Home-grown and thriving, Kyra Benard is just getting started!
Spending her beginning days in the youth field hockey and lacrosse programs offered by Agawam Park and Rec, Kyra Benard got a head start on her future. Growing up, Kyra prioritized athletics and academics while also maintaining a great personality and a responsible head on her shoulders. When asked about her time as a youth player, Benard said, “I began playing both field hockey and lacrosse in the second grade. I started to play field hockey when I saw my sister practice, and my aunt was a former player and talked about it often. Lacrosse was a spring sport that looked like fun. Many of my field hockey friends were going to try it out, so I thought I would as well.” Benard also mentions how impactful her aunt was to her through athletics, “She was involved in all my sports, sometimes as a spectator and other times as a coach, and was there to help me with anything. After a game, I can always count on my aunt to give advice and encouragement. Her passion for the game is contagious and admirable.”
In her high school field hockey career, Benard played as a forward and midfield player for the Varsity team at Agawam High School. She scored a total of 10 goals and 13 assists. As a four-year varsity player, excellent student and strong leader, Benard earned her spot as a captain in her senior season. During the lacrosse season of her senior year, Benard led her team as a captain and defender. Keeping herself focused and the morale of her teams up, she was an incredible choice for captainship for both varsity teams. Benard comments, “I think much of my growth came in high school, shaping me to who I am today and leading me to the next level (college). My field hockey team was a community where it was all love and truly a family, and I had such good coaches to lead me and help me lead the team. My senior year of lacrosse was one of the best years I’ve had for lacrosse. It made me realize how much I would miss the sport if I did not continue.” As a result of her high school team experience, Benard earned spots as an All-Western Mass First Team selection and a Super Sixty Senior.
Moving onto her next journey, Benard is not only studying Psychology at the University of Hartford, but playing for the Hawks’ field hockey team. When talking about the UHart environment, she says, “The environment for student athletes at the University of Hartford is very supportive…It is so great to have that available and even more impressive to have the athletes supporting each other, becoming one big community.” As a freshman, she started every game of the season. Her playing time as a forward and midfielder comes to approximately 756 minutes altogether! Back in September, Benard was awarded Conference of New England’s Rookie of the Week. Her skill set on the field during the Hawks’ game against Albertus Magnus sealed this for her when she scored two goals. Benard was named to the Conference of New England All-Conference Third Team, a well-deserved accomplishment.
Prior to each game, Benard spoke on her pre-game rituals, “I don’t have a long pregame ritual, but the number one thing that I do before every game is my hair! Whether it’s a fun design, braids, or more, I always have to do my hair, and then I start to get into my uniform. For field hockey, I like to do different braid designs and different slick backs. But for lacrosse, I only like to do one hairstyle, which is just two braids into a ponytail. This is a tradition I carried on from high school. Everyone on the team also adds a ribbon to their hair. I like to do my hair in my dorm or have one of my friends come do it, then I head to the sports center and just get ready for the game. Usually, that involves listening to music in the locker room with my teammates to get us hype for the game!”
Kyra Benard is inspired to keep going by the people around her like her friends, family and her team. She hopes to see an increase in attendance at women’s sporting events continue as time goes on. “At the end of the day, I think everyone wants a community where you can look at the stands, and it’s full of people cheering your team on. If we have that for women and men, it is a better, stronger and more inclusive community for all.” Additionally, Benard spoke on her hopes for the future as a female athlete, “I would love more representation of women’s sports and their athletes in the media. I hope to see women’s sports continue to receive the same respect and exposure as men’s sports. I would like young women to realize that women can be strong and competitive. We should normalize female athletes in this light, not as exceptions.”
We are excited to see the continuation of success for Kyra Benard, and wish her all the best in her future endeavors as not only an athlete, but as a young woman as well!