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Information for parents
Testimonials
It's scary to think of your child being anywhere but with you - the university experience is a learning and growing period of life for the parents as well as the students as they leave home for possibly the first time. The good part? This is not a struggle that you face alone.
Parents of Lady Flames players have graciously provided us with their stories and thoughts in an attempt to help you feel a little more reassured during this otherwise chaotic and even scary time. Many of the concerns that you might be wrestling with have been experienced by many others and hopefully their wisdom of having been there can help you feel more confident in the coming months when important decisions need to be made about your future student's education - regardless if it is here at Liberty or elsewhere (of course we hope you will be joining our family here at Liberty!).
Our prayers are with you and if you have any further questions feel free to contact us at anytime.
Email: womenshockey@liberty.edu
Recruiting Weekends
Throughout the school year we host evaluation weekends where you are invited to the campus. During this long weekend your child will live with some of the existing girls in their residence halls, they will eat in the cafeteria, go to class and skate in a blue/white game infront of a home crowd.
These weekends allow you an opportunity to see the campus and what our women's hockey program is all about and it also allows us the opportunity to view your child on the ice one more time. This is how we continue to produce a successful winning team on and off the ice.
The following weekends have been chosen for the 09/10 season: Nov 5-7 and April 8-11.
A letter from parent Randy Smith:
First I should say that for most parents that are faced with that inevitable time when we have to let our children go out into the world, without feeling close enough to protect them (and them us), it is not a good feeling. We rail against the thought of them leaving, especially to another country not just around the block.
Second, if you happen to be an agnostic and your child talks about Liberty University, a “religious college”, it further tests your position of letting your children explore the truths of the world and they will be strong.
Imagine the scene then, when Paul Bloomfield (Liberty U women’s hockey coach) drives one wintry evening to an arena where our daughter has a hockey game in Waterloo, Ontario, Canada. This man is going to convince us that our daughter belongs at a university twelve hours away, in another country, based on a religious philosophy! You can imagine the challenge that Paul faced with me!
Our first meeting resulted in my continued misgivings, an invitation to visit the Liberty campus and a frank assurance that Paul, with the help of his wife Sharon, would assist our daughter, Patti, with anything she needed and answer any concerns we might have.
In April, my wife, Barb, went to Liberty via the bus from Toronto and came back excited about EVERYTHING! I, of course, still didn’t want anything to do with the possibility of Patti going south.
Well, Patti did decide it was for her, so the family went down in August to get her settled in.
I was impressed by the campus and some of the “smart” ideas like the gum tree and the dress code. Paul and his wife were great hosts and made sure we got our questions answered.
We went back down via the Toronto bus in the fall and again experienced the hospitality of Sharon and Paul.
During that visit I examined the university under my biased microscope. I found that:
Patti is enjoying a well-balanced education that promotes a combination of work ethic with knowledge. Patti’s instructors appear to be genuine and hands-on in their field. They present themselves not only as educators but as colleagues to their students. Class sizes are small in comparison to my experience. The campus security is there to help the students stay safe. The facilities are all outstanding, from the indoor/outdoor athletic facilities, fantastic cafeteria, campus-wide wireless internet, massive comprehensive library and bright classrooms, to the dedicated staff.
Perhaps most important is the helpful nature of staff and students. “How can I help you?” was the by-line throughout our experience.
Am I still an agnostic father who dislikes having his daughter so far from home and family and in a “religious college”? Absolutely!
But I am also thrilled that my daughter is getting a great education and that she is enjoying her post-secondary education experience. Most of all, I feel confident in the genuine care the staff has for the students, both emotionally and physically. I consider Paul and Sharon Bloomfield as friends and admire their consistent commitment to their roles with these young people.
As an initial skeptic, I invite anyone who is considering this university to contact me to talk about my journey.
Randy Smith
Alphanon Consultants Inc.
55 Erb Street East, Unit 321
Waterloo, Ontario, N2J 4K8
519-888-1799
A letter from Parent Dante Frescura:
In April of 2007, my daughter Kristin, was invited to participate in a three day hockey invitational at Liberty University. The seventeen hour trip was made from our home in Sudbury, Ontario and this was the start of an incredible experience that would forever change our lives. I could tell that the Liberty visit had left Kristin with a remarkable impression, as was communicated to me through her conversations and pictures during her stay on campus. In one of her correspondences, she was very positive about attending, so I asked her, "Is it your desire to attend Liberty? Is this your passion? Is this your dream? All three questions were answered with a very conclusive and confirmative "YES - YES - YES." From that moment, I became very supportive for Kristin to achieve her objectives and goals by attending Liberty University.
I too, started to communicate with coach Paul Bloomfield about every aspect of the University academics and the women's hockey team. Paul took the time to explain in detail all the information that I was requesting. When registration time came, Sharon, Paul's wife, took care of all the international application and soon Kristin had been accepted. Later that same summer, Paul and assistant coach Scott, invited all the new recruits and their parents to a luncheon in Toronto. The luncheon was very beneficial to all participants, the team players and parents had the opportunity to meet face to face. Of course more information was gathered and communicated.
I have observed and learned over a short period of time that the coaching staff motivates the Liberty students to become the best that they can be in all aspects of life along with the true family atmosphere on campus. These are the most unique aspects of Liberty. The coaching staff understand the importance of academic and athletic goals and they work overtime to work with the rigorous schedule of competitors so that the students can be the best that they can be. Liberty provides a family like setting for each student to grow and develop. High expectations and positive feed back are key components of this structure where students are encouraged to understand themselves as well as their academic subjects. Liberty supports and celebrates each individual's opportunity to explore and expand their own uniqueness.
I have seen my daughter thrive in this atmosphere; encouraged and challenged to stretch to her outer limits both physically and intellectually. I have never had a moments' regret that Kristin chose to go to Liberty University. She is being prepared to meet the world with confidence which could only come from a very special place. I welcome anyone who is considering attending this university to call me as I have had a few memorable experiences on campus and on the road with the ladies hockey team and coaches Paul and Scott.
Dante Frescura
705-691-7013
