Mackenzie Rule and Adashia Franklyn
The Saint Joseph’s women’s basketball team elected dual captains for this upcoming season—senior Mackenzie Rule and junior Adashia Franklin. The decision, like in years past, was the coaches’.
“I think we felt that these two players were not only our hardest working players but also the most consistent with their work,” Head Coach Cindy Griffin said. “We also think that they communicate very well. They’re leaders in their own right. They do well in school and I think they can relate to everybody on the team.”
Rule, who walked on to the team in her freshman year, and Franklin, said they were flattered and grateful by the news.
“It’s honestly an honor, what [the coaches] see in us. Sometimes we don’t even see it ourselves,” Franklin said. “I was so excited. I shouldn’t feel like I’m better than everyone because I’m a captain. It’s not a privilege. You still have to work hard, even after you get that title.”
Rule appreciates the role that she and Franklin will play as captains, particularly because of the value Griffin and the coaches will place in their opinions.
“We meet with her once every two weeks and we just kind of go over things and see what she thinks and she takes our input, which is kind of nice,” she said. “She likes to hear what we have to say about everything, too.”
Griffin explained that captains have many responsibilities: They are the voice for the players, helping pick teammates up when they’re down and even making the most trivial decisions for the team.
“They’re here to lead, they’re here to understand the pulse of the team that day. Whatever the team needs, if they need a pep talk, if they need more constructive criticism, they have to have a pulse for the team,” Griffin said. “[They have to] set an example. On a smaller level, but an important level, what is the team wearing today? Are we wearing crimson or are we wearing black? What are we wearing when we travel, when we do community service? All those decisions that the coaches don’t have to deal with, they own it. That’s their decisions. They run the team.”
Franklin emphasized the idea that team captains should lead by example and by hard work.
“Never skip a rep in the weight room and always make your sprints, do the hard work because it’s expected of you,” Franklin said.
Rule agreed with Franklin and explained that captains are always on the clock.
“I definitely think you have to watch what you’re doing at all times because everyone’s kind of looking up to you,” Rule said. “So you have to make sure you’re doing the right thing at all times. That’s kind of a big responsibility.”
As captains, Rule and Franklin will lead their team towards its season goals, which according to Franklin are to “make history, have a winning season, win the Big 5, and win the Atlantic 10.”
Two years ago, Natasha Cloud, ’15, who is now playing for the Washington Mystics in the WNBA, was named team captain for the Hawks. Last season, it was Sarah Fairbanks, ’16, who finished a stellar career by approaching several program statistical records. Rule and Franklin have big shoes to fill in a prestigious role. They’ll attempt to do so under the team motto; a motto that Rule says is, “Never let ‘good enough’ be enough.
