentwood, Tenn., native is top five in career minutes and was named to the OVC Commissioner’s Honor Roll in all four years at Belmont.
Following graduation, Howard moved to Houston and currently works as a Pediatric ICU nurse, mostly working the night shifts. With Belmont Women’s Soccer preaching chemistry day in and day out, Howard has taken that mindset into her work as a nurse.
“We were so great at being really tight-knit, working hard together, working hard for each other and we had a family vibe there (at Belmont) and I’m translating that into my unit now,” Howard said. “All of the nurses together feel like a family. We work as a family, we work hard for each other and our patients. It’s the same skill set. It’s just a new team, not on the soccer field, but in the hospital.”
Belmont’s alumnae have received a plethora of supporting messages and appreciation from their former teammates, coaches, and even strangers during this time. That support is not only a warm feeling for the alumnae, but helps them get through the fight with COVID-19.
“It’s really great to see how much close friends, families, universities, and complete strangers have supported the healthcare industry during this time,” Howard said. “It’s really nice to be able to step out of that shift and see other people saying, ‘I see you. I recognize you and we really appreciate what you’re doing.’ People are understanding and they’re there to help you and talk you through it and encourage you. It’s nice to have that support.”