Re-LAX, just do it!: Men and Women’s Teams Prepare for 2015 Season

By Alex Pinto ‘17

Published February 2015

The women’s Lacrosse team practices in anticipation for its first game of the season. Photo courtesy of Stephanie Perlitz ‘16

It’s a new year and new season here for both of our men’s and women’s Wildcat Lacrosse teams and they are both looking to go nowhere but up. Both teams have been through a number of different changes in their line-ups, and have made additions to their roster in in the hopes of a successful 2015 season.

While the Wildcat men’s Lacrosse team lost nine players to graduation and four underclassmen to transfers, the team has a twenty-four player roster: two seniors, six juniors, ten sophomores, and seven first-years. The first-years are meshing well with the team, according to Ryan Mahon '15, and have looked good thus far. The team may have lost some of its more experienced players, but head coach Andrew Sinclair notes that a majority of the younger talent from last year’s team are returning. In addition to the young talent, the team has brought on a new member of the coaching staff, former Randolph Lacrosse player John Grundy '14.

Coming off of last year’s 5-11 record, the boys have targeted several team goals they are aiming to accomplish this year. Coach Sinclair emphasized that he wants to see the team live and play for each other, execute fundamentals at a high level consistently, and achieve a team GPA of 3.0 or higher. Last year, the team’s GPA was 2.9. All of these goals are achievable if the team comes together as one and meshes well together.

“Success for our team is giving 100% to the process of the season,” Sinclair explained. “It’s a long and intense three-and-a-half months, mentally and physically. And, it’s all about the process of reaching our goals — the smaller goals that need to be met to give us a chance to reach our main goals. Study habits, conditioning habits, how we conduct ourselves in the community. Each day we’re living the process and ultimately that’s what we’ll look back on, more so than the wins and losses.”

A few people to look for on the field are sophomore attack Graham Southwick, who’s worked extremely hard this off season and it’s starting to translate onto the field. Also, look for  Mahon and Baden James '16, who will both bring leadership, talent, and experience to the defense. The team is expecting an exciting season. As Mahon stated, “I am looking forward to being out on the field, especially our home turf with my teammates, my brothers, and fight hard through every game.”

The women’s Lacrosse team is also looking forward to a great season. With two seniors, four juniors, seven sophomores, and two first years, the girls are poised to work hard and come together and to improve as a team overall. The coaching staff will be a big part of this process. Samantha Fagone '15 stated, “Our coaches pinpoint each player’s strengths and weaknesses, pairing them up accordingly, so we can build up one another in drills, stickwork, etc…”

The women’s team has been preparing for the season in a variety of ways. They trained over winter break, kept their hands on their sticks, and worked with personal trainers. As the team’s co-captains Fagone and Taylor Klevenz '15 emphasized, way team’s ultimate goals are to work hard and always give 100%, compete in the ODAC, surpass their overall wins in a season, and build the team’s chemistry.

Although the women’s team will approach all of their games as big ones, their two biggest games of the season will be against Virginia Wesleyan and Guilford.  They are preparing for the games now. They are working hard, brushing up on stick skills, footwork, and speed. Coming off of a record of 5-12, the girls have worked and will continue to work hard to achieve their team goals and success. According to senior captain Fagone, success means “Looking back at the practice or game and saying ‘You know what, I left everything out on that field,’ no matter what the score is. I need to have a positive mentality everyday personally, as well as with my team.”

With a three and a half month season left in their college careers for the two seniors,  Klevenz states, “I am most looking forward to ending my four years with one of the best seasons yet to come. I am also looking forward to working with all my teammates, who have already been working so hard to achieve our team goals.”