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Ferrum College set me up to be the best possible athlete, person, and student that I could ever imagine,” said alumnus Rob Kaminski, who has had a whirlwind of a journey since graduating from Ferrum College in 2019.
After earning a degree in Social Work, Kaminski went on to play lacrosse and study sports management at Leeds Beckett University in Leeds, West Yorkshire, England, where he earned his master’s degree. Next, he continued his lacrosse career by playing with the Polish National Lacrosse Team. Then, he moved to the Czech Republic and played there for a few months before returning to the United States for six months to coach at Guilford College. Kaminski was then offered the opportunity to play and coach lacrosse with the Chadstone Lacrosse Club in Melbourne, Australia, which is where he currently resides.
Kaminski has continued his lacrosse career, but it has been a journey. “In high school, I was pretty highly recruited to play lacrosse at a lot of Division II and Division III schools. I had all of the athletic attributes, but I didn’t put my mind to where it needed to be for academics. I suffered a lot with that, and I could’ve had other opportunities,” said Kaminski.
Ferrum was not Kaminski’s first choice of schools. Initially, he committed to a few schools and ended up getting in trouble. He was not doing well with his family either and did not know what he wanted to do with his life. Eventually, a friend told him about Ferrum, and he was able to get in touch with the lacrosse coach who then offered him a spot on the team. During this time, he also reconnected with his family, who also pushed him to come to Ferrum. This was his last shot at not only playing lacrosse, but also pursuing a degree. Kaminski chose social work as his major because he knew he wanted to become a lacrosse coach and also help people out of bad situations.
With all of the international opportunities he’s had, Kaminski is unsure when he will hang up his lacrosse stick. Ultimately, he hopes to stay involved in the sport for as long as he can.
He feels thankful that the Ferrum community gave him the support he needed in order to succeed. During his junior season, Kaminski started nine games, and 14 during his senior season. Ferrum has been his favorite team he has played with by far. “Being a college lacrosse player was such a dream of mine in high school. I beat the odds and went to a school that not a lot of people have heard of. Ferrum had me when I had nothing. Even though it might not have been the best team, it was the right team for me to be on,” said Kaminski.
Kaminski acknowledges Ferrum for not only preparing him for a future in lacrosse, but for also changing his mindset about academics. “I’ve always struggled academically. It wasn’t a lack of intelligence; it was a lack of motivation and not knowing where I wanted to go in life. The professors at Ferrum took the time to get to know me for more than face value. They were able to see more than just a lacrosse player. Once I started to think of myself as a student- athlete, and thinking that I could do it, I started to see my grades go up and felt better going into exams. I had the intelligence all along; I just didn’t have the confidence and people telling me that I could be successful. Professors at Ferrum told me to apply the same mentality from lacrosse to my schoolwork, and I would be successful. I took that with me to Leeds,” explains Kaminski.
He credits retired sociology professor Jennie West, dean of graduate and professional studies Martha Haley-Bowling, and former sociology professor Peg Wimmer as faculty who impacted him significantly while at Ferrum. “They taught me so much about life. When I told them about the opportunity to go to England, I could see how much they felt for me. It made me feel special. They always made me feel like I was going to do something great in my life,” said Kaminski.
Wimmer remembers Kaminski as a very kind and thoughtful student. “He never made excuses; he simply kept his head down and kept going and did everything he possibly could to meet the high expectations of his professors and his coaches. His insights shared in class discussions helped his classmates access often hidden ramifications of issues we covered such as poverty and single parenting. Rob was a good bet to master any challenge even if he did not believe in himself at the time it was offered,” Wimmer said.
West has enjoyed keeping up with Kaminski on his lacrosse career and international travels. She remembers him as a student who came to Ferrum to play his sport but also struggled to find himself. “His coaches, professors, and fellow students in his social work cohort, all helped him recognize his academic abilities, trust his insights and believe in all he had to offer others. He was willing to do some hard personal work to believe in himself so his full capabilities could shine through. Rob has been brave enough to follow his dreams and travel the world. He makes us proud,” said West.
Kaminski offered advice for any current or prospective Ferrum College students who want to continue their sport after they graduate college. “Stay true to yourself. Stay true to your family and those who love you. Always try to be the best version of yourself, even on bad days,” concluded Kaminski.
