Andover Girls Lacrosse traveled to Mesquite, Nevada, over spring break. Hosted by Trilogy Lacrosse, the team worked with coaches and staff for a week-long getaway consisting of various team bonding and performance activities.
Head Coach Heidi Wall ’94, who learned lacrosse at Andover and went on to become an all-time top scoring attacker at Amherst College, described the teams focus on developing technical skills during the trip. In particular, the team worked on its offense, defense, and ability to adjust to instructions from other coaches.
Coach Wall said, “It’s really a trip meant to give us time to work on our skills, work on overall teams systems, team offense, team defense. And it’s an opportunity for players to get to know each other, to receive instruction from [a] variety of different coaches, not only the Andover coaches, but also the Trilogy coaches.”
Emily Smith ’22 described the trip as a way to form relationships within Andover’s lacrosse teams, but also be a place of building one another up through sportsmanship.
“The lacrosse trip is always a special experience because it allows everyone in the program from JV to Varsity to create bonds and relationships. It helps facilitate a comradery across the whole program,” wrote Smith in an email to The Phillipian.
For Ellie Harrison ’22, this was her first lacrosse trip. She believed the experience provided a good opportunity for her to get to know her teammates and enjoy time in a beautiful setting.
“I just really loved playing on the turf fields… These turf fields were surrounded by mountains, and it was just so beautiful. And it was really cool to be playing lacrosse there. And we had a few really great practices and scrimmages. So it was just a cool place to be playing lacrosse. And for us all to be out there together,” said Harrison.
According to Smith, having numerous athletes being able to attend the trip was crucial to its success. She believed it made many people feel comfortable and relaxed for the upcoming tryouts while establishing relationships with the upperclassmen.
Smith wrote, “I think how Girls lacrosse does the spring trip is very unique because it really emphasizes strengthening the program as a whole and Varsity and JV to build connections. We had around forty girls on the trip and I was able to meet a lot of people that I would have never bonded with or talked to without the trip. It also helps with the nerves before tryouts and creates an opportunity for underclassmen to feel comfortable around upperclassmen.”
While at Nevada, the team scrimmaged against Middlesex and Utah State Champions, Park City High School. The team defeated Park City High School, but fell to Middlesex. However, the loss did not upset the team, as it was still adjusting to a new playing style.
Harrison said, “We lost to Middlesex, but I would say it really didn’t mean anything. They were playing their starters and we were playing with three full rotations of people, totally mixed levels. So everyone was playing. We played well, but it was tough to play against the Middlesex starters. And then we did win against the Utah team. And they were Utah State Champs, so that was cool.”
Coach Wall is optimistic heading into the season. With 40 girls trying out and 16 already on the roster, the team is unable to fit the large mass of interested athletes. According to Coach Wall, she seeks players who are well-rounded in all aspects of the game.
“We’re looking for competitive lacrosse skills. We are looking for team play. Good overall understanding of the game. We are looking for positive attitudes, coachability, and a high level of fitness and athleticism,” said Coach Wall.
Andover Girls lacrosse will have its first game on Sunday against Lincoln-Sudbury.
