Ever since the girls lacrosse team was formed a few years ago in 2022, the players have been through many changes, such as separating from Perry Meridian and becoming a varsity sport.
This season, the girls have had to go through another huge change with former head coach and science teacher Rachel Frantz leaving to coach at a higher level.
Early on in the school year, the team didn’t have a full coaching staff, causing some players to be stressed about the upcoming season.
“It did make the beginning a lot rockier than we intended it to be,” senior Makayla Taylor said. “Everybody was (very) nervous about how the season was going to go and didn’t think it was actually going to continue.”
Luckily, former SHS players Ella Pierle, Lela Scott and Musandi-Rose Phiri stepped up to help coach the team in need. Although this change brings challenges, it also creates a unique experience for both the coaches and the players.
For all of the coaches, the love of the sport and the team brought them back to SHS.
“I started coaching because (when) I went to college for (lacrosse) for half a year, it wasn’t really for me in college, but I still love the sport, so I came back here,” Phiri said.
For Scott, coaching is her giving back to the sport.
Because of her limited time playing lacrosse before college, she wanted to return and contribute in some way.
“I only got to play for two years, so I wanted to come back to the sport in some way,” Scott said. “Coaching allowed me to do that.”
Pierle, Scott and Phiri played together in 2022, which has created a twist between some the seniors and the coaches, having been teammates.
It created a different dynamic between the two groups, and has worked out for the better.
“It’s a little bit of a shift in the vibe because … when they were my teammates, I could mess around with them, but having them coach, it’s more like I’ve got to make sure I’m still respecting them while also still having fun,” senior Lizzie Forrester said.
Pierle, this being her second year coaching, has been able to form close bonds with the players.
She is enjoying her time as a relatively new coach, and also is apart of the new dynamic between the coaches and players.
“It’s a really good time,” Pierle said. “These were my teammates, and now they’re my players, but more importantly, they are my friends.”
Though they are coaches now, it’s been easier for the three to adjust to each other because they know each other.
With the alumni either being in college or having a full time job, there is a little bit of uncertainty on future plans, but they would love to come back in the future.
“There’s not any guarantee with our schedules, so I would love for all of us to be returning for years to come,” Scott said.
Though there have been struggles, the coaches want the environment and culture that the team used last season to keep the team together for this season.
The mentality the team has is what pushed them through the hardships of the season.
“I just want them to keep the culture and the positive environment that we had last year,” Pierle said.
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