Long Beach State University Athletics
Former Long Beach State Student-Athletes Make A Difference On The Frontlines In The Fight Against COVID-19
5/13/2020 10:16:00 AM | Cross Country, General, Indoor Track, Men's Volleyball, Men's Water Polo, Softball, Track and Field, Women's Basketball
The Beach proudly have more than 50 former student-athletes working as first responders
Hard work. Grit. Discipline. Focus. These are all things that successful student-athletes possess. With so many dedicated student-athletes coming out of Long Beach State over the last several decades, it comes as no surprise that the Beach has more than 50 former student-athletes serving on the frontlines during the COVID-19 pandemic.
When talking to these former LBSU student-athletes who are now first responders, all of them credit their experience at the Beach in the gym, on the court, in the pool, and on the field for preparing them for the difficult and, sometimes, grueling days on the frontlines.
Former Long Beach State men's volleyball player Jason Willahan, who is now a firefighter for the Los Angeles Fire Department said, "On top of firefighter certifications to apply for the job, I went through a six-month intensive training program. We were in the classroom or practicing skills from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. five days a week. Being a student-athlete definitely prepared me for that type of schedule!"
The long hours and physicality of the job aren't the only things that these alumni have taken from their time at Long Beach State. Dr. Lauren (Sims) Sylwanowicz who played women's basketball at LBSU is now an emergency medical physician at St. Mary's Medical Center in Long Beach, Calif. Sylwanowicz, who graduated from Long Beach State with a degree in biology and a minor in chemistry, credits the Beach Women's Basketball program with helping her learn and grow in teamwork and leadership.
"As an ER doctor, you're the leader of a very dynamic and changing team, working under pressure and stress," Sylwanowicz explained. "Like a game, you prepare and practice, but you never know what is going to happen. I was able to bring my leadership experience from being on the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee and a team captain; that helped me in leading nurses and staying calm under pressure."
Ruby Flores, who was a softball pitcher at LBSU and the 1992 Western Region Woman of the Year, is now putting her leadership experiences to the test as a commander of the Los Angeles Police Department. A 26-year veteran of the LAPD, Flores earned both her bachelor's and master's degrees at Long Beach State and feels her experience at the Beach helped lead her to her current profession.
"As a collegiate athlete, I always had a sense of mission," Flores stated. "The same is true in law enforcement. A sense of mission simply means that your life and what you do matters, which is what police work is always about."
In our current state of uncertainty, the lives of many people have been affected as the majority of the country is staying home, practicing social distancing, and in some cases, self-isolating. However, for first responders, they continue to put their lives and health on the line for the rest of the community. In some ways, things have stayed the same for these heroes, but in others, the spread of COVID-19 has drastically changed how they operate.
"COVID-19 has been detrimental to all frontline workers, not just me," former LBSU water polo player and current EMT, Nick Rascon, said. "As someone who is in the emergency rooms, I get to see how hard our nurses, doctors, paramedics, firefighters, and respiratory therapists are working around the clock to provide care for those who are affected.
"COVID-19 has changed the way we, as EMTs, handle 911 calls. I have strict Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) guidelines that I must follow to not only keep myself safe, but my co-workers safe, as well, as we serve the citizens in the community."
Echoing Rascon's sentiments is former Long Beach State men's volleyball player Clint Coe who has worked as a fire engineer and paramedic for the last 12 years.
"As a department in LA County, we adhere to the ever-changing and adapting policies regarding COVID-19," Coe explained. "Having said that, the majority of our responses require head to toe PPE including masks, face shield, gown, and gloves. We adhere to the six-foot policy in and out of the stations as best as we can.
"In my position as a firefighter medic to engineer medic, being a Long Beach State student-athlete taught me, first and foremost, the value of teamwork and how much more effective you are at accomplishing a goal as a cohesive unit. Secondly, it allowed me to stay calm in what could be a chaotic environment. Lastly, it helped me to process information, use it effectively, then regurgitate for repetition and instruction."
Throughout all of the adversity each of these first responders have experienced, they remain grateful for the opportunity to serve their respective communities even during the difficult and trying times.
Ashley (Holmes) Lopez, who played softball at LBSU from 2012-15, is now a registered nurse who calls nursing her passion. A firm believer in supporting and giving back to those around her, Lopez tries to find the positive in all situations.
"The most difficult part of my job is the stress of having a life in your hands," said Lopez. "You have to have critical thinking skills and understand what will be best for your patient. You collaborate with physicians, respiratory therapists, and physical therapists, in order to get your patient back to their baseline or better than when they came in. A lot goes into the care of one patient, and you have multiple lives in your hands at every shift. While it can be stressful, it's also a beautiful process to be a part of. I wouldn't change it for the world."
It takes a special person to be a first responder. Those pursing such fields must have a passion for giving back, taking care of their community, and caring for others. For many of LBSU's alumni, they are following in a long line of first responders within their respective families. Coe, Rascon, and Willahan, all come from families of first responders with Coe looking up to his three uncles, Rascon being the son of a 20-year Los Angeles County Fire Department veteran, and Willahan following in the footsteps of his father, grandfather, and great-grandfather.
After running cross country and track and field at Long Beach State from 1988-93, Steve Fong graduated with a degree in kinesiology and social sciences, before going on to pursue a career as a police officer. Fong served for the Long Beach Police Department from 1997-05, before moving to the training unit at the Huntington Beach Police Department.
In the midst of a 20-year law enforcement career, Fong still relies on lessons he learned as a student-athlete at Long Beach State.
"Being a student-athlete was invaluable," Fong said. "It taught me time management, how to perform at a high level, how to create a plan to accomplish goals, the importance of hard work, how to utilize my resources, and how to work well with others."
While many of those working hard in the fight against COVID-19 are on the frontlines and facing the virus on a daily basis, there are also those who are working hard behind the scenes to combat the spread of the disease. Michael Montgomery, who was a pole vaulter at LBSU from 2013-17, is now a lab researcher working at National Jewish Health under Dr. Max Seibold whose lab investigates the role of the airway epithelium in lung diseases.
"As the lab that studies lung diseases and the factors that influence their development and severity, including respiratory viruses, we were well-poised to make a transition to study COVID-19," Montgomery explained. "Though the transition has not been easy, we have succeeded in making strides in our understanding of susceptibility to SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19 severity, especially in high-risk populations. Our lab has been very busy preparing for a new study aiming to determine the incidence of COVID-19 in children and their families across the United States."
With Montgomery working hard in the lab researching COVID-19, he continues to pull lessons he learned at Long Beach State both on and off the field of competition like the rest of the LBSU alumni who are making a difference every day in their jobs as first responders.
Whether they left Long Beach State just last year, or several decades ago, each of these first responders represent their alma mater proudly. As they put their lives on the line each and every day, these alumni continue to demonstrate the hard work, grit, discipline, and focus that made them successful as student-athletes at the Beach and continue to help them make a difference in their chosen professions on the frontlines.
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When talking to these former LBSU student-athletes who are now first responders, all of them credit their experience at the Beach in the gym, on the court, in the pool, and on the field for preparing them for the difficult and, sometimes, grueling days on the frontlines.
Former Long Beach State men's volleyball player Jason Willahan, who is now a firefighter for the Los Angeles Fire Department said, "On top of firefighter certifications to apply for the job, I went through a six-month intensive training program. We were in the classroom or practicing skills from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. five days a week. Being a student-athlete definitely prepared me for that type of schedule!"
The long hours and physicality of the job aren't the only things that these alumni have taken from their time at Long Beach State. Dr. Lauren (Sims) Sylwanowicz who played women's basketball at LBSU is now an emergency medical physician at St. Mary's Medical Center in Long Beach, Calif. Sylwanowicz, who graduated from Long Beach State with a degree in biology and a minor in chemistry, credits the Beach Women's Basketball program with helping her learn and grow in teamwork and leadership.
"As an ER doctor, you're the leader of a very dynamic and changing team, working under pressure and stress," Sylwanowicz explained. "Like a game, you prepare and practice, but you never know what is going to happen. I was able to bring my leadership experience from being on the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee and a team captain; that helped me in leading nurses and staying calm under pressure."
Ruby Flores, who was a softball pitcher at LBSU and the 1992 Western Region Woman of the Year, is now putting her leadership experiences to the test as a commander of the Los Angeles Police Department. A 26-year veteran of the LAPD, Flores earned both her bachelor's and master's degrees at Long Beach State and feels her experience at the Beach helped lead her to her current profession.
"As a collegiate athlete, I always had a sense of mission," Flores stated. "The same is true in law enforcement. A sense of mission simply means that your life and what you do matters, which is what police work is always about."
In our current state of uncertainty, the lives of many people have been affected as the majority of the country is staying home, practicing social distancing, and in some cases, self-isolating. However, for first responders, they continue to put their lives and health on the line for the rest of the community. In some ways, things have stayed the same for these heroes, but in others, the spread of COVID-19 has drastically changed how they operate.
"COVID-19 has been detrimental to all frontline workers, not just me," former LBSU water polo player and current EMT, Nick Rascon, said. "As someone who is in the emergency rooms, I get to see how hard our nurses, doctors, paramedics, firefighters, and respiratory therapists are working around the clock to provide care for those who are affected.
"COVID-19 has changed the way we, as EMTs, handle 911 calls. I have strict Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) guidelines that I must follow to not only keep myself safe, but my co-workers safe, as well, as we serve the citizens in the community."
Echoing Rascon's sentiments is former Long Beach State men's volleyball player Clint Coe who has worked as a fire engineer and paramedic for the last 12 years.
"As a department in LA County, we adhere to the ever-changing and adapting policies regarding COVID-19," Coe explained. "Having said that, the majority of our responses require head to toe PPE including masks, face shield, gown, and gloves. We adhere to the six-foot policy in and out of the stations as best as we can.
"In my position as a firefighter medic to engineer medic, being a Long Beach State student-athlete taught me, first and foremost, the value of teamwork and how much more effective you are at accomplishing a goal as a cohesive unit. Secondly, it allowed me to stay calm in what could be a chaotic environment. Lastly, it helped me to process information, use it effectively, then regurgitate for repetition and instruction."
Throughout all of the adversity each of these first responders have experienced, they remain grateful for the opportunity to serve their respective communities even during the difficult and trying times.
Ashley (Holmes) Lopez, who played softball at LBSU from 2012-15, is now a registered nurse who calls nursing her passion. A firm believer in supporting and giving back to those around her, Lopez tries to find the positive in all situations.
"The most difficult part of my job is the stress of having a life in your hands," said Lopez. "You have to have critical thinking skills and understand what will be best for your patient. You collaborate with physicians, respiratory therapists, and physical therapists, in order to get your patient back to their baseline or better than when they came in. A lot goes into the care of one patient, and you have multiple lives in your hands at every shift. While it can be stressful, it's also a beautiful process to be a part of. I wouldn't change it for the world."
It takes a special person to be a first responder. Those pursing such fields must have a passion for giving back, taking care of their community, and caring for others. For many of LBSU's alumni, they are following in a long line of first responders within their respective families. Coe, Rascon, and Willahan, all come from families of first responders with Coe looking up to his three uncles, Rascon being the son of a 20-year Los Angeles County Fire Department veteran, and Willahan following in the footsteps of his father, grandfather, and great-grandfather.
After running cross country and track and field at Long Beach State from 1988-93, Steve Fong graduated with a degree in kinesiology and social sciences, before going on to pursue a career as a police officer. Fong served for the Long Beach Police Department from 1997-05, before moving to the training unit at the Huntington Beach Police Department.
In the midst of a 20-year law enforcement career, Fong still relies on lessons he learned as a student-athlete at Long Beach State.
"Being a student-athlete was invaluable," Fong said. "It taught me time management, how to perform at a high level, how to create a plan to accomplish goals, the importance of hard work, how to utilize my resources, and how to work well with others."
While many of those working hard in the fight against COVID-19 are on the frontlines and facing the virus on a daily basis, there are also those who are working hard behind the scenes to combat the spread of the disease. Michael Montgomery, who was a pole vaulter at LBSU from 2013-17, is now a lab researcher working at National Jewish Health under Dr. Max Seibold whose lab investigates the role of the airway epithelium in lung diseases.
"As the lab that studies lung diseases and the factors that influence their development and severity, including respiratory viruses, we were well-poised to make a transition to study COVID-19," Montgomery explained. "Though the transition has not been easy, we have succeeded in making strides in our understanding of susceptibility to SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19 severity, especially in high-risk populations. Our lab has been very busy preparing for a new study aiming to determine the incidence of COVID-19 in children and their families across the United States."
With Montgomery working hard in the lab researching COVID-19, he continues to pull lessons he learned at Long Beach State both on and off the field of competition like the rest of the LBSU alumni who are making a difference every day in their jobs as first responders.
Whether they left Long Beach State just last year, or several decades ago, each of these first responders represent their alma mater proudly. As they put their lives on the line each and every day, these alumni continue to demonstrate the hard work, grit, discipline, and focus that made them successful as student-athletes at the Beach and continue to help them make a difference in their chosen professions on the frontlines.
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