Merrill Middle

Coaching a varsity sport in an inner city school has been both a challenge and a blessing. I came to North and there was not a girls lacrosse program. Lacrosse is a sport that requires equipment; so I wrote a grant to U.S. Lacrosse and got a team set of lacrosse sticks and goggles. I did not have a group of girls to make up the team; so I approached every female I saw in the halls and promised them a learning experience and a new family of teammates.. and I managed to create a team. Each year I have new interest and I welcome these girls with open arms.

Through the lacrosse team, I am able to create an intensely strong community with a group of girls that would not normally interact with one another in any other setting. These girls are able to rely and support one another in a way they may not receive at home. They hold each other accountable. They keep each other out of trouble in and out of school. They have an outlet for stress and anxiety. I have created a culture of accountability that is incredibly important for these girls to have to find success in an otherwise trying stage of life. As coach, I work diligently to not only teach the sport of lacrosse, but to provide my team with the opportunities to demonstrate grit, perseverance, and gain confidence in oneself.