The girls’ lacrosse team has started its preparation for the season early this year, offering optional field practices, yoga classes, spinning classes, and weight room work-outs. After a frustrating 2008 season, the team is full of new energy and refreshed excitement about having a successful season this year .
Last year, the team’s final record was 4-11, a dissatisfying result. Junior Grace Gallagher identifies a major issue with last year’s team as a lack of unity.
Photo by Esther Hoffman/ Staff
“I really want to see a more unified team . First off, the goals this year [are] to have a better season than last year,” said Gallagher.
Senior Taylor Egolf agrees, adding that she “think[s] last year some girls maybe gave up a bit; [we] had a rough season.”
Players on the team all express confidence in this year’s team, noting “new energy” and “extraordinary dedication.” Team members have been playing together in fall and winter leagues in order to both improve fundamentally and form a well-bonded and communicative team.
In addition, the team started its pre-season a lot earlier this year than in previous years.
“We are hoping that all the off-season work will pay off,” said senior Leah Sack.
Right now, the team has yet to be split into varsity and junior varsity; players are spending most of their practice time working on conditioning and fundamentals. Gallagher also expresses enthusiasm about the team’s work ethic. “We are all working really hard this year,” said Gallagher, and she notes that in addition to a core group of strong seniors and a handful of juniors, many under-classmen are working particularly hard and showing great promise. Sophomore Sarah Spector, already a dominant player on varsity last year, has improved drastically and “will be even more forceful this year.” Freshmen Allison Partridge, Erin Gallagher and Tyler Redmond are also working hard and growing into very strong players.
The team has many challenges, including the incorporation of a new goalie and working around construction; however, players all have positive attitudes about the team’s upcoming season. The team’s main goal this year is to make the Central League playoffs. According to both Gallagher and Egolf, this is a very attainable goal, especially with the commitment and energy that they have seen from all of the players so far this year. With newfound vigorous conditioning, solid fundamentals and strong team unity, this years girls’ lacrosse team should have a successful season.
Emily Eisner
Class of ‘10
