On The Plains: Charlotte McLaughlin

“I tried every single sport, and none of them stuck.”

Senior Charlotte McLaughlin began her equestrian career at a summer camp when she was seven years old. After that, it was the only sport she wanted to do, and she’s been doing it ever since.

What started as a simple conversation between her parents and a couple of strangers led McLaughlin all the way from Canada to Auburn, Alabama.

Her parents were vacationing in Key West, Florida, and met a couple from Bay Manette, Alabama. They became good friends and began visiting them each year.

Their first trip coincided with the Iron Bowl. Family friends encouraged McLaughlin to pick a team and even recommended she choose Alabama.

McLaughlin found out Auburn had an equestrian team, and the rest was history.

“I kept going back every year and fell in love with the state of Alabama,” said McLaughlin. “Then it was time to apply for schools, and I always wanted to go here.”

McLaughlin needed to adjust when she first moved here because life in Alabama differed greatly from life in Canada. She could not believe how everyone here was so nice and friendly.

“It’s funny because people say that Canadians are super nice, but everybody here has that Southern charm and hospitality,” said McLaughlin.

Her team made her feel comfortable here and helped with the adjustment period. She had her teammates and other people in the area to rely on.

“I kind of already had a community built in coming here,” McLaughlin said.

McLaughlin will soon head back to Canada after graduation, but she and her fellow group of seniors have one more goal to accomplish before their time on the Plains is complete. They want to give it their all and bring home a national championship.

“We are going to go all in and enjoy every minute of it,” said McLaughlin.

She knows that she will miss the friendships and Auburn traditions most of all. She does not take for granted being able to see her best friends every day, especially since she will not live near them again.

“Going back to Canada, I won’t be able to see them very often,” said McLaughlin. “Being able to drive down the road and hang out with teammates at any time, I think that’s pretty special.”

Of course there are always the Auburn traditions that will be missed. McLaughlin’s favorites are singing “Tigers on the Warpath” after a victory with her friends and family.

Rolling Toomers always makes it to the top of the list. She hopes to roll Toomer’s one more time before she goes.

As she prepares to leave and return home, McLaughlin knows there are many lessons she will take with her. Most importantly the five A’s she learned from her coaches.

The five A’s include attitude, accountability, arena, academics and athletics. She learned she needs to succeed in at least three of the five.

“Attitude and accountability are really important,” said McLaughlin. “Because those are something you can always control."

McLaughlin also learned to take initiative. She knows all of these will translate to the workforce and looks forward to applying those when she begins to work.

She plans to carry memories with her too. Winning a SEC Championship her freshman year remains her favorite memory during her time on the team.

“That set the tone for me,” said McLaughlin. “As a freshman, once you win, you’re hungry for another one.”

McLaughlin acknowledges the people persisted in making her time at Auburn special. She learned everyone from coaches to support staff remain here to support others.

“Everyone’s willing to help you,” said McLaughlin. “I think that is really special because not a lot of places are like that."

She shares her main piece of advice, know the importance of hard work. She wants to encourage future girls on the equestrian team.

“The harder you work, the more it shows people that you want to be there and that you are happy to be there,” said McLaughlin.

She tells how knowing the importance of hard work makes everything else worth it. Winning and taking breaks with friends feel more rewarding.

McLaughlin plans to return to Canada after graduation and work in construction or development. She knows she will carry the lessons and memories made on the team with her during the next stage of her life.