MFS alum Vanessa Kara is taking on a new role in the Athletics department as the student support coach. The Athletics department is one of the most important parts of the MFS community, offering more than 10 different sports spanning across three seasons. For a student athlete, however, it is often difficult to manage the stress of balancing academics, athletics, and their social life. To help students who are struggling with some of these issues, the athletics program has Vanessa Kara ’15 on staff this year as a Student Support Coach.
Vanessa Kara with Girls Soccer Team (Bottom row, 5th from the left). Photo By: Danielle Dayton
Moorestown Friends’ Athletic Director, Danielle Dayton, commented that the addition of a student support coach is “a really great advancement for our athletic program,” and will “provide another level of support for our athletes.”
While the position is new, the idea is not. Dayton said, “It’s something [the department] has been thinking about for a while. And I think as the school continues to focus on wellness, this is a logical addition for our program that not only supports our athletic program, but supports our school goals as a whole.”
According to Dayton, Kara was chosen “because of her experience in athletics at the college and FIFA level coupled with her philosophy about making sure that we care for the whole person: physically, mentally, emotionally and socially.”
Kara played both soccer and basketball throughout her high school athletic career at MFS. During that time, she sustained multiple ACL tears, which caused her to believe that “[going pro] wasn’t possible.” However, Kara played soccer in college for both Drexel and The University of Florida. After college, she went on to play for both the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) in Finland and for the Dominican Republic National Team.
Kara’s experience with injuries will be a crucial part in her success as a Student Support Coach. Many of the students who would seek guidance from Kara are those recovering from injuries themselves. Coming back from an injury in any sport is something that is very difficult to do, and Kara can provide students with insight and mental strategies to help them to return to their full physical ability. According to Kara, “It’s important to support the mental aspect of the game, because it’s something that’s not always talked about the most, but it’s crucial for development.”
“Psychological health for athletes is something that affects the students’ wellbeing and performance on the field. I think it is a very important position to have, and I think it’s great that MFS has created this position and brought in someone with the required experience,” voiced Varsity Boys’ Tennis player Zaydan Lalani ’26.
