Washington & Lee University Women's Lacrosse

Generals Alumna Lisa Costello '93 Inducted into the Hall of Fame

2012-02-01T10:10:00.001-05:00

On January 21st, 2012 Generals alumna, Lisa Costello class of 1993, was inducted into the US Lacrosse Hall of Fame, Greater Baltimore Chapter. The class of inductees also included W&L's Rob Lindsey, class of 1976. While both were already members of the W&L Hall of Fame, this was an incredible honor that we want to celebrate!

Lisa with friends and family of the late Rob Lindsey at the induction ceremony.

Upon graduation Lisa held ten school records in lacrosse and was the first player to earn First-Team All-American honors. She also helped lead the Generals to their first ever NCAA tournament. The induction ceremony was held at the Hillendale Country Club in Baltimore, where Lisa grew up and where she now lives. Each inductee was presented by a close friend or colleague, and Lisa's presenter was her co-coach at Notre Dame Prep, Mary Bartel.

I had the chance to catch up with Lisa following the induction ceremony as she shared some stories of her life now, her time at W&L, and her advice to the current Generals.

Lisa on the field during her time at W&L.

Lisa is now the co-coach of the varsity lacrosse team at Notre Dame Prep in Baltimore where she taught for many years. She also works part time for another W&L alum, Josh Levison, in his running store. Lisa said she decided to stay involved with the sport after graduation because of the great college experience she had. She loves the sport and loves being able to continue to be involved. One of her favorite parts of coaching now is keeping some of the traditional aspects of the game alive in her players.

When asked what her favorite lacrosse memory from W&L was, Lisa struggled to pin it down to just one memory. She mentioned the first time they beat Roanoke, her junior year winning the ODAC championship, and of course the NCAA tournament her senior year, but another of her favorite memories had nothing to do with her time on the field. Lisa remembered all of the fun she had with her teammates, especially in the vans, no buses for away trips back then. Lisa said that lacrosse wasn't a job for she and her teammates which made things even more fun.

Lisa's responses to what her favorite parts of W&L as a school were show just how little the school has changed over the years. She talked about the sense of community and the honor code, the small, tight-knit campus, the great friends, and the great education. All things that our Generals now talk about as well, although Lisa did have one more thing on her favorites list that our girls don't have yet. She met her husband here at W&L as well.

While the sticks and uniforms have changed, the excitement behind Generals lacrosse has not!

Lisa and I ended our conversation with her advice for our current Generals to which she said, "Enjoy the school. You have a great tradition to follow, and just have fun with it!" In her acceptance speech at the induction ceremony she also gave a little advice to those girls who are our future Generals, "When it came time to apply for college, lacrosse was truly an afterthought. In those days, there were few scholarships, and girls did not sign letters of intent at age 10. I chose W&L because I loved the school."

Of course before I let Lisa go I had to ask her one more burning questions that all of our blog subjects answer... if you could have a super power what would it be? "To run a marathon without all of the pain and training!"

Thank you and congratulations again to Lisa! Next week we introduce another of our first years.

2012 is Under Way and Meet the Players - First Year Catherine Klinedinst

2012-01-25T09:54:00.000-05:00

Only two days into the 2012 season and the Generals have already hit the ground running! The whole team has completed their strength tests in the weight room, started to put our basic defensive and attacking principles into place, and has just gone 100% at practice each day. Yesterday we were even treated to a little preview of what the weather may be like in a few months (see picture below)! While we aren't expecting to be able to pass around in t-shirts every day of preseason, we definitely aren't complaining!

Now, the blog would like to present first year Generals lacrosse and field hockey player, Catherine Klinedinst...

1. Name: Catherine Klinedinst
2. Year: Freshman
3. Position: Attack
4. Major: Undecided

Me and my family

5. Where do you live on campus? 3rd floor Graham Lees... it's unreal.

6. Favorite lacrosse memory? My freshman year in high school. I was on varsity with girls who were ten time better than I was, which was intimidating at first, but playing with them helped me improve so much. The best thing about that year by far was my coach, Alivian Jorgenson. She's the greatest coach I've ever had and is one of the main reasons I decided I wanted to play in college.

Me and some field hockey teammates

7. Goals for 2012? To have good time management. Since I played field hockey in the fall, I know how important that is. I also really want to win ODACs and beat Gettysburg.

8. What do you miss most from home? Definitely mom's cooking, my church, and my CAR (shout out to my parents... Let me have my car please)!

My dad and I at W&L when I was a baby

9. Favorite thing about W&L? Literally everything... The environment of the school is so friendly and I get to have academics, athletics, and fun! I could honestly go on for hours about how much I love it here.

10. If you could have a super power what would it be? I wish I had the ability to buy clothes and have it cost no money. Flying would also be cool.

Thank you to Catherine for sharing some great information and an even better picture that I'm sure the W&L public relations office would love to get their hands on!

The Generals Join the World of Social Media

2012-01-18T18:25:00.005-05:00

While the women's lacrosse team here at W&L has had a long standing blog, we have decided to update ourselves a little bit and dive even further into the world of social media.

Today we launched our very own Facebook page!

While the blog will continue to be updated each week with stories, profiles, and information, our Facebook page will offer the avid Generals fan another kind of look inside the world of the women's lacrosse team. One of the exciting things that will show more prominently on the Facebook page will be videos. If you head over to W&L Women's Lacrosse right now you can see Caroline Kingsbery in an impromptu chat. And make sure to "Like" us while you're there!

For those of you out there who are as excited as we are for the launch of our Facebook page, get even more excited because the Generals will be Tweeting as soon as Monday January 23rd! Followers on Twitter will have even more inside access as the Generals will be Tweeting even more often than we update our Facebook page and blog!

We hope that all of our avid blog readers will contiue to enjoy the blog as well as join us on Facebook and Twitter. Make sure to check the Facebook page or the blog for our Twitter name on Monday January 23rd as we kick off the season with our first practice!

Next week the blog goes inside the start of the 2012 season!

Meet the Generals - Sophomore Greta Witter

2012-01-12T07:34:00.004-05:00

As we start to round out our class of 2014, Greta Witter introduces herself to us all!

1. Name: Greta Witter
2. Year: Sophomore
3. Position: Attack

4. Major: Economics & Politics

Some laxers before homecoming.

5. Where do you live on campus? Kappa Alpha Theta sorority house
6. Favorite memory of last season: Although I have some pretty found memories of long hours spent on the back of the bus last season (ex. Atlanta), my favorite memory would have to be our regular season game at Roanoke. It felt so good to beat them on their home field - the energy was incredible. My classmate and twin Margaret Klein scored somewhere around chwenty goals, and it was so much fun to watch.

Everybody move to the back of the bus!

7: Goals for this year: My biggest goal for our team in this 2012 season is to come to practice and to games with a differently level of intensity than we did last year. I think we have the natural talent to do big things with our season if we all put in the mental effort.

8. What do you miss most from home? I miss hanging out with my brothers. I miss having the opportunity to sleep all day.

Margaret Kelin (chwin) and I!

9. What is your favorite thing about W&L? My favorite thing about W&L is the fact that the library is open 24/7. I have spent a lot of excessively long nights on the fourth floor.

10. If you could have a super power what would it be? My super power would definitely be to fly. Overused? Yes, but it's everyone's go-to choice because it's clearly the best super power.

Thanks to Greta for all of her answers this week. Next week the blog has an exciting announcement as to how the Generals are catching up with the rest of the world!

Meet the Generals - Sophomore Leanne Stone

2012-01-04T13:28:00.005-05:00

This week General's Sophomore Leanne Stone introduces herself to you below!

1. Name: Leanne Stone
2. Year: Sophomore
3. Position: Defense
4. Major: Mass Communications

My mom and I in Africa this past summer.

5. Where do you live on campus? Gaines Dormitory

6. Favorite memory of last season? Salisbury game in the second round of the NCAA tournament, even though we lost it was the most intense/fun game I've ever played in.

7. Goals for 2012: Win the ODAC championship, qualify for NCAAs, and hopefully get to the final four!!! Never forget to have fun, that's what sports are for! And to stick together and play as a team!

LAX4LYFE, a motto to live by.

8. What do you miss most from home? Aside from my high school friends and family, I really miss living near the water (Long Island Sound).

9. Favorite thing about W&L? How friendly everyone here is, the fact that I can be dedicated to lacrosse (the sport I love) and still be very dedicated to my academics. It provides a great balance between work and fun!

Great (fellow sophomore lacrosse player) and I during homecoming weekend!

10. If you could have a super power what would it be? I would want to be able to snap my fingers and have whatever food I want instantly appear in front of me (Gennies laxers love to eat) OR be able to hold my breath forever.

Big thanks to Leanne for her time ane interesting super power ideas! Come to the blog next week as we start to round out the class of 2014!

Meet the Generals - Sophomore Meredith Lavin

2011-12-29T15:08:00.011-05:00

After a week of holiday festivities, the blog is back with another member of the class of 2014. Below, Sophomore Meredith Lavin answers our Meet the Generals questions!

1. Name: Meredith Lavin
2. Year: 2014

3. Position: Midfield

My family and I at my cousin's graduation last spring.

4. Major: Biology (possible math minor)
5. Where do you live on campus? Woods Creek West
6. Favorite memory of last season? My favorite memory of last season is winning ODACs. I have never been part of a team that was so successful. It was an amazing experience.

My friends from home and I.

7. Goals for 2012: My personal goal is to survive physics and chemistry. They are both tough courses.
8. What do you miss most from home? My family and my mom's cooking.

High School Senior Night

9. Favorite thing about W&L? I would have to say the people. Everyone here is warm and wlecoming. I have made really close friends who will probably be a part of the rest of my life.
10. If you could have a super power what would it be? To fly

Thanks for all your answers Mere! Next week, the introductions continue with another member of the class of 2014. Make sure to check back for the first post of 2012!

Happy Holidays from the Generals!

2011-12-22T11:05:00.008-05:00

Before the Generals headed into their finals, the team got together at Coach O'Brien's house for a morning filled with cookie decorating, a Yankee Swap, and some holiday treats!

Cookie Decorating

SG, Lotterman, Kirby, and Lauren ready for the Yankee Swap in front of the tree!

Ali proudly displaying her present!

Our laxers are cookie artists too!

From our Generals Lax family to yours, happy holidays!!! Next week the blog will introduce another one of our sophomores; be sure to check it out!

Meet the Generals - Sophomore Margaret Klein

2011-12-14T14:10:00.004-05:00

This week we get to peak into the life of sophomore attacker, Margaret Klein.

Some laxers hanging out during Homecoming Weekend.

1. Name: Maragaret Klein

2. Year: Sophomore

3. Position: Attack

4. Major: Business Administration and French

5. Where do you live on campus? I live in Gaines Hall.

The Dirty Dozen (freshmen class) as ODAC Champs!

6. Favorite memory of last season: My favorite memory of last season is winning the ODAC championship. Being able to play Roanoke, one of our biggest rivals, and beat them for a second time during the season was a great feeling. I also loved being with the team on and off the field, especially all of our team dinners.

7. Goals for 2012: My goals for this season are to go undefeated in the ODAC, win the ODAC championships, and make it past the second round of the NCAA tournament. And also to beat Salisbury after our close loss to them in the second round of NCAAs.

My family and me at graduation.

8. What do you miss most from home? I miss my two dogs, Brownie and Maddie, and my Mom's cooking!

9. Favorite thing about W&L? My favorite thing about W&L is the sense of community and trust that defines the campus, and there is so much tradition that we continue to uphold. I also love being able to play a sport in college!

Leanne, Kirby, and Me on Parent's Weekend.

10. If you could have a super power what would it be? I would want the ability to fly. I always have dreams that I'm flying and I want to be able to do it in real life!

A big thanks to Marge for sharing her survey with us this week. Next week the blog gets in the holiday spirit with pictures from the Generals' Christmas party!

Meet the Generals- Sophomore Olive Waxter

2011-12-07T11:16:00.007-05:00

As Sophomore Olive Waxter and the rest of the Generals prepare for finals week, let her introduce herself to you... Olive and el captain!

1. Name: Olive Waxter
2. Year: 2014
3. Position: Defense
4. Major: Biology (Pre-Med) Minoring in Environmental

Roomies

5. Where do you live on campus? Gaineslyfe!

6. Favorite memory of last season? We were sent to Lee Chapel as a team and were suppose to touch the doors and then run back. One of our most competitive players, Caroline Kingsberry, took a "short cut" down one of the steepest hills. She was in fact very far ahead of everyone, but as she turned around to encourage and push all of us (which really was trash talking) she fell face first into a huge mud puddle. The entire team was laughing and teasing CK (after making sure she was ok) as she got up and shook it off and laughed along with us. It was one of those moments that replay in your mind over and over again, so as the run continued down the hill to Lee Chapel (which is a tougher run than one might think) the entire team was smiling from ear to ear. Of course CK was right back up and back in the front of the pack in no time, but this was just one of those times where we were working at our 100% level as a unit and still were having a blast. It's what out lacrosse team is all about. It is amazing to me how much our team laughs and plays because each on of us is more competitive than the other, we push each other to places we would never have thought of going.

Maggers and Olive in Spain

7. Goals for 2012? FINAL FOUR HERE WE COME! With one year under the sophomores' belt, our class is hungry for more. Being so close to defeating Salisbury as freshmen really proved to all of us that this team can be as strong as we want it to be. Our upperclassmen showed us how to work, and now we are 100% ready to work, no excuses. Our class is the biggest returning class, and if we step up and bring all the freshmen along board, we will have a team that will do what it takes to win. The upperclassmen will continue to push us as we grow into the players they expect us to be.

8. What do you miss most from home? My dogs! Dogs are really an amazing part of peoples' lives in the way they interact with us and shape us. I can talk to my family all the time, but you really become separated from a dog since the only way to communicate with them is to play fetch or indulge them and allow them to sleep on your bed every once and a while (every night).

The Waxters

9. Favorite thing about W&L? I love the atmosphere that W&L creates. Just as an example: being part of the pre-med program is a big job, but you'd be surprised at just how community oriented the program is. At bigger schools the competition is really intense among students, but at W&L there is a lot of collaboration and helping each other along. In the changing medical world, the ability to work well with others is going to be very important. I think that the small size of the school makes everyone feel more comfortable and more at ease simply because there are familiar faces everywhere. The teachers are absolutely fabulous as well. I feel like I have a huge amount of people who really just want me to do well and succeed which is something that not every school has.

10. If you could have a super power what would it be? Teleport defeinitely! Teleporting is the ultimate super power because you can also fly and basically be invisible. You can teleport in the air and then teleport in the air further and you're basically flying. You can teleport into a room where you can't be seen either and if you get in trouble you just teleport out. Plus, it would be really easy to travel.

Thanks to Olive for filling us in on W&L and making a compelling argument for teleporting being the best super power. Good luck to all of our Generals as they head into finals week and make sure to visit the blog next week to meet another sophomore General!

What the Generals Are Thankful For

2011-11-30T12:39:00.007-05:00

After spending the week at home with their family and friends for the Thanksgiving holiday, we asked the girls what they were thankful for...

Christina Benedetti '12- I am thankful for Harry Potter, Justin Bieber, and musicals (aka Glee and High School Musical).

Adele Irwin '15- I am thankful for my parents.

Emily Hardy '15- I am thankful for my family and all they've done to help me get to W&L. I'm also thankful for everyone's safe travels back to Lex!

Maddie McKaig '12- I'm thankful for having someone who cares as much about me as I do for him. And if you're thinking I'm talking about my boyfriend, you're wrong. I'm thinking of my cat, Mr. Waffles.

Taylor Zusi '14- I am thankful for my family and my dogs.

Cara Mulligan '15- I am thankful for Sarah Gray having all the seasons of Gilmore Girls and also for my new lax teammates!!

Sammy Yates '15- I am thankful for my family's good health.

Alli Shearin '12- I'm thankful for my dogs, Pup and Rus, and for all of the joy that they bring me!

Kirby Taylor '15- I am thankful for the abundance of food in my fridge and pantry (especially peanut butter and fig newtons) and a large family.

Meredith Lavin '14- I am thankful for my family and all the support they provide me.

All of the First Years (and Maisie) gathered around our own Thanksgiving style class dinner at the O'Brien house!

Leanne Stone '14- I am thankful for my two suite-mates Olive and Alice. I am thankful for their health and their extremely positive attitudes through tough recoveries from surgery.

Ashley Barnes '13- I'm thankful for my big brother and that I got to hang out with him over break.

Lauren Acker '12- I'm thankful for my family, I'm thankful for all of the seniors, and I'm thankful to be a general!

Alex Van Horn '14- I am thankful for my WONDERFUL roommate Meade.

Meade Brewster '14- I am thankful for my roommate.

Katie Lotterman '15- I'm thankful for my friends and family!

Elizabeth Bucklee '13- I am thankful for family and friends, both near and far, and for Skype, Facebook, and email that keep us in touch. I am also thankful for things like popcorn, grapes without seeds, Caesar salad, Chipotle, and the list continues...

Katie McCartin '15- I am thankful for all my family and friends and the opportunity to lax with some pretty cool people at W&L.

Jennifer Linder '12- I am thankful for the laughs my family enjoyed when my dog tried whipped cream for the first time.

Greta Witter '14- I am thankful for my brothers, all my lax pals, and my new nose.

Sarah Gray Erickson '15- I'm thankful for my family and all my new friends at school especially Adele.

The coaching staff is especially thankful for such a great team and all of their safe returns to campus following what sounds like a very thankful break! Visit the blog next week as we introduce another member of the class of 2014!

Coaches Head to IWLCA Convention

2011-11-23T09:32:00.006-05:00

Last week Brooke and MK got up nice and early Wednesday morning to jump on a plane down to Naples, Florida for the annual IWLCA Conference and the President's Cup.

Each year the IWLCA, Intercollegiate Women's Lacrosse Coaches Association, holds a convention for all of its members to get together and discuss important issues in the game and honor those who have worked hard to advance the game in the past year. After arriving in Florida, Wednesday and Thursday were filled with speakers such as Ryan Knapp from the NSCAA on social media and technology and Rebecca Ahlgren-Bedics from the Jeff Jansen Leadership Academy. We also spent a good deal of time discussing new rules at both our level and at the youth level, tournaments, as well as updates on all of the things the IWLCA has been working on this past year. The ballroom transformed from meeting space to dinner hall.

After a very long day of meetings on Wednesday, all the coaches got dressed up and ready for the IWLCA Honors Dinner. Our congratulations go out to all of the honorees for the 2010-11 season!

Muffy Bliss, head coach at McDaniel, MK, and Kristin Ramey, head coach at Denison, at the honors dinner.

Friday wrapped up with more discussions concerning tournaments and rules followed by a quick presentation on the great organization, Lax 4 Life. Lax 4 Life is a non profit lacrosse organization aimed at suicide prevention and awareness for young adults and adolescents. The organization started in 2009 and has raised a great deal of money to date toward their cause. Check out their Facebook page to get involved!

It wasn't all fun in the sun at the fields each day.

Once the meetings were finished it was time to change gears and get recruiting! No beach time for these Generals coaches, just plenty of sweating on the sidelines of some great tournament games all weekend.

Brooke and MK returned back to Virginia just in time to wish everyone a happy and safe holiday this week! Check back next week to hear what our Generals are thankful for.

Meet the Generals- Sophomore Alex VanHorn

2011-11-16T09:47:00.006-05:00

Sophomore Alex VanHorn introduces herself to the masses in her own style below!

Just some classic besties- Horn, Hagey, Meade

1. Name: Alex Van Horn
2. Year: Sophomore
3. Position: Midfield
4. Major: Business Administration; minor in Mass Communication

Winners of the scavenger hunt… aka the BEST team!

5. Where do you live on campus? Kappa Delta sorority house
6. Favorite memory of last season? The last minutes of our ODAC finals game against Roanoke when it was obvious that we were going to win.. And of course the moment when the clock stopped and we were ODAC CHAMPS.
7. Goals for 2012 (personal, team, lacrosse, whatever you want to share)? My personal lacrosse goal is to SCORE GOALS! My team goal is for us to really work together and bond as a whole team. And my non-lacrosse personal goal is to really use and cherish everything available to us at W&L.

Some of us from my high school lacrosse team dressed up for Denim Day – repeat for the Gennies?!

8. What do you miss most from home? My dogs and my Mom’s food and actually having a mall and real civilization close by.
9. Favorite thing about W&L? I love the small class sizes and just knowing so many people when walking around on the Hill.
10. If you could have a super power what would it be? To be able to teleport myself anytime, anywhere.. DUH.

Thanks to Horn for the beautiful pictures and insight into her life. Also, congratulations to Lauren Acker who is being honored today as the General of the Month. Check back next week to hear about the IWLCA conference in Naples, Florida.

Generals Welcome Goalie Coach Maisie Osteen

2011-11-09T09:54:00.005-05:00

This fall the Generals welcomed goalie coach Maisie Osteen to the team. Below she introduces herself to the Generals' Nation.

Born and raised in Charlottesville, Virginia I never dreamed where lacrosse would take me. In fact, as a kid, I didn't dream about lacrosse. I didn't know what lacrosse was until I went to an "informational meeting" in 8th grade. That was where my fate was sealed.

The first day of pratice our coach asked for a volunteer goalie for the day. Although she promised it was not forever, little did she know, it was. Once I stepped in the crease, I knew I was in the right place. In my first season as a Black Knight we went 0-12. It was rough but with a start like that things can only get better. My senior year we went 12-2 and advanced as far as possible in our division. High school lacrosse taught us all to work hard, rely on each other, and laugh... a lot! Maisie looking all pretty these days.

The recruiting process was a whirlwind and I ended up at Hofstra Univeristy in Long Island, New York. When I went on my recruiting visit I fell in love with the team, the coach, and the chance to be so close to the city. At Hofstra, I was the four-year starting goalie for the Pride. During my career we went to the CAA championship three times, winning the conferenc once, advancing to NCAAs once, and most importantly having fun, lots of fun. All the 6:00am runs, 8-hour bus rides, and late night study halls made us a closer team and a more effective unit on the field. I met some of my best friends at Hofstra and I would not change anything about my experience.

Maisie in between the pipes for the Pride.

I enjoyed life off the field, at Hofstra, as well. I majored in legal studies in business and minored in political science and history. I took a bunch of art classes and every opportunity to get in to the city to visit museums, go to street fairs, and experience different cultural events.

The summer after my sophomore year I played in a tournament with a few players from the Welsh National Lacrosse Team. I expressed excitement about the team to them because my grandfather was from Wales. During the tournament, I spoke to the coach and the next month I was flown over to the United Kingdom for a try-out. After a long exhausting weekend, I made the team, and started flying to Great Britain once a month for squad weekends. The team was filled with amazing and ccomplished women who ranged in age, experience, and backgrounds. We had doctors, police officers, and there were a few other students as well.

Maisie in the cage again, this time for the Welsh National Team.

After I graduated I moved to England to be closer to the team in the year leading up to the World Cup. I taught sports at the Royal School for Girls in Haslemere, Surrey, UK. At the school I was the head coach for five lacrosse teams with players ranging in age from 11-18. If for any reason I had started to think of lacrosse as a job, this position reminded me exactly why I loved the sport. I had so much fun working and learning with the girls. Also, being in the UK allowed me to substantiate my relationships with my Welsh teammates. We played in a number of tournaments, attended numerous events, and really got to know each other. In June 2009, the World Cup was in Prague, Czech Republic. It was a fantastic experience and although we did not do quite as well as we had hoped, ending in 6th place, we performed very well and confirmed our international position as a strong team.

After I returned from the UK I worked in Charlottesville for two years at both the Legal Aid & Justice Center and a small local defense firm. These experiences, along with some of my previous educational experiences, solidified my desire to go to law school and that, my friends, is how I ended up at Washington and Lee. I am particularly interested in pursuing a career in human rights and public interest law. I did a substantial amount of my undergraduate work in human trafficking prevention and research and, although, I am interested in continuing that research, I realize there is a multitude of valuable work to be done and I am excited to learn more about varying legal opportunities!

I owe a lot to lacrosse. It has afforded me amazing opportunities to travel, access to a great education, and millions of amazing memories playing the sport I love. The most important and rewarding part of my lacrosse career, however, has been the people I have met. My teammates, coaches, fans, and opposiong players are why this journey has been so special. Many of my best friends now are people I once played beside. We know each other so well because we have seen each other at our best and our worst and we have learned the difference.

I am excited to get to know the Washington & Lee lacrosse team better and I look forward to an amazing upcoming season. Go Generals!

Now that you know the coaching staff, check back next week to meet one of our sophomores who wasn't properly introduced on the blog last year!

MK Heads Out For Some West Coast Lax

2011-11-02T10:06:00.003-04:00

While the rest of the Generals were busy raking leaves and painting rooms for our Fall Clean-Up Fundraiser, I jumped on a plane bound for Seattle and some West Coast lax!
The clinic venue on a beautiful fall Seattle day!

While it was definitely my fastest trip to the West Coast and back, (I was in Seattle for only 27 hours) it proved to be a great day to help spread the game of lacrosse. Through the club team I also coach during the off season, XTEAM, I was sent out to coach a WomensLax.com clinic with some of the coaches from USC. I worked with Devon Wills, USC defensive coordinator and US National team goalie, Hilary Bowen, USC offensive coordinator and four time national champion with Northwestern, Regan Bosch, director of lacrosse operations at USC and Duke '08 graduate, and Catherine Rodriguez, Syracuse class of 2011 and local Seattle laxer. We had more than 50 laxers come out for a great day filled with stickwork, shooting instruction, small games, and scrimmages.

After the clinic the coaching staff had a little time to explore Seattle before boarding our respective planes back home. Below are some pictures from our little trip eating our way through Pikes Place Market!

Unfortunately no on ordered anything, so we didn't see any fish throwing.

We stopped to sample cheese curds and the famous Mac and Cheese at Beecher's Handmade Cheese!

We even added our own little bits to the famous gum wall!

Seattle is a great place where lacrosse is definitely growing and getting better all the time. The next time I make a trip out I only hope I can stay a little bit longer!

Next week's blog will be filled with an introduction, but you'll have to check back to find out who we're introducing!

Generals Clean-Up All Over Town

2011-10-26T11:01:00.006-04:00

This past weekend the Generals enjoyed some great fall weather and got outside to get their hands dirty! SG taking a quick break!

Each of the girls spent a few hours either Saturday or Sunday working with a few of their teammates to help out a faculty or staff member from the university with some sort of housework.

Alli and Horn showing off their tools of the trade!

We had a huge response from people on campus who wanted to have the team come out to their homes and do a little yardwork. The girls did everything from gardening, raking, trimming bushes, painting, cleaning gutters, to sanding, window washing, weeding, and car washing.

CK scraping paint off some old shutters!

A big thank you to all of the faculty and staff who supported the team through this great fundrasier, and a huge thank you to the team for doing all the hard work to get us to our training trip in February!

Visit the blog next week to hear about MK's lightning fast trip to the West Coast!

Hola Mis Amigos! From Junior Elizabeth Bucklee

2011-10-19T10:18:00.004-04:00

Generals Junior Elizabeth Bucklee is spending the fall semester abroad in Barcelona, Spain. Below she fills us in on her life across the pond!

Hola mis amigos! I hope that all is well in Lex and that Fall Ball was a success! I cannot believe that it is already mid-October and that the semester is halfway finished. The workload has picked up a little bit over here and I just finished my first two midterms today. Classes are going well but the Spanish style of learning is very different from what I am used to at W&L. Class is completely lecture, professors do not have office hours, and our grade consists mostly of our midterm and final with maybe a little quiz squeezed in somewhere. But the best part is that I do not have classes on Fridays! Luckily, I've been able to take advantage of that and do some travelling. Me outside of my homestay (doors to the left) and my senora's pottery shop (glass doors to the right).

Not that I like escaping from Barcelona for too long, though! I love this city, the beach, the food, the architecture, the siestas, and the Catalan culture. My homestay family is awesome - Pepa, mi senora, is an amazing cook and I can smell lunch and dinner cooking right below my bedroom every day. She makes pottery and her shop is located below our bedrooms and living space. Pretty cool! We live in El Gotic, which is the old Roman city aka the original Barcelona. It's very touristy, but absolutely beautiful and very central to the rest of the city. There is always something going on in Barcelona and it's fun to walk and get lost on the side streets with the cafes and tiny shops. I decided to study abroad on my own, which has been great because my independence has definitely grown and I've made friends from other universities in the States. But being located in a major city has many perks, liking having my W&L friends come and visit for the weekend! Me at the top of the mountain in Parque Guell which was designed by the artist Gaudi.

I've also done my share of travel so far- I've visited Madrid and Toledo, Seville, Sitges, Munich, Valencia, and I am going to Paris next weekend (shout out to Karen and Andy who will be there to celebrate a birthday and anniversary and my dad doesn't know I'm meeting up with them so shhh). It is so easy to get around in Europe and the flights are pretty cheap. I hope to book a couple more trips or day trips in Spain before I fly home in December! My favorite part about travel so far has been the hostel experience. You feel SAO college and sao Euro (but maybe we've just gotten lucky with the past few hostels we've chosen??). You think First-Year dorm situations are funny? Try living with your friends in bunk beds, a communal bathroom, and in a different country for a couple of nights. Me and a friend outside the cathedral in Valencia.

I miss the fall weather (Barcelona is still in the 80s), W&L Lacrosse (I get weird looks running in Generals Lax gear), the close proximity of everything in Lexington (I take a 20 minute metro ride to school), real coffees (cafe con leche is great, but sometimes it's a little mucho on the leche), and my friends! Somehow a group of us got talking about Harry Potter the other day and I mentioned that I had been sorted. Naturally, everyone was curious as to what house my lacrosse team had chosen for me. I'll let you guess if they were shocked or not at my reply. Can't wait to see everyone in January and let me leave you with this inspirational quote on the wall of the gym here in Barca- "SI QUIERES, PUEDES!"

Special thanks to Buck for filling us in on her adventures! Use Google translator to find out what's keeping Buck motivated! Check back next week for a wrap up from our Fall Clean-Up Day happening this weekend all over Lexington!

Generals Work Hard On and Off the Field

2011-10-12T09:15:00.006-04:00

Where have the last four weeks gone??? Fall ball has come to a close after four weeks of hard work by all of the Generals. The final weekend was quite a full one with Habitat builds, soccer and field hockey games, and of course our play day against Roanoke, Lynchburg, Swarthmore, and Mary Washington complete we fantastic tailgate!

After our final practice on Friday the remainder of the team that had not already done so spent half of their Saturday cutting, hammering, screwing, and sawing out at the Habitat build site that the rest of their teammates visited a few weeks ago. The house had come along by leaps and bounds compared to where it was just a few short weeks ago, and the girls got to work quick pushing closer to the completion of the house. Between the clean-up done inside, the pickets made on the front porch, the soffit installed, and the edge work done, the house was looking better than ever after a day of the Generals' work.
The last group of Generals to head out to Buena Vista to help Joe and Kelly (either end) on the Habitat build site.

While working with their hands on Saturday was definitely tiring, the girls were ready to go come Sunday when Roanoke, Lynchburg, Swarthmore, Mary Washington, and CNU arrived on campus to play. We could not have asked for more beautiful weather to spend all day on the turf for some great lax! The Generals head up field after a draw. Photo credit to John Van Sant!

The Generals played four 30 minute running time games against conference opponents Roanoke and Lynchburg and out of conference foes Swarthmore and Mary Washington. This was a great opportunity for the team to finally play someone other than ourselves and really work through all of our systems. The scrimmages even gave the Generals a chance to work through the two new rule changes for the 2012 season with only two people on the draw circle and having to play a man down during cards. The day finished with a great tailgate put on by all of the Generals' parents. A big thank you to all of them and a special thank you to Tom Waxter for coordinating the whole affair!

All in all the day was a great cap to the fall season and only a jumping off point for even better things to come in the spring! Only 95 days until preseason!

Visit the blog next week as we introduce our new volunteer goalie coach Maisie Osteen.

Homecoming Weekend Brings Alumnae Back to Campus

2011-10-05T10:57:00.013-04:00

Although it was definitely a crisp, fall morning the Generals came out ready to play on Saturday with some great alumnae making it to the turf as well! All the Generals, past and present!

The team has been working hard for the first three weeks of fall ball, so it was nice to get on the turf and play a real competition. The current Generals played both on the blue and white team, rotating between working with their teammates in the systems we run and working in with the alumnae who definitely came out ready to show their stuff! The play was at a very high level for both 30 minute running time halves, but the current Generals managed to squeak out a win.

Coach Diamond O'Brien and the alumnae before the start of the game!

A big thank you to all the alums you came out to play and push our current players! In attendance were:

Class of 2001- Ellen Ritsch

Class of 2006- Kate Lester and Margaret Batten

Class of 2010- Meredith Freeman

Class of 2011- Kathy Brown, Kate Donnelly, Katharine Farrar, Wilton Megargel, and Kate Speare

You would never have known that they hadn't been practicing all fall right alongside the curent Generals!

With one fall competition day under our belt the Generals look forward to the scrimmage day this week. Check back next Wednesday for a recap!

The Generals Support Their Field Hockey Teammates and a Great Cause!

2011-09-28T08:15:00.009-04:00

After the finish of the second full week of fall ball the team was not done with their time spent together just because we were done on the field! The girls cheer on their field hockey teammates at the turf field!

After a little muddy Friday practice the team was able to enjoy a team dinner at DHall before heading over to the turf field to support their teammates on the field hockey team. While the weather did not hold up for the whole game and the end score was not in favor of the Generals, the girls were loud and proud as they supported their friends. Great job to Christina Benedetti, Ashley Barnes, Taylor Zusi, Catherine Klinedinst, and the rest of the field hockey team!

While most of the team spent their Saturday morning catching up on some rest from the long week of practices, 9 Generals and MK headed out to Buena Vista to help out Habitat for Hummanity.
Sammy, Adele, Kirby, and Cara get their tool belts on and ready!

Site coordinator, Kelly met the group and filled us in on the home owners and the way Habitat works. Our new friend Joe then arrived to teach us all we needed to know and assign us our jobs. The girls did a number of jobs throughout the day including:

Roofing... our first years were the only ones brave enough to go up with Kelly!

Framing for ceiling work... Meade, Katie, and Kelsey hammered away all morning!

Sawing... Maddie and Horn overcame their fear of the power saw to become pros in building pickets!

The girls did a great job of getting right into the work and getting their hands dirty. Kelly and Joe were both very appreciative of the work the Generals put in and the girls had a great time!

Fall ball is more than half over; check back next week to hear about the 2011 Alumni Game!

Team Bonding: Both as Laxers and as Generals

2011-09-21T11:50:00.009-04:00

First things first... Congratulations to Team 1 for winning the A to Z scavenger hunt last week! After a great practice on Friday capped by a full field scrimmage, the team was treated to a Salerno's team dinner at Coach Diamond O'Brien's house with salad, chicken and pasta, garlic bread, and of course, ice cream and cookies for desert. After a great first week of fall ball the girls really deserved a time to hang out and enjoy some great food!
The team dives into some delicious food from Salerno's!

Once dinner was finished Team 1 was announced as the winners of the scavenger hunt. Team members Maddie McKaig, Margaret Klein, Alex Van Horn, Katie Lotterman, Sammy Yates, and Cara Mulligan all received one "get out of conditioning free" card to be used this fall.

We were even lucky enough to have our field hockey players join us for our team dinner!

Later in the weekend the whole team got together again, but this time they were joined by all of the other athletes on campus as well. Senior captains Lauren Acker and Christina Benedetti were both part of the organization of the "23 All-Athlete Tug of War" that happened on Sunday night at Wilson Field under the lights.

Bene manning the tug of war bracket.

"23", chosen for the 23 varsity teams on campus, is an organization on campus working towards the goal of creating a community of athletes at W&L. The hope is that as all of the athletes get to know each other better they will be more likely to come out and support each other at home events.

Some laxers get excited in an early round of tug of war.

As the student athletes arrived they were each given a t-shirt and a 23 wristband. Each wristband was a different color representing the tug of war team that each athlete would join in the competition. There were laxers on every team mixing in with tennis, basketball, field hockey, soccer, and every other W&L athlete all over Wilson Field.

Olive and Mere get ready for one of the later rounds with the eventual champion red team!

All in all, it was a great night to see all the Generals out enjoying some competition and ice pops early in the fall. The laxers will be out later this week to support the field hockey team on Friday night as they take on Bridgewater. Go Generals!

Visit the blog next week to see the team supporting their hockey teammates and supporting a great local cause!

Generals Are Ready For School From A to Z!

2011-09-14T12:48:00.008-04:00

Well the Generals laxers are all back on campus and ready to go! We kicked Fall Ball off with a bang sending the girls on an A to Z scavenger hunt that had the team running all over campus, and even through town, for the chance to receive a "get out of conditioning free card" to be used once this fall. To say the least the girls were competitive, and each team had their own strategy for winning the coveted prize.

The team was split into four smaller teams and each team was given an envelope with their instructions and just under an hour to complete their task. The teams had to stay together the whole time, document their finds with a digital camera, represent the letter they had found using their bodies in the pictures, and make sure they went in alphabetical order. Each letter finished was worth one point. Bonus points were given for a few things, including 10 bonus points for the first team to return.
K for kitchen! Athletic director Jan Hathorn gets involved in J and gets this team 5 bonus points!

P for Pi Beta Phi!

Really getting ready for the season with W for Watt Field!

Each team did an excellent job and everyone returned within the time limit so as to not be disqualified Top Model style. With all the teams collecting quite a few letters, any tie will be decided based on the creativity of the pictures. The winner will be announced this Friday at the first team dinner.

Make sure to check back next week to find out the winner and hear about team dinner at the O'Brien's!

A Name Change in the Women's Lacrosse Office

2011-09-07T09:19:00.007-04:00

Since we have been chronicling what many of our student-athletes were up to this summer, it is only fair that we give our blog readers a glimpse into what our Head Coach was doing this summer:

Hi Everyone!
Welcome back to campus for what is sure to be another fantastic year for Generals Women's Lacrosse! I have been asked to blog a bit about my summer vacation. As many of you know, it was quite an eventful summer - in between recruiting, working camps and starting football preseason, Brendan and I found time to get married!

We were married on July 2, 2011 in my hometown, Longmeadow, MA and had an absolutely amazing day. Our wedding took place at St. Mary's Church where my grandparents and parents were also married - it was definitely incredible to be the third generation of my family married in such a beautiful church. Our reception was held at the country club in town and the band rocked well into the night with our lively wedding crowd.

We were lucky to be treated to an "Ultimate Day" weather wise and could not have felt more supported by the many family and friends who made the trip to Longmeadow to help us celebrate the start to our marriage.

After a quick "mini-moon" to North Hatley, Quebec- we were both back on the recruiting trail on Tuesday, July 5th - did you expect anything less? Don't worry - we will be taking a proper honeymoon in December.

Now it's time to focus on our fall season, welcoming our new First-Years to the team and laying the foundation for our 2012 season which is sure to be an exciting one!

See you all soon,
Coach Diamond O'Brien

P.S. A special thanks to my high school and college soccer teammate, Sarah O'Keefe Greig, for her fabulous shot of us leaving the church!

As Coach Diamond O'Brien said, the school year is upon us! So check back next week for an update on the team's arrival to campus and the start of fall ball!

Lauren Acker Spends her Summer in Sololá, Guatemala

2011-08-31T09:43:00.015-04:00

I spent two months of my summer living in Solola, Guatemala. Solola is nestled within the mountains of the basin of Lake Atitlan in Guatemala's Western Highlands. Compacting all of my experiences throughout my two months in Guatemala into a short blog entry is proving to be a challenge!... but here we go:

A view of Solola, Lake Atitlan, and Volcano Toliman from the roof of a friend's restaurant, "el gran mirador".

I lived with a wonderful host family who graciously welcomed me and gave me a taste of daily life in Solola. To give you all a brief context of what Solola is like, 90% of its inhabitants identify themselves as indigenous Maya (Kaqchikel or Kiche) and 10% as non-indigenous. I passed most of my days without seeing another gringo, even though Solola is only a 30 minute bus ride from Panajachel- the region's largest tourist spot- very few tourist make it up the mud/rock-slide prone mountain pass to Solola. However, the almost nonexistent tourism in Solola lies in stark contrast to the enormous amount of local traffic. Solola is the capital of the Department and boasts the largest market in the department, attracting people from all of the nearby municipalities. As you can imagine, this region is rich with a unique history and colorful, thriving culture. Thus, it is the perfect location for an ethnographic field school. As a Sociology/Anthropology major with graduation on the ever-nearing horizon, I wanted to use my summer months to study aborad and gain some valuable experience "in the field". I spent my days designing and conducting my own ethnographic research project, collecting data by interviewing and speaking with Sololatecos. I was curious to learn about local perspectives of Lake Atitlan, focusing on its importance, health, and current and future preservation efforts.

Me with my host Mom, Olga and three of her ten grandchildren.

This was an entirely new challenge for me; there were certainly days when the culture shock; constant thinking, interviewing, and speaking in Spanish; and pressures of my research were exhausting and overwhelming. However, after a lot of hard work, my field notes, interviews, and data slowly morphed into a final paper. This unique challenge provided me with an equally unique sense of acomplishment and excitement, one that eludes my ability to translate it into words. I learned so much about Guatemala, Solola, Lake Atitlan, Mayan culture, anthropology and field methods, improved my Spanish, and gained valuable personal insight.

Making tortillas at a traditional Mayan oven/stove in the town of Santa Lucia. Tortillas were served fresh with every meal. The constant "pat-pat-pat" of women making tortillas could be heard on nearly every street in Solola, at all hours of the day. I never quite perfected this art, as my tortillas tended to be mishapen and uneven thickness.

Since my research was based in Solola, I was unable to do a whole lot of traveling around Guatemala. But I traveled to a majority of the municipalities found within Lake Atitlan's basin, each with its own micro-culture. I also spent some time in the colonial city of Antigua, Guatemala's largest tourist attraction (Lake Atitlan is the second most visited area). I hiked Pacaya, Guatemala's most active volcano- it last erupted in May 2010.

Yoga near the rim of Pacaya.

Recently Guatemalan history is tarnished by the horrific bloodshed of its civil war, which was instigated by the CIA in 1960 and only ended in 1996. In many ways, post-peace Guatemala is more violent, and equally dangerous. Guatemaltecos are still searching for peace and stability as they heal the wounds left by the civil war. Despite this, they are very warm and welcoming. Instead of harboring resentment and expressing hostility toward me, they shared their infectious sense of pride for their country and their culture. I made amazing friends in Solola and was quickly considered my host mom's 'hija de Solola' (daughter of Solola). I have already begun formulating plans to return to Guatemala to visit my friends and family and explore more of its grogeous landscape!

Four boys watch and cheer on their favorite, local football team from the hill above. A typical playing field... quite a contrast from Watt, huh?

On an endnote: explaining the sport of lacrosse in my limited Spanish vocabulary and questionable grammar proved to be very difficult! No one I encountered had ever heard of or seen our sport! I eventually created a suitable explanation that, when combined with a few pictures, painted a somewhat discernable picture!

Apologies to Acker, as technical difficulties did not allow the post to show all of the accents used in the names of people and places in Guatemala. Visit the blog next week for a bit of a summer surprise!

Generals Senior learns about art, architecture, and pizza in Florence!

2011-08-24T11:08:00.009-04:00

Bongiorno!

For anyone who doesn't know, I studied abroad in Florence for 6 weeks this summer. It was by far the best experience of my entire life. Florence is the best place to study abroad because it is filled with young people and it's bustling with life. You can find crowds of people out and about until 4 or 5 in the morning! I did a home stay, so I lived in a house with my host mom, my host dad, and my roommate. The host dad spoke English, but the host mom did not so it was always fun trying to communicate with her. I've mastered talking with hand gestures. I'm really happy that I did a home stay because it was fun to see how Italians actually lived their day to day lives and they cooked amazing dinners!

I took Photography and Italian conversation. With class only 2 days a week, I had tons of time to explore Florence and travel. Each weekend I traveled to another place in Italy with a group of friends from school. The first weekend, 22 of us went to the Almafi coast to an island called Ischia. After the 5 hour train ride, the hour ferry, and a windy taxi ride, we finally arived to our hotel which ended up being a cute little villa. We even made dinner ourselves one night like a big happy family. The beaches were beautiful and the water was so salty! We went to Rome the next weekend and I was absolutely blown away by the ancient buildings and architecture. Obviously my camera died within 5 minutes of being there so I didn't get a lot of pictures. I made sure to charge everything before I went to Venice the following weekend. I had no idea how big Venice was, but it was as picturesque as they make it seem. My friends and I went on a gondola ride which was one of my favorite experiences.

Life in Italy is so relaxed and enjoyable. For instance, one day I woke up and walked with one of my girl friends to a jewelry maker's workspace. He had a tiny little shop with rings, necklaces, bracelets, compact mirrors, picture frames, etc. In the other room was his workshop where you could watch him craft jewelry. It was amazing to see his big hands handle the small jewelry and craft something so beautiful. While we were there he explained to us that he sells all of his products to stores such as Channel, Gucci, and Bloomingdales. He even showed us his work in their magazines. It was so crazy to think that everything you buy at home is made at a little shop just like his. It was such a cool experience to meet the maker of the jewelry and see him craft it himself. I'm sure I'll be showing it off all next year.

This has been the most amazing experience of my entire life (besides LAX at W&L of course). I am so happy that I got to go abroad. I wasn't sure I was going to be able to because of field hockey and lacrosse, but I am so thankful that this worked out. For everyone wondering whether they should go abroad or not, I highly recommend it. I have seen some amazing artwork, beautiful places, and have learned so much about a different culture. I have truly realized how lucky I am and have learned a lot about myself in the short time that I've been here. Everyone should go abroad, and Florence is a perfect place to do so!

As I'm sure everyone is wondering, yes I did see the Jersey Shore... a lot. They were filming in Florence during the time I was there and trust me, it's going to be a good season. The first time I saw them, my friend Maria and I went to the pizza shop that they worked at. In order to go in to the shop you had to sign about 45 papers granting MTV permission to put you on TV, so since my friend Maria was a fanatic fan, we signed the papers and went in. Pauly D, Snookie, and J Wow were working that day. Snookie was wearing her furry boots and screaming at people through a bull horn to come inside and drink beer with her while Pauly literally repeated 4 different Italian phrases. If I do happen to be on the show, you will see me shoving my face with the pizza because it was absolutely delicious. I ended up seeing the crew several other times and had a lengthy convo with Dina in the bathroom once. And let me tell you, Ron and Sam are going to fight at almost every club... shocker.

Anyways, I hope everyone is having a great summer and enjoying it as much as I am. Miss you guys and can't wait to see everyone soon!
Ciao,
Bene

Check back next week when another General heads a little further South!

Junior Elizabeth Bucklee Spends Summer at House of Ruth Maryland

2011-08-17T15:32:00.009-04:00

This summer Generals Junior, Elizabeth Bucklee spent the summer working at House of Ruth Maryland. Here is her account of her time there!

Buck in the office getting work done!

This summer, I was busy working as a legal advocate at a domestic violence non-profit in Baltimore, Maryland. The House of Ruth Maryland not only provides free legal aid, but also offers counseling services, shelter, caseworkers, clothing, and more to victims of intimate partner domestic violence. Working in the main office, I would take incoming calls from victims and 24-hour hotline callers, complete intakes (an interview with potential clients to find out more information about the abuse and relationship for our attorneys), file away closed cases, and do other little jobs the attorneys needed finished. Some days, I worked in the House of Ruth offices in the courthouses. This was my favorite because I worked directly with clients who walked into our offices from the street. I was able to watch the entire legal process from the moment the client came in, to filling out his or her paperwork, sitting with him or her in court, and then walking them out of the courthouse with a Final Protective or Peace Order a few weeks later.

Buck with the main office legal assistant going through old case files.

As I became more comfortable in my role and in talking with clients about details of abuse, their relationships, and family history, I began to pick up on the details that the Shepherd Alliance wants an intern to realize. The House of Ruth represents clients below a certain poverty line, and through interacting with our clients, I saw aspects of poverty that I learned about in my Pov 103 class. For example, the cyclical nature of poverty is relatable to the cyclical nature of abuse – abuse is a learned behavior, and many abusers are no the first in their family to be violent towards a partner.

The most important thing I learned this summer, however, is that anyone can be a victim of domestic violence. We received many calls from individuals who were able to seek a low-bono attorney or find their own attorney. I also did intakes for women who were younger than me, women with many children (usually from many different “baby-daddies” as they would say), and even elderly women and men. Most of our clients had not graduated high school and some were not able to fill out their own Orders, save for signing their name where I would indicate.

The summer interns.

I learned that I live a very fortunate life. Yes, we always say how lucky we are to go to an amazing school like W&L, study whatever interests us, and have the health and ability to play Generals lacrosse. But this summer, I realized that I am so lucky that I never have had to even think about the threat of domestic violence in my life. Speaking with children who have an abusive parent is so heartbreaking because they pick up on everything. DV adds an entirely new aspect of fear in one’s life and is difficult to escape for many who rely on their abusive partner for finances, shelter, vehicles, cell phones, and more. Many clients cannot just get up and leave their abuser. I realized that I am fortunate enough that if I had to, I would have the support of my family and friends.

If you have any questions or want more information, feel free to ask! I have a lot of stories (anonymous ones, of course!) and really interesting outlooks on my eight weeks working closely with victims of DV.

Check back next week when we hear from another General laxer who spent some of her summer in another country!

Mary-Kate Geratowski Hired as New Assistant Coach

2011-08-10T14:18:00.007-04:00

Hello Generals Lax Fans!

My name is Mary-Kate, or MK, Geratowski and I am the new assistant women's lacrosse coach here at Washington and Lee. I am so excited to join the staff here at W&L and can't wait for the girls to get back on campus so we can really get started. I've spent my first month on staff learning the ropes in the office, meeting some of the girls at camp, traveling to recruit and work more camps, and generally keeping busy. So now, a little bit about me...

I grew up in White River Jct., VT and attended Hartford High School where I played field hockey, ice hockey, and of course lacrosse. After graduation I moved on to Elmira College in upstate New York where I played lacrosse and ice hockey for the Soaring Eagles. As a member of the ice hockey team I was a part of two ECAC West championship teams and enjoyed three trips to the NCAA tournament including hosting the final four my freshman year. While I loved ice hockey, as a senior I decided that lacrosse needed to take priority. With the help of two great coaches I made the transition to a student assistant coach for the hockey team while captaining my lacrosse team and finally experiencing preseason. As a laxer at EC I was able to help our team to two Empire 8 tournament appearances as well as an appearance in the ECAC tournament. As a senior midfielder I was voted team MVP and named to the Empire 8 All-Sportsmanship team. I graduated from Elmira with a degree in English Literature and Secondary Education as well as my initial certification for teaching grades 7-12 in New York States.

Since being a two sport athlete did not allow me to travel abroad during my college years, I took the year following graduation to make that happen. Through the English Lacrosse Association I spent the year in Hitchin, Hertfordshire, England teaching and coaching at the Princess Helena College. While I was in England I was able to continue to play for the Hitchin Sprites club and the East England Regional team. I was also able to travel around Europe visiting Italy, Ireland, Spain, Greece, Turkey, Amsterdam, and Scotland.

The Princess Helena College

Two of my former club players and I at a tournament in England.

When I returned from England I jumped right into college coaching working as the assistant at Connecticut College in New London, CT. While at Conn I worked as the defensive coordinator for the team. Following my year as a Camel I moved to Richmond, VA to pursue my masters degree in Sport Leadership at Virginia Commonwealth University while working as a volunteer assistant coach at the University of Richmond. At UR I also worked as the defensive coordinator for the Spiders helping them to the Atlantic 10 Championship game.

This summer I have been working camps all over the East coast and coaching a club team while patiently waiting to hear if Brooke was going to hire me on as a General. I am incredibly excited to be here at W&L and to be able to work with a team that has accomplished so much in its past and has such an exciting future ahead of it!

Please make sure to check back each Wednesday for an update on what else has gone on with some of the rest of the team this summer, as well as Fall updates, and much more!

Go Generals!

2011 Season Re-Cap

2011-05-26T13:54:00.018-04:00

It is a saying we hear all too often, but if the 2010-2011 season is any testament, time really does fly. A mere four and a half months ago the W&L women's lacrosse team had their first season meeting as one whole group, picking up equipment, going over team rules and schedules, and preparing for the start of what they hoped to be a long and rewarding road ahead.
While at times it felt like the road was never ending, on certain frosty Saturday nights at eight o'clock on the turf or bus rides to the outer reaches of Tennessee, they stayed the course and found that there was, in fact, light at the end of the tunnel. This team never quit. The powering through, hard work and dedication paid off, as they hoisted the ODAC trophy the first weekend in May. For many, a certain dirty dozen in particular, the feeling was awesome in its newness. For the veterans, it solidified what they had known since January as they checked off a conference championship on the way to the NCAA Tournament.

Speculation hung in the air surrounding the Generals' return to the dance, but they themselves never doubted that they would come out of the first round game against CNU victorious. After that it was off to the shore to take on the reigning National Champions, the Gulls of Salisbury University. Despite an outcome short of the Generals' favor, the game proved to be exemplary of the kind of team W&L had shown itself to be all season; a team with heart and one that never gave up. There are immeasurable things that go beyond the wins and losses column on a record book, and what the Generals proved on May 14th will be something they will all remember.

Congratulations to a truly awesome group of young women on an outstanding season. A special congratulations to our seniors, Kathy Brown, Kate Donnelly, Katharine Farrar, Emmy Mathews, Wilton Megargel and Kate Speare. Your leadership and talent will be missed but your impact will always remain.

Post-Season Honors:

All-ODAC 1st Team: Christina Benedetti (Jr. D), Emmy Mathews (Sr. M), Wilton Megargel (Sr. A.)
All-ODAC 2nd Team: Katharine Farrar (Sr. GK), Leanne Stone (Fy. D)
All-ODAC Honorable Mention: Kathy Brown (Sr. D)

ODAC Rookie of the Year: Alex Van Horn (Fy. A)
ODAC Player of the Year: Emmy Mathews
ODAC Scholar-Athlete of the Year: Emmy Mathews
ODAC Coach of the Year: Brooke Diamond

Pres Brown Outstanding Senior Female Athlete Award: Emmy Mathews
Wink Glasgow Spirit and Sportsmanship Award: Kate Donnelly (Sr. M)

CoSIDA Academic All District: Emmy Mathews

IWLCA All-Chesapeake Region 1st Team: Emmy Mathews, Wilton Megargel
IWLCA All-Chesapeake Region 2nd Team: Christina Benedetti

IWLCA All-American 2nd Team: Emmy Mathews
IWLCA All-American 3rd Team: Wilton Megargel

IWLCA DIII Scholar-Athlete of the Year: Emmy Mathews

IWLCA DIII Community Awareness Athlete of the Year: Kate Donnelly

NCAA Post-Graduate Scholarship Winner: Kate Donnelly

FOJ Day 2011

2011-04-06T10:22:00.008-04:00

Friends of Jaclyn Day was a great success this year, despite the change of seasons in Lexington over a two hour span. We battled through wind, rain, hail and enjoyed a little sun on the way to a 19-10 victory over Virginia Wesleyan. Maggie and her family were troopers throughout and gave us great support from the sidelines.

For those who are new to the W&L Women's Lacrosse team and our blog, The Friends of Jaclyn Foundation is a non-profit organization that works with children with pediatric brain tumors and their families to place them with a high school or college athletic team. Maggie became a part of our team in 2008. She is our number one fan and a big part of what keeps us going when we're tired, stressed, frustrated or just a little laxed out. She and her family have been an inspiration to our program and one that we are very thankful for. Throughout the day, our dedicated parent support staff sold t-shirts and raffle tickets in support of FOJ. We raised over $650, thanks to very generous donations and a great crowd involvement in our efforts.

Meet the First-Years! Katie Hagen

2011-03-30T10:22:00.010-04:00

This week we're introducing First-Year attacker Katie Hagen (Malvern, PA/Notre Dame Academy).

1.What’s your most favorite thing about being a W&L student?

Katie: I love the small campus and not having to walk far to get to my classes. I also like hanging in dhall with all my pals.

2.What’s been the biggest adjustment from being an out-of-season athlete to being an in-season athlete?

Katie: Time management is probably the biggest adjustment. I'm such a procrastinator so being in season makes me do my work earlier and on time, which I guess is a good thing.

3.What do you miss most about home?

Katie: I really miss my dogs, Jake and Cody. I have two stuffed animals here in their place but it's not the same. I miss my mom's food too.

4.What’s the best part about being a Generals Lax player? Besides the back of the bus.

Katie: Everything's great about it! I love the team - everyone is so fun and funny. I have 25 new besties and I love hanging out with them especially at our lax "get togethers". I'm obsessed with everyone on the team so when the season is over I'll probably go into a slight depression.

5.What class have you enjoyed most so far at W&L?

Katie: I really like my Econ class this term. I'm also looking forward to my spring term class, Women in Sport.

6.What do you do outside of class, practice and tweeting?

Katie: Well tweeting is pretty time consuming, but I enjoy hanging out with my friends and taking selfies (self-portraits) and sending them to various members of the team.

7. Who do you most admire?

Katie: I most admire my dad. I've always looked up to him. I also really admire Bethenny Frankel but my dad is more important.

8.What’s your favorite book?

Katie: Firefly Lane by Krisitin Hannah it's great.

9.What’s your favorite type of music?

Katie: Ya know, any upbeat jams that I can dance to. I have pretty good music so anything on my itunes. I also have recently gotten into country, which surprisingly I really like.

10. Anything else you’d like Generals fans, parents and players to know?

Katie: Go Gennies!!!!!

Meet the First-Years! Kelsey Cotter

2011-03-22T19:20:00.007-04:00

We're practicing hard and ready for our biggest matchup of the year at Roanoke this Thursday.

Check out some great action shots from Lacrosse Magazine.

This week we're introducing First-Year mid-fielder Kelsey Cotter (Roanoke, VA/Salem HS).
1. When did you first know that you wanted to come to school and play lacrosse at W&L?

Kelsey:I first fell in love with W&L before junior year in high school during the summer lacrosse camp. After meeting the team and seeing the campus it seemed like the perfect fit.
2. You’re only a short trip down the road from home (Roanoke) – has that made it easier or harder to adjust to life away from home?

Kelsey:Living close to home has made my time at W&L even better because my family has been able to come to fun events here, especially home games.
3. Who is your number one idol?

Kelsey:My number one idol is definitely my Dad. I have learned so much just by watching how he conducts himself inside and outside of our house with poise and humility that reflects his character and matches his incredible work ethic. I am very proud to be his daughter!
4. What is your favorite class this semester?

Kelsey:My favorite class this semester is Italian.
5. Do you have plans for the summer?

Kelsey:This summer, my Mom and I are visiting Rome, Florence, and the Amalfi Coast to do some sight seeing and practice speaking Italian.
6. What’s your favorite thing about being a Generals’ Lax player?

Kelsey:I love that I get to spend at least two hours every day with my closest friends on campus and that we’re all pushing each other to be better athletes and better people.
7. Who’s your biggest fan?

Kelsey:I would have to say that I have two great fans, my brothers Joe and Paddy. They would never miss an opportunity to cheer me on in anything I do.
8. What do you miss about high school?

Kelsey:I miss the schoolwork that I thought was difficult and am now realizing was very easy!
9. Anything else you’d like Generals fans, players or parents to know?

Kelsey:Thank you parents for all of the amazing tailgates!

Feb. Break and Meet the First-Years! Meade Brewster '14

2011-02-28T15:20:00.009-05:00

3-0! We're coming off of a succesful Feb. Break trip in Atlanta, Sewanee and Baltimore and bringing with us three huge wins. The trip was made up of equal parts hard work, bus time passed with Glee and Modern Family, great hospitality and great lax. The seniors at the Mathews' house with their awesome cookies, thanks to Mrs. Zusi.

This week we're hearing from First-Year Midfielder/Defender Meade Brewster (Brookside, NJ/West Morris-Mendham HS).
1.What was your favorite part of Feb Break?
Meade: I really enjoyed the play, Jersey Boys, but even more I enjoyed getting to know my teammates better. We were able to bond on and off the field.

2.What classes are you taking this semester?

Meade: Accounting, Economics, Spanish and a writing seminar

3.Where do you live on campus?

Meade: Gaines

4.How has being a part of the team shaped your first year at W&L?

Meade: The team is an immediate family that I formed at W&L. It has been a great chance to meet upperclassmen with similar interests as mine.

5. Who is the person you most admire?

Meade: Ke$ha

6. What’s your favorite thing to do in Lex?

Meade: Walk around the town and shop at PS Pumpkinseeds

7. What do you miss most about home?

Meade: My dog

8.What are you most excited for this season?

Meade: I’m excited to continually bond as a team and hopefully win ODACs again!

9.Anything else you would like Generals fans, parents and players to know?

Meade: Go Gennies!

Meet the First-Years! Shelby Barada '14

2011-02-07T14:32:00.007-05:00

The Winter Clinic and Information Day this past weekend was a success! We hosted more than 40 high school players from around the country and gave them some tips on how to play great lacrosse and what life as a student-athlete is like at Washington and Lee.

This week we begin checking in with the many First- Years who have joined us for the 2011 season. Let's start by getting to know Shelby Barada (New Canaan, CT/ New Canaan High School).

1.Where do you live on campus?
Shelby: I live in Davis with a roommate who is a member of the cross country and track teams.
2.What’s your favorite thing to do in Lexington when you’re not in class, in the library or at practice, on or off campus?
Shelby: When I am not spending time on academics or lacrosse, I love to hang around Graham-Lees in a friend’s room or mosey around D-hall. 3.Now that much of pre-season has passed, what’s the biggest adjustment you’ve had to make?
Shelby: The biggest adjustment has been losing those three hours of study time. However, this has allowed me to be much more productive because now I utilize the few spare hours of time I have during the day to do all of my work.

4.What are you most looking forward to about season?
Shelby: I cannot wait to start playing games and for the team to do even better this season then they did last season! Already the team atmosphere has been so great, so I am really looking forward to spending even more time with everyone.
5.Who’s your idol/hero/person you most respect?
Shelby: The person I most respect is Atticus Finch from Harper Lee’s “To Kill a Mockingbird.”
6.What do you miss most about home?
Shelby: I really miss family dinners and my mom’s cooking! 7.What’s your favorite tv show?
Shelby: My favorite TV show has to be Grey’s Anatomy or Bones.
8.What’s your favorite book?
Shelby: I absolutely LOVE the Harry Potter series, especially “Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban,” and “Gone With the Wind.”
9.Who’s your biggest fan?
Shelby: My parents and siblings are definitely my biggest fans. Whether it is sports, academics, anything, they are always there to cheer me on. 10.Anything else you’d like Generals fans, players and parents to know?

Shelby: I cannot wait for the season ahead!

2011 Captains' Outlook

2011-01-29T18:00:00.009-05:00

Pre-season is well underway! With two weeks down and only another two to go until our first scrimmage, the 2011 Generals are putting the time in for an awesome season. This year's captains, Emmy Mathews '11, Kate Donnelly '11 and Katharine Farrar '11 wanted to share their outlook on the season ahead.

For this 2011 Season we are ALL IN when it comes to...

· Winning ODACS

· Supporting our biggest fan MAGGIE

· Locker room pump up dance parties

· Having Thankful Circles before every game

- Being the best we can be

· Practicing hard, even in the rain...and snow (G-I Jane!!)

· Controlling the controllables

· Tearing up the field in Atlanta

· Sporting new saucy uniforms

· Never letting down!

In between hard practices, we have found the time to hang with our biggest fan, Maggie! We all enjoyed some pizza while cheering on the Women’s Basketball team to an exciting win against Eastern Mennonite last weekend. WE LOVE YOU MAGGIE!!

We are extremely excited about this coming season. After two weeks of practice, our team is already coming together and creating some AWESOME plays on the field. We are running hard, lifting hard, working hard all around, and already having a blast. Our theme for the season is ALL IN. We are planning to commit ourselves fully to this season because that is what it will take for us to reach our ultimate goals. Stay tuned, because this season is going to be a GREAT one!!

L4L

Emmy, Farrar, and Don

2010-11-04T09:16:00.004-04:00

Junior Alexis Harrison is spending her fall semester studying abroad in Spain. We all wish we could live vicariously through her but we'll have to settle for reading about her daily life and adventures in Madrid and beyond. Enjoy!

1.Where are you studying abroad and how long have you been there?

Alexis: This semester I'm studying abroad in Madrid, Spain. I've been here for two months so far and am completely in love with this city.
2.Do you live in an apartment or with a home-stay family?

Alexis: I live in a home-stay with a great family. Most of my friends live with senoras, who are usually older women who live by themselves. For many of them, the only interaction with their senoras is when they cook for them. My situation is completely different. I live with a 65 year old artist, his 35 year old girlfriend, and their 5 year old son. It is very different because my padre stays at home, paints all day, and cooks our meals while my madre works all day and is not around much. I love having their son, Mateo, around because speaking with him has helped tremendously with learning the language. 3.What’s been the biggest adjustment to European/Spanish lifestyle?

Alexis: I think the biggest thing I have had to adjust to about the Spanish lifestyle is the Spanish lifestyle itself. They invade your personal space, spend hours everyday eating and drinking in the streets, are always dressed to impress and are completely relaxed about everything. Let's just say it has been an easy adjustment.
4.What is your school schedule like and what classes are you taking?

Alexis: The first month that I was here I did an intensive month of Spanish language study. I had three classes: Culture, Conversation, and Grammar. After that month, we have had the option to take a combination of English and Spanish courses but I have stuck with just Spanish courses. I'm taking Art of the Museo del Prado, which is an art history class where we get to visit the Prado six Fridays during the semester. I'm also taking a contemporary Spanish novel class, a Spanish film class, and a 20th century Spanish theater class. They've all been really interesting so far and I am definitely getting used to not having class on Fridays.
5.Have you met a lot of new people from different colleges and universities?

Alexis: I came here only knowing one other person so I have met a ton of new people which is great. My program, ISA, has kids from all over the country but most are from Colorado and California. I also go to an international university so there are kids in my classes from Denmark, England, Korea, Holland...
6.Have you been able to do a lot of travelling? If so, where have you gone?

Alexis: One of the best parts about being in Europe is that it is so easy to hop on a plane or train and go to another country for the weekend. So far in Spain I have been to Barcelona, Salamanca, and Toledo and then out of the country to Germany, the Netherlands, and Morocco. Over the next 6 weeks I'm also going to Switzerland, Denmark, Italy, and possibly Prague. 7.What do you miss most about the U.S.?

Alexis: The one thing I miss sooo much about the US is being able to eat whatever I want, whenever I want. As all of my friends know, eating is my favorite pastime. I like to eat a lot all of the time, usually pretty healthy. Living in a Spanish home-stay has been really challenging for that reason. (Usual contents of the pantry: bread, corn flakes, weird fiber cookies, and cooking supplies/ Usual contents of the fridge: bologna, pieces of fruit or vegetables that either aren't ripe or are moldy, uncooked meat) For me, that's a problem because we only eat two meals a day: lunch at 330pm and dinner at 10pm. I have resorted to buying food at school when I am hungry throughout the day because the few times I have bought cereal, cold cuts, or eggs and kept them in the kitchen, someone else eats them. It really isn't that bad; I just like to vent. But I can honestly say that I may never eat white rice again after this semester...I also miss H Crew
8.Anything else you’d like Generals fans to know?

Alexis: I can't wait to get back to Lex and see everyone!!

Alumnae Game 2010

2010-10-11T14:55:00.002-04:00

The Generals rounded out their Fall season over Alumni Weekend against a great group of alums. The competition was held Saturday morning on Alumni Field and proved a fun event for all. The Generals of years past teamed up with current Juniors and Seniors to take on the current Sophomores and First-Years. The dream team of alums put on a good showing, scoring early and making some solid defensive stops (thanks in large part to their leaders in the back-field, Kathy Brown and Katharine Farrar), but were unable to come away with a victory.

It was nice to see some familiar faces and catch up with everyone! Now it's time for some hard off-season training - see you on the field in January!

Fall Play Day 2010

2010-10-06T12:35:00.004-04:00

It was a great weekend to be a General! We hosted our annual Fall Play Day on Saturday, October 2nd. Christopher Newport University, Roanoke College, Swarthmore College and the University of Mary Washington all joined us for a beautiful day in Lexington filled with awesome competition.

The Generals played four 30 minute scrimmages and looked strong in all of them. Our veteran upperclassmen held it down on the turf, reminding fans of the success of last season and exciting them for what is to come in 2011. The many First-Years gave an impressive performance in their first ever intercollegiate competition.

We had the support of friends and family, including one very special supporter, Maggie. She and her family joined us for our last scrimmage and for a tailgate put on by the parents afterwards. It was great to see her and for our First-Years to get to meet her and her family.

We're excited for our last Fall Ball date this weekend - the Generals take on Generals' Alumnae! It's hard to believe four weeks of practice have already flown by - just means we are that much closer to the spring!

Catching up with Katie Flippen '09

2010-09-29T10:52:00.009-04:00

This week we heard from 2009 Generals Lax Alum about how she's enjoying post-college life just down the road in Charlottesville:

1.Where have you been living in your first full year as a W&L grad?

Katie: I have been living in Charlottesville, Va. for a year now, and I’m enjoying it so much. Charlottesville is a really laid back city, so it’s been super easy living here in terms of being close to family and friends, as well as low cost of living and minimal stress! I recently moved to the downtown mall (it’s a bricked in pedestrian mall with lots of boutique-type shops), and I love it. I walk to work, walk to the gym, and live around the corner from a small little grocery. I rarely drive my car, and I absolutely adore my new apartment and my roommate- UVA ’09 grad, Augusta, so I am very happy.
2. Where do you work?

Katie: Since August of last year I have been with SNL Financial (SNL). It is a sector-focused research firm, and I recently took a position in the client services/ account management group. I travel to our clients—mostly banks, in the case of my accounts— and maintain the SNL relationship. I do things like help our clients use SNL’s product to map their bank branches to figuring out how their competitors are raising capital. It’s been a steep learning curve, but a really fascinating time to be in the Financial Institutions space.

One fun fact: The director of my group at SNL, Ellen Ritsch Boyle, was a W&L lacrosse player! She graduated in 2001, and I have enjoyed talking with her when I catch her in the office… about the cold winter days on the practice fields and even how bummed we are about the fire at the Southern Inn. Don’t worry, I genuinely tried to get her to play in the Alumni game in October, but she just had her first child and not enough time on her hands… 3. Are you enjoying your job?

Katie: I love my job! I started as an analyst in the research group and have recently been able to transition into the account management position, which is so much better suited for my personality. I love going places and meeting new people. I have no sales goals, so I just basically travel around the Southeast (my regional assignment—Currently, I’m in Atlanta) and meet our clients to make sure that SNL services suit the client’s needs. It’s challenging trying to figure out how our products can be solutions to so many different people’s workflows!
4. Do you have any future career or school plans?

Katie: My future plans are continuing to work for SNL. I’m so happy with how things are going that I can see myself staying in this job for a number of years. It may be that I move to Richmond in a year or two to work on my MBA. But, at this point, I’m just speculating… 5. What do you like to do in your free time?

Katie: I’ve participated in some social sports leagues, like a sand volleyball team I was on this summer and my favorite weekly class at the gym: Body Pump (ha!) Charlottesville has so much to offer in terms of the outdoors, so I spend a lot of time at the Farmer’s market or wine tasting or hiking… I also travel a bunch to DC and back to Norfolk/ Virginia Beach to see family and friends. 6. What has been the biggest adjustment from life as a student to life after college?

Katie: Hmmm—for me, a big adjustment has been sticking to a routine. At W&L, I was so busy with so many different teams, clubs, and activities, that now my work and social life has been relatively steady and consistent. I felt like at W&L, a group meeting for a class would randomly crop up on a Tuesday night or a game got rescheduled due to bad weather on a Thursday afternoon… etc. Now, I enjoy having some more control of my schedule, but I miss my hectic, busy W&L days too. I keep myself very occupied by cooking dinner and going running with my roommate, going to concerts, and traveling. Now I can sleep in on Saturday mornings instead of rushing to the bus in the Liberty Hall parking lot!
7. What do you miss most about W&L and Lexington?

Katie: What don’t I miss about W&L and Lexington!?!? I really miss being outside for practice in the spring time and the beautiful campus and Blue Sky, Southern Inn, the Bistro…! I also resent Charlottesville / James River because you have to pay $20 to RENT a tube for hot days when you just need to float down the river! Charlottesville and Lexington are not too much differentexcept for size. Charlottesville is also a college town with UVA being right down the road, but it’s more urban. I’m still minutes from the mountains and great outdoors but have all of the benefits of living downtown!

8. Have you kept in touch with your fellow Generals Lax alums?

Katie: I keep in touch with everyone that I can! I am extremely excited to be back in a few short weeks for the Alumni game and am so eager to see everyone. I recently saw Colleen in early August, which was HUGE since she moved across the country… and it had been a year since I saw her last. I was lucky enough to catch up with the entire Evans family for the evening. I also made it up to DC for Kelsi’s birthday about a month ago, and we partied with J-Got, Britto, and Cav! Mr. and Mrs. Robinson as well as Kelsi’s older bro and sis were in town—so I felt like I was just back with my extended lacrosse family. I miss everyone tremendously!

Maddie McKaig '12 Gets a Cat!

2010-09-20T10:57:00.004-04:00

As mentioned by Colleen in the last post, Junior Maddie McKaig has a new addition to her W&L home. Meet Mr. Waffles!
1.When and how did Mr. Waffles come into your life?

Maddie: Mr. Waffles came into my life about two weeks before school started. I have wanted a kitty for awhile now, and when I got surgery this summer I had a lot of time to sit around and research cats. I adopted him through a local organization in Annapolis that had rescued him from Baltimore when he was only a few days old.

2.How has your life changed since the new addition?

Maddie: Being a mother is not easy. Waffles likes to wake me up early by pouncing on my face. I have to feed him twice a day, clean the litter box once a day, clip his nails, give him medicine when he's sick, and make sure he has lots of fun play time. Of course, all this work is well worth it since Mr. Waffles brings so much joy to my life.

3.What kind of cat is he?

Maddie: Great question. I'm pretty sure he is an American short-hair orange tabby cat.

4.What is Mr. Waffles’ favorite activity?

Maddie: Well, my favorite Waffles activity is when he takes a nap on my window sill. His favorite activity is probably trying to catch his own tail or climb up the side of the couch.

5.Where did you get the inspiration for his name?

Maddie: I found his name when I was looking at online pet adoption websites and one of the cats was named Mr. Waffles and I fell in love. He of course has several nicknames including, Waffy, Raffles, and Mista.

6.What does he like to eat?

Maddie: Mr. Waffles is on a strict kitty food diet, except for when my roommate Emily decides to feed him some of her Wendy's frosty.

7.Who is his favorite babysitter?

Maddie: Waffles is very lucky to have several aunts and uncles to look after him. I think Alli is actually his favorite though because she really loves him just as much as I do. We're starting to think that she may be mildly allergic to him, but this never stops her from coming over and playing with him.

8.Can we expect him on the sidelines at Generals Women’s Lax games?

Maddie: I would love to have him on the sidelines! He is an indoor cat, so he might get a little spooked but maybe when he's older I'll let Emily bring him to a game.

Catching up with Colleen Evans '09

2010-09-13T09:28:00.011-04:00

Today marks the first day of Fall Ball and we couldn't be more pumped! We have an awesome group of talented student-athletes who are ready to take Generals lacrosse to a new level in 2010-2011.

This week we talked to 2009 Generals Lax Alum Colleen Evans and found out how her first full year has been living in Austin, TX:

1. How are you liking Austin after spending a full year there?
Colleen: I cannot believe that it’s been a year already (we moved down end of last August) but Austin definitely feels like home. My roommate Hillary Prey (fellow ’09 alum) and I have definitely enjoyed our apartment, the friends we’ve made, and the mild climate! Austin’s a great city because it’s very reasonable in terms of the cost of living and there’s so much going on all the time. It’s a really green city and everyone is very health conscious which I really like. Most importantly, it’s football season again, which is possibly the most fun time of the year since there’s an entire state that stops what it’s doing on UT gamedays . Home games here in Austin are so fun and the entire city tailgates and wears burnt orange. Since I attended such a small school I’m definitely taking advantage of the big school vibe UT provides.
2. Where are you working?
Colleen: Right now I’m working at Marsh, a division of Marsh & McLennan, a risk management/ insurance brokerage firm. I deal primarily with our corporate clients evidencing their insurance policies for 3rd party vendors (their clients). It’s been a huge learning curve since I essentially knew nothing about insurance before my training. It’s helped me understand so much about the way that major corporations conduct business and since we work in teams (mine is comprised of 8 people) it makes it fun. We have lots of competitions and I like that I’m busy all day every day. 3. Do you have any future career/school plans?
Colleen: While I’ve definitely learned a lot in this job, my ultimate goal is to merge by background in athletics and my degree in journalism to work in sports PR/marketing. Right now I don’t foresee graduate school in my immediate future, but having UT here and hearing about all their programs definitely has made me consider my options. But for the time being, I’m trying to evaluate exactly what I want to do and the best way to go about it, and we’ll see where I end up!
4. Have you taken up any hobbies since graduating?
Colleen: Graduating and suddenly having so much time without school work or lacrosse definitely inspired me to find ways to spend my free time. A bunch of my friends and I joined a softball league last spring, which taught me that catching a ball with a glove is a LOT harder than catching one with a lacrosse stick. I wouldn’t say it was the best showcase of my skills, but it was really fun to play recreationally with all my friends. Since Austin is the live music capital of the world, we take in as many (free) shows as possible. Over the summer they have Blues on the Green, which is a huge outdoor concert series in Zilker Park, where Austin City Limits is held so it’s great to take advantage of that. One of my friends here started doing Improv comedy with a local group so we like to go see him sometimes; it’s really entertaining and I’d never seen Improv before. Lake Travis, which is a short drive from Austin, is a gorgeous lake and we try to go out there whenever we can. A couple of my friends have boats so we wakeboard and tube and swim whenever possible. On Memorial Day, 4th of July, and Labor Day there are party barges. The sunsets out there are also incredible. 5. What’s the biggest difference between living in Lexington and living in Austin?
Colleen: The biggest difference for me was permanently relocating to a large city for the first time. While I studied abroad and spent time in big cities during internships, it’s much different when you make plans to stay long term. Having an actual commute and sitting in stop and go traffic on the way home is something I never dealt with in Lexington. Even after a year I still forget that I can get anything I need here in 10 minutes. Whether it’s things like Chick-fil-a, going to Target or catching a last-minute free show on a Wednesday half a mile from my apartment, (all of which I used to have to travel to Roanoke for), I’ve definitely gotten used to the amenities of a big city.
As much as Austin and Lexington are different, I have found similarities. I love college towns, and growing up in Lexington and having W&L and VMI so close was really enjoyable. In the same way, having UT here is a lot of fun…there’s always so much going on near the university and I love how much the whole city rallies around the college. There’s a beautiful area called the Greenbelt not far from where I live that reminds me so much of Panther Falls and we love to go hiking and swimming there. Lady Bird Lake has 10 miles of trails perfect for running and is reminiscent of the Chessie Trail.

6. What do you miss most about W&L?
Colleen: I miss a lot about W&L. For me a lot of memories I have of the school are tied in with my childhood growing up in Lexington. I miss my off campus house and roommates as much as I miss running around the law school in middle school waiting for my mom to get off work. I definitely do miss lacrosse the most. Having a reason to work the hardest you ever will and being able do it with my closest friends is not something you can duplicate after college. Thankfully, two of my best friends here played soccer for Richmond, so we can all reminisce together about missing college sports even though we had different experiences.
7. Have you kept in touch with your fellow Generals Lax alums?
Colleen: I have kept in touch with quite a few alums! I was able to see Kelsi, J-Got, Ellie and Britten over last Christmas break and I was recently in Lexington for a few day this summer and Flip came and I got to see her for the first time in a year (which is crazy!). Recently I saw pictures of Maddie’s new kitten, Mr. Waffles (so jealous) and I call my teammates when I can, and we do a lot of texting. I’m always encouraging people to come visit me in Texas and would love to host any alums who can make the trip. Whenever I head back east I do my best to see as many lax alums as possible. 8. Anything else you’d like Generals’ fans, parents or players to know?
Colleen: I highly recommend taking a chance and moving somewhere you know nothing about if you’re feeling restless and unsure after graduation. I knew very little about Austin and had only been once before I moved but making a big change is a lot of fun. Take a chance; you have your whole life to figure out what you want to do!

True Student-Athletes!

2010-08-16T14:25:00.001-04:00

We are ecstatic that our 2010 team earned the 2nd highest team GPA in all of DIII women's lacrosse!! Our team's 3.458 GPA trailed only Bates College's 3.470 GPA. As such, the team was awarded Merit Academic Team Status by the IWLCA.

This is the second year in a row that our team has earned Merit Academic Team Status. Our 2009 team earned the 3rd highest team GPA in all of DIII women's lacrosse with a 3.438 GPA.

As proud as we are of our team's accomplishments on the field this past season, we are even more excited about their achievements in the classroom. Great work ladies!!

Katharine Farrar '11's Summer on Campus

2010-08-09T12:49:00.000-04:00

This week we are checking in with co-captain Katharine Farrar '11 (Lexington, VA/Episcopal HS) regarding her summer working on campus at W&L as a part of the R.E. Lee Summer Research Projects:
1) How have you been spending your summer?
I have been working on campus in the Tucker Multimedia Center. My job this summer was to help develop a course that will be offered in the Education department; Methods in Teaching a Foreign Language. My main job in the development of this course was to create the student teaching unit. This opportunity was part of the R.E. Lee Summer Research Project here on campus.

2) How long have you been working on campus?

My work started on June 7th and will work for eight weeks total.

3) Where are you living?
I have been living with my parents in town this summer…I had to take advantage of the home cooked meals!!!!

4) What does your normal day look like?
I usually wake up around 8, get into work by 9, take a break for lunch and then work through the afternoon until I head to the gym. I mostly work on the computer all day; creating word documents, websites, lesson plans etc.

5) What has been the best part of your experience so far?
I would say that the best part of my experience so far would have to be that I am actually applying things I have learned in my classes over the past 3 years into something concrete. It is rewarding to know that there is a final product from the work I have put in this summer.

6) What has been the most challenging part of your experience?
Learning how to create a web page through the server that W&L uses has been the most challenging part of my experience. I am not too tech savvy when it comes to that sort of thing…I usually rely on Wilton, our handy dandy University Help Desk teammate, to do those things for me.

7) Is there anything else that you would like to share with teammates, alums and other blog readers?
I can’t wait to see everyone in the fall!!!

Kathy Brown '11's Organic Farming Adventure

2010-08-02T12:33:00.000-04:00

This week we are checking in with Senior Defender Kathy Brown (Catonsville, MD/Catonsville HS) regarding her summer travels and working adventure in Oregon:

1) What have you been doing this summer?

I spent one month this summer out in Southeastern Oregon working on an Organic Farm. I found the opportunity through a work exchange website that a high school friend has used in her travels to Hawaii a few years ago.

2) Where did you live?

My friend and I were living on the farm in what was dubbed the "Cabin- Tent." It was a free standing tent that was set -up with two twin beds, a bedside table and lamp, along with a chest of drawers. It was pretty deluxe for technically living and sleeping outside. We even had our own screen room.

3) What did a normal day on the farm consist of for you?

A normal work day consisted of a fresh morning breakfast followed by watering plants/trees, weeding, tending to the vegetables, and occasionally planting or harvesting when needed. The mid afternoon was usually hammock time or free time to play with the two kittens on the ranch. Then dinner duties were split between me and my friend and another couple who was working on the farm. The group dinner usually stretched from sunset until bedtime more or less.

The day I just described actually sounds pretty tame and relaxing but there was never a normal moment on the ranch. Between the animals and the cast of town characters stopping by, the conversatioin was very colorful.

While we were in Lakeview, OR we managed to attend an "internal exercise" class that one of the farm owner's was hosting (imagine waking up at 6 to pound your stomach in search of what I only know as my "dahn jahn"), we elminated one of the farm chickens and ultimately made a lovely chicken soup, and attended what we thought was Oregon's most beautiful hotspring only to find ourselves trapped at the grimiest motel pool on the west coast.

4) What was the best part of your experience?

The ability to travel and meet people was really exciting. I saw Portland, and met up with Lauren Acker for dinner! Lived in Lakeview (the tallest town in Oregon), make a quick tip over the board to New Pine Creek, California and traveled to the lovely outdoorsy Bend, OR (with Beverly, the owner's 76 -year- old mother).

5) What was the most challenging part of your experience?

The work was tiring, but I don't really feel like anything I experienced on my brief trip lasted long enough to be truly challenging. Because of the length of the trip, any problems it was easy to put any problems in perspective and push through.

6) Anything else that you would like to share with teammates, alums or other blog readers?

I definitely recommend helpx.net or WWOOF-ing if you are interested in supplementing an extended travel trip anywhere in the world. They can provide an opportunity with some work and a chance to share a home and meals with an area resident. (The other couple on the ranch was from Moscow and they were spending 3.5 weeks of a 6 month venture WWOOFing)

Catching up with Kelsi Robinson '09

2010-07-05T12:43:00.012-04:00

We hope everyone had a terrific holiday weekend and great summer thus far! We're catching up with 2009 Kelsi Robinson this week to see how she's enjoyed her first full year away from Lexington:1. Where have you been living since graduating from W&L in 2009?
Kelsi: Washington, DC

2. Are you enjoying where you are and what you're doing?
Kelsi: Yes! I love DC. It’s a lot of fun and there is so much to do. I love what I do because I get to be around kids all day. I’m teaching 7th and 8th grade Math this summer for a non-profit serving under-served children in the city, and then I will start teaching at a charter school in the fall.

3. Is it hard to believe it's been a whole year since you've graduated?
Kelsi: Yea, it really is! It’s so weird to have all of the ’10 alumni coming into DC now and realize that I’m no longer the “freshman of the real world”. Time flies, but it’s nice to be settled and feel like I finally know what I’m doing.

4. What's been the biggest adjustment you've faced since living in the "real world"?
Kelsi: There’s just a whole lot more to think about and many more responsibilities. You’re no longer just hanging out in the little W&L bubble.

5.What is the biggest thing you miss about being at W&L?
Kelsi: I really miss being on a team. I’ve been coaching lacrosse for a sixth grade club team and actually just joined a DC summer league which has been really fun, but it definitely isn’t quite the same. Fortunately, Benedetti is also on my team along with Amanda Strickler and Marge Batten (W&L Lax Alumn ’06), and Cav, Gotwald, Ellie, and Maddie are also nearby for the summer, so there will be some good laxer reunions going on for sure! The other thing I miss about W&L…spring term tubing down the Maury river.

6. Have you kept up with your fellow 2009 lax alums?
Kelsi: Yes, of course. It’s hard because we’re all so busy with our jobs and everything, but we have managed to stay connected.. Flip has visited DC a couple of times which has been awwwesome. But Bean’s a Texas girl now and hasn’t made too many northern appearances, but hopefully we’ll see her soon!
7. Any big future plans for the summer and beyond?
Kelsi: I’ll just be teaching and teaching and teaching some more. I actually am doing the Chicago half marathon at the end of July, so I’m trying to train for that (trying being the key word). Otherwise, I’ll just be hanging out and trying to enjoy some free time as much as possible!
8. Will we be seeing you this fall at Alumni Weekend for the Alumnae Game?
Kelsi: Hopefully! I think I have a wedding to go to that weekend so may not be able to get down, but I will do my best to get back and see everyone!

2010 Season Re-Cap

2010-05-24T13:34:00.016-04:00

As many of you probably know our season came to an end on May 12th on a very rainy, very late Wednesday evening in Lexington. Despite a valliant effort from a tremendous group of student-athletes, we were unable to pull off a victory. The loss was heart-breaking for all, and especially for our four Seniors, but the Generals can truly say that they walked off the field that night having given everything they had. Our efforts to come from a four goal deficit to overtake Elizabethtown were led by Senior Meredith Freeman, whose heart and hustle inspired her teammates to take their game to a new level in the last 20 minutes of her W&L career. Each of the Seniors, Laura Cavanaugh, Meredith, Julia Gotwald and Britten Mathews have left their marks on our program in so many ways and we can only hope they understand our appreciation.

A few days after the game a fellow W&L athletic staff member stopped me to chat about how we had played and the outcome. After I re-capped the game and told of the emotions and sentiments felt afterwards she said, "the hardest part about making the playoffs is that unless you become the National Champion, every team ends its season with a loss." That statement may seem a little bit too obvious, but it taught me something. Nobody prepares you to lose. As athletes we spend a solid three hours a day and then some practicing, scheming and pep-talking ourselves for how we will peform to guarantee a win every Saturday. As coaches we watch film, plan practices, analyze and strategize until we feel our team is best prepared for victory. After a season-ending loss like Wednesday night's it's inevitable that a season like the Generals' 2010 season will be overshadowed with sadness, tears and maybe some regrets.

But that shouldn't be the case. This season the Generals' Women's Lacrosse team had much more to celebrate than to be disappointed in. The team set a list of lofty goals for itself in the beginning of the season and reached every one of them. We had a winning record with a schedule that ranks as one of the toughest in the nation. We beat tough non-conference rivals in Mary Washington and Catholic. We reclaimed the ODAC title and brought it home to Lexington. But it is what happened behind the scenes, what the fans and parents haven't seen, that is truly worth celebrating. The 23 student-athletes who make up the 2010 Generals' Women's Lacrosse team traveled a long, bumpy, snow-laden and difficult road to become the team they ended their season as. Through field changes, injuries, 6AM practices, terrible losses and even more terrible perimeter runs, 7-ups and no-drops drills, this team banded together to fight for what they had set out to achieve. Without the unity that grew amongst them we would not have succeeded.

So although none of us were prepared for that loss, I hope that we can all see past it and recognize the greatness of a season like ours. There is much to be proud of and my congratulations and appreciation goes to each member of this team for making this year what it was.

A special congratulations to our players for their well-desereved accolades:

All-ODAC team: 1st Team Julia Gotwald, Katharine Farrar, Emmy Mathews. 2nd Team Christina Benedetti, Kathy Brown and Wilton Megargel.

All-ODAC Tournament team: Katharine Farrar, Britten Mathews, Emmy Mathews, Maddie McKaig.

ODAC/Farm Bureau Scholar-Athlete of the Year: Emmy Mathews.

IWLCA All-Chesapeake Region team: 1st Team Julia Gotwald, Katharine Farrar, Emmy Mathews.

ODAC CHAMPS!!

2010-05-04T12:21:00.008-04:00

We did it! The women's lacrosse ODAC trophy is officially back in the hands of the Washington and Lee Generals'! Our success on Saturday proved the tremendous amount of time and effort we've put into this season and how it has paid off. We played a solid game against Lynchburg who put up a hard fight but the Generals never backed down. We finished with a 14-6 win over the Hornets. Congratulations to All-Tournament performers Britten Mathews, Emmy Mathews, Maddie McKaig and Katharine Farrar.

We would not have been able to achieve such success without the dedication of every single one of our team members and the tremendous support from our families, friends, alums and fans.

We enjoyed a great tailgate after the game kindly put on by our tireless parents and supporters. They even arranged for the tent to be put up for us! Well not exactly, but we certainly benefited from the weekend's Alumni events. It was great to see familiar faces in recent lax-graduates who came out to cheer us on. Thank you to everyone who has supported us and cheered us on this season! There is more to come and we hope to see many of you this weekend when we finish out our regular season against CNU at 2pm on Watt Field for Senior Day. Our fate awaits us on Sunday evening when the NCAA Tournament brackets come out! We'll keep you posted!

Spring Break

2010-04-26T12:52:00.021-04:00

It's hard to believe Spring Term is already here! Today marks the beginning of the third term for this academic year and the beginning of ODAC Championship week! We are pumped and ready to bring the title home after a Spring Break full of lax, lax and more lax. We were able to squeeze in a few team meals and one very colorful Generals Cup competition in between. The Juniors of Utah were kind enough to host us for a Franks' team dinner on Tuesday night.
Wednesday was game day and we prepared for our last regular season conference game against Guilford with a hearty lunch from Woods Creek Grocery.

After an awesome team win over Guilford, the team had to get ready for perhaps the biggest competition of the week, the inaugural Generals Cup. The Cup was comprised of tough lacrosse-related events, a heated round of trivia and culminated in a very tight race for first place in the scavenger hunt through Lexington. Entering this year's Cup were three very evenly matched and spirited teams:

Ninjas

Summer Heights High
Dancing Queens

The Ninjas jumped out to an early lead in the ground ball and possession events. Summer Heights was close on their heels until the Dancing Queens put themselves on the board by winning the 6v6 competition. The Ninjas were barely holding on to first place going into the trivia round. The Dancing Queens easily handled trivia for a win by showing off their knowledge of coaching and training staff birthdays, middle names and birth places, and W&L history. We headed into the scavenger hunt with a nail-biting difference in points between the competitors. Each team ventured into Lexington donning their stellar team uniforms to hunt down various information and objects from around town.

At the end of the day the Ninjas pulled through and were able to pull off a stunning victory.

Things we learned: Josh is from Illinois, not Indiana. Baner's middle name is Alexander, not Arthur. JGot and Emily can still play lacrosse even dressed as Jonah and wearing a cape, respectively. And Coach O'Brien's favorite restaraunt is not Frank's.

We hope to see many of you Wednesday when we beat Randolph Macon and advanced to the conference final!

Megan Slosson '08 Updates us on Life in Baltimore

2010-04-21T09:40:00.001-04:00

We're continuing to catch up with our alumnae this week. Megan Slosson '08 is enjoying her job, puppy, and is looking forward to moving downtown.

1. How long have you been in the Baltimore area?
I MOVED TO BALTIMORE AT THE END OF JULY 2009 AFTER LIVING IN ARLINGTON, VIRGINIA FOR A YEAR AFTER GRADUATION.
2. Where are you working and how long have you been there?
I AM WORKING FOR M&T BANK AND HAVE BEEN WITH THE COMPANY SINCE GRADUATION.
3. Where are you living?
AFTER MOVING BACK TO BALTIMORE I MOVED IN WITH MY LOVELY PARENTS TO SAVE SOME MONEY WHILE TAKING CLASSES IN THE EVENINGS TO PREPARE FOR THE CPA EXAM. I WILL BE MOVING DOWNTOWN TO LIVE WITH MY BROTHER AT THE BEGINNING OF JUNE.
4. Are you enjoying your career?
YES. I AM LEARNING A LOT AND WHILE THERE ARE SOME CHALLENGING DAYS, IT IS A REWARDING EXPERIENCE.
5. Whats your favorite thing to do in Baltimore?
NOW THAT THE WINTER IS FINALLY OVER, I LOVE TO BE OUTSIDE RUNNING, PLAYING TENNIS, OR PLAYING WITH MY PUPPY (CHOCOLATE LAB NAMED REMI). 6. What kinds of hobbies and activities have you taken up since graduating?
SINCE GRADUATION, THE MAJORITY OF MY TIME OUTSIDE OF WORK AND CLASS IS SPENT WITH FRIENDS, FAMILY, AND THE PUPPY. I HAVE ALSO JUST SIGNED UP FOR MY SECOND MARATHON WHICH I AM VERY EXCITED ABOUT, BUT THAT WILL BE RATHER TIME CONSUMING BEGINNING IN JULY.

7. Do you keep in touch and get to see fellow Generals lax Alums?
I HAVE NEVER BEEN GOOD AT KEEPING IN TOUCH WITH PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT LIVING NEAR ME, BUT I AM HAPPY TO SAY THAT I HAVE KEPT IN TOUCH WITH FELLOW LAXERS PRETTY WELL. NOTHING IS BETER THAN COMING HOME FROM WORK AND FINDING AN EMAIL FROM SOMEONE FROM MY CLASS CONTINUING A GENERALS LAX TRADITION 2 YEARS AFTER GRADUATION.

8. What do you miss most about W&L/Lexington?
OBVIOUSLY I MISS THE TEAM AND THE COMPETITION, BUT THE THING ABOUT LEXINGTON AND W&L THAT I MISS THE MOST IS HAVING ALL OF MY CLOSE FRIENDS LIVING WITHIN WALKING DISTANCE. I LOVED THAT IF I GOT BORED IN MY OWN APARTMENT OR NEEDED SOME ENTERTAINMENT THERE WAS ALWAYS SOMEONE JUST A FEW STEPS AWAY (ESPECIALLY AT UTAH).

9.Anything else you'd like Generals players, friends and fans to know?
I WILL BE AT ODAC FINALS SO YOU BETTER WOMP!

Allison Gockley '08's First Year in Med School

2010-04-12T09:00:00.001-04:00

Time to catch up with alumnae! This week we heard from 2008 graduate Allison Gockley on her experiences as a First-Year Med Student:

1.Where are you in Med. School?

Allison: Im in Hershey Pa, at Penn State Medical School.

2. How did your first semester go and are you feeling more adjusted in second semester?
Allison: I love med school! The people at Penn State are really amazing – they are all passionate and hard-working, but know how to relax and let loose when we have the chance. The hardest part was anatomy when we learned the whole human body structure in 11 weeks – it was like the boot camp part of medical school.

3. Have you thought about what concentration of medicine you'd like to focus on?
Allison: I’m trying to keep my options open, but if I had to choose today, I would be an orthopedic surgeon. I am fascinated by the field and I could potentially get to work with athletes! Pretty early in med school people decide whether they are a “thinker” or a “doer”. Thinkers become great diagnosticians and doers become surgeons. Most athletes are doers, so I think surgery fits my personality really well!

4. Did you always know that you wanted to be a doctor?
Allison: Probably not always – I was convinced I was going to be an astronaut for a while as a kid. But since middle school, I’ve been really intrigued by medicine and the positive impact that it can have on others.

5. What do you do in your free time (if you have any!)?
Allison: Actually, I have been pleasantly surprised by the amount of free time I have. My friends and I recently took up rock climbing – which is a really great challenge. I also just ran my first half-marathon. I’m also really looking forward to this summer since I am traveling to India to work at a rural health hospital. Last week I also got to throw around with a friend who also played lacrosse – I miss it so much!

6. Have you kept up with women's lax alumnae?

Allison: Yes! I came to the F&M game this year and got to see some alumnae there and since many alumnae are in DC, it is easy to visit for a weekend!

7. What's the biggest thing you miss about W&L and/or Lexington?

Allison: I can’t pick just one! I miss the mountains and sandwiches from Blue Sky, Indian runs, sunshine drill, dynamic warmup and living at Utah! Most of all I miss the people, I’m learning that the mentors and friends at W&L are really unique and hard to replicate elsewhere!

8. Anything else you'd like Generals fans, players, parents and alumnae to know?

Allison: Good Luck Gennies – WOMP!

Friends of Jaclyn Day

2010-04-05T10:19:00.017-04:00

The Generals are 6-0 in the ODAC after a well deserved win on Saturday against Lynchburg! We had a lot of great support from family and friends and the win was truly a team effort. We were also very lucky to have the support of our biggest fan and Friends of Jaclyn adoptee, Maggie, on the sidelines with us. Maggie and her family did a great job of cheering us on, especially on such a hot day.

First-Year MJ Van Sant, Sophomores Jenn Linder and Emily Ackerman and Maggie made up an awesome cheering squad.

We raffled off W&L Lacrosse gear in the stands and held the drawing during half-time. All proceeds from the raffle went to the Friends of Jaclyn Foundation. Thanks to fan-participation and generous donations we were able to raise over $650 for FOJ. FOJ is a non-profit organization started in 2005 and is dedicated to helping children with pediatric brain tumors and their families. The organization matches children with college and high school athletic teams across the country in which the child then becomes an integral part of the team. The 2010 season is Maggie's second season with the Generals. We communicate with her via facebook, send her holiday packages put together by the team and spend time with her when she and her family are able to visit campus for games and team events.

Maggie and the team stretching during the post-game talk.

We enjoyed this weekend's great weather after the game at our tailgate. Thank you so much to all the parents who helped organize and provide food and drinks. Especially to the Bucklees for the cake, it was still delcious despite the frosting confusion, and to the Barneses for the Easter candy!

To learn more about Friends of Jaclyn, visit their website: http://www.friendsofjaclyn.org/

Meet the First-Years: Caroline Kingsbery '13

2010-03-22T07:47:00.000-04:00

The Generals are coming off of a big conference win against Virginia Wesleyan on Saturday and ready to win a tough game tomorrow vs. Union! This week we're hearing from First-Year Caroline Kingsbery (Short Hills, NJ / Kent Place) about how much she's loving lacrosse and how fast this semester is flying by:

1. What made you choose W&L?
Caroline: My Father, Grandfather, 2 Uncles, and older brother all went to W&L. I always wanted to go here! Then I visited campus and met Brooke fall of my Junior year and I knew W&L was right for me. I struggled looking at other schools, because none of them seemed to fit as perfectly as W&L.

2.How is your second semester going so far?
Caroline: Second semester is going great and I love finally being in season. Fall Ball practice and SAQs (Speed, Agility, and Quickness Classes) were super hard to get through, and its great to get on the field. The spring weather is also making this semester more enjoyable. My Anthropology teacher conducted her lecture outside, and it is so nice to not have to bundle up for practice. It's amazing how quickly the semester is going and that finals are only weeks away!

3.What is the hardest thing you’ve had to adjust to as a college freshman?
Caroline: Everything seems to take so much more time than it used to. Anything, from cleaning my room to doing homework and even lacrosse, requires so many more steps and responsibilities. For example, when I clean my room it involves more than just keeping my room neat. I have to vacuum my floor and clean and iron my laundry, and keep everything very organized. I also really miss seeing my family. Family has always been really important to me, and its really hard not seeing my mother, father, 4 brothers. And of course, my yellow lab, Lilly.

4. What’s been the easiest?
Caroline: I love all the new friends that I've made. People really make an effort to get to know everyone here. I love going into the Dining Hall knowing I will be able to find someone to sit with. It is great to go to such a small school where it is easy to get to know so many people.

5. What are your hobbies outside of lacrosse?
Caroline: I love to swim. W&L luckily has a beautiful pool that I have used quite a few times. I also love to just drive around with friends. W&L is not only such a beautiful place to go to school, but it's also surrounded by a very picturesque landscape so it's always fun to simply sit outside with friends or read a book or go for a walk.

6. Where do you live on campus?
Caroline: I live in Graham-Lees Dorm where my Grandfather, Father, and Brother all lived before me. I think it's definitely the most fun place to live, because you really feel as though you live in the center of campus. Also, the people who live in Graham-Lees have a deep attachment to the dorm and pride that they live there. I requested it as soon as I got my housing form. It's also very nice to have Elizabeth Bucklee, another First-Year on the lacrosse team, living right down the hall from me!

7.Where is your favorite place to eat in Lexington?
Caroline: I love the Southern Inn for dinner. Their calamari is the best! Also the First-Years on the lacrosse team love to go to Wood's Creek Grocery and Blue Sky for lunch. Blue Sky has the best carrot cake and Wood's Creek Grocery has amazing hummus. For such a small town, Lexington has quite a few really good restaurants.

8.Is Lexington a lot different than where you’re from?
Caroline: Yes, Virginia in general is very different from New Jersey. I have never lived more than 45 minutes away from New York City in my life and Lexington, Virginia definitely has a much slower pace. Conversely, the weather, especially this winter, was a little too similar too N.J. It was really funny to see my friends from Memphis, Dallas, and Louisiana experience snow for the first time. Two of my friends actually mistook sidewalk salt for hail, because they had never seen sidewalk salt before. At first everyone was really excited for the snow, but pretty soon everyone grew very anxious for spring.

9. What are you most excited for this season?
Caroline: I love being a part of this team. We all genuinely love to hang out together. After our away games on Saturdays we all eat as much tailgate food as we possibly can, get on the bus, and talk about how excited we are to get back to Lexington and hang out with each other even more. I also love playing in games and challenging each other in practice. It really gives each of us a sense of accomplishment when we are successful after having put so much work into our game.

Meet the First-Years: Mary Jennings Van Sant '13

2010-03-15T07:48:00.003-04:00

We're back to introducing the First-Years after a great win this weekend over Mary Washington! Here is a little bit about First-Year M.J. Van Sant, (Chevy Chase, MD / Taft School) and how she's enjoying W&L, Lexington and playing lacrosse with her older sister this year:

1.What made you choose W&L?
MJ: My uncle, brother, and sister all went to W&L so I was always familiar with the school. During the college process I was tentative about coming here because I felt like I would just be following my siblings yet again, instead of having my own college experience. However, after I took my campus tour and was able to meet some of the students and professors I knew that this school would be the perfect fit. I loved the fact that the small amount of students enabled students to have closer relationships with their professors, and provided a close community feel. I was also very impressed with the importance of the honor code and traditions at this school.
2.How is your second semester going so far?
MJ: My second semester is going well. It is challenging to balance lacrosse practice and our game schedule with academics, but it is definitely rewarding because I really enjoy all of my courses.
3. What is the hardest thing you’ve had to adjust to as a college freshman?
MJ: For high school I went to boarding school so I was already used to living away from home. I had already learned to adjust to the typical hard changes that many college freshman face their first year. However, at boarding school there was a strict daily schedule for all students and my time was pretty much planned out for me. So for me the hardest thing I've had to adjust to is learning how to arrange my schedule and time given the additional free time, the difficult workload, and lacrosse. It's taken a little while, but I think I've finally learned how to balance everything!
4.What’s been the easiest?
MJ: The easiest thing i've had to adjust to is being together with my sister Ellie again and going to school with my cousin Cooper Brown. It is so great to have family here and to know that you have people who will be there for you no matter what. It has also been very easy to meet so many new friends and professors because of the great community that W&L provides.
5.What are your hobbies outside of lacrosse?
MJ: Outside of lacrosse I love to spend time with my friends, volunteer whenever possible, play squash, and explore the beautiful Lexington countryside. Away from school my hobbies also include fly fishing, and hunting.

6. Where do you live on campus?
MJ: I live on the 4th floor of Graham Lees and am loving it!
7.Where is your favorite place to eat in Lexington?
MJ: Definitely the Bistro because of their amazing bread and house salad, but I also love the Woods Creek Grocery.
8.Is Lexington a lot different than where you’re from?
MJ: Yes, Lexington is a lot different because I am from the Washington D.C area. Although I miss some of the opportunities that a city provides, I am really enjoying the countryside. It is so amazing to be able to drive around the Lexington area on a nice day and see the beautiful scenery.
9.What are you most excited for this season?

MJ: I'm very excited about having the opportunity to become a part of a group of under and upperclassmen on a daily basis. It has been so great to be able to get to know the older players and I cannot wait to get even closer with the older players as well as the other freshmen as the season progresses. I am also really looking forward to being able to play on a team with my sister again because she has been such a great role model for me.

Feb Break 2010: Maryland Shore Recap

2010-03-01T07:46:00.001-05:00

The Generals are back on campus after a stress-free, lacrosse-filled week away!

We traveled to Towson University on Sunday, February 21st to scrimmage McDaniel College and from there began our week in the Maryland/DC area. We were hosted by Anne and Pete Mathews, parents of Junior Midfielder Emmy, for an enjoyable team and family dinner on Sunday evening. We had two hard practices on Monday and Tuesday at Roland Park Country School in Baltimore. The team got a chance to show their talents outside of lacrosse at the Timonium Bowling Lanes on Monday night. We have some pretty serious bowlers on the team, with the MVP award going to a three-way tie between Sophomore Lauren Acker, Sophomore Jenn Linder and Junior Kate Speare. Sophomore Emily Ackerman took home the Most Improved Player Award for the evening and best-dressed bowler went to Sophomore Christina Benedetti, who was fully prepared to show off her Galaxy-Bowling attire but unfortunately the blacklights never came on. Sorry Bene!

We headed down to Salisbury on Tuesday afternoon. Before crossing to the Eastern Shore we spent a few hours in Baltimore's Inner Harbor, where the team took full advantage of shopping opportunities. We spent the night in Salisbury on Tuesday and woke up Wednesday morning ready for our season opener! It was a well fought game that the Generals didn't come away from on top, however we felt we had a lot to be proud of as well as a lot of work to do.

And work we did do. We headed back to Lexington on Wednesday evening, arriving just short of 3AM Thursday morning due to some minor bus troubles. But the team was raring to go on Thursday and we had one of our most productive practices yet. Friday's practice was much the same and afterwards we hit the road again for Alexandria, VA, where we stayed overnight before heading down to St. Mary's College of Maryland. Our preparation paid off as we bounced back from Wednesday's game and beat St. Mary's 14-6!

We just returned from a 20-4 victory over our first ODAC oponent Bridgewater College. Bring on the Dips!

Meet the First-Years: Alex Hamill '13

2010-02-15T07:45:00.000-05:00

It's finally here - the last week of practice before a game! We are so excited and definitely ready for some outside competition. We leave on Sunday to head up to McDaniel College in Westminster, MD where we will scrimmage Bates College and McDaniel. From there we start our Feb Break trip throughout Maryland, DC and Virginia. Go Generals!

This week we're introducing you to First-Year Goalkeeper Alex Hamill (Darien, CT / Darien HS). Here's a little bit about Alex and how excited she is for our season to get underway:

1. What made you choose W&L?
Alex:I grew up hearing about W&L because my dad went here and I have met many of his college friends and heard all about the school. I wasn't sure if I wanted to go to the same school as him, but the second that I went on my tour I knew that it was the place for me. Walking around campus I felt that everyone wanted me to be there and I felt so comfortable. On top of that I realized how much this small school had to offer along with all of the tradition that it brings. I personally like smaller classes where I can get more one-on-one attention and help with teachers and that is one of the best things about W&L. The speaking tradition is amazing; walking through the beautiful campus being greeted by everyone you walk by. Also, I really liked the idea that I could focus on my academics and still be able to play lacrosse at a competitive level.

2.How is your second semester going so far?
Alex: Second semester has been good so far. It is great to be back in Lex with all of my friends; as much as I loved being home with my family and friends I did miss seeing everyone on a daily basis. My classes this semester are a little more challenging than fall term with a lot more reading, but I've learned how best to manage it. These past couple of weeks have been very busy with classes really picking up and lacrosse pre-season starting. Pre-season has been challenging, but every day I am seeing all of the hard work that we have put in with lifting and running pay off and I am so excited to finally put it all together in a week!

3.What is the hardest thing you’ve had to adjust to as a college freshman?
Alex: The hardest thing for me to adjust to has been time management. I've had to learn how to best handle all of my homework and studying with lacrosse practices and meetings. It has been hard because there are some days when I am so tired and all I want to do is take a nap in between my classes, but I've realized that it is more helpful for me to get work done then and be able to go to sleep earlier that night. Also, I have Diabetes and I've had a hard time adjusting to taking care of myself. I'm used to having my parents checking up on me and kind of regulating my diet, and now I'm on my own and having to do all of that on my own.

4.Whats been the easiest?
Alex:The easiest thing for me to adjust to has been meeting people. I've always been a very outgoing person and I love to meet new people. During O-week it was hard because I would meet so many people, but forget their faces, but after a week or two I figured it out. Even though the school is small I continue to meet new people everyday.

5.What are your hobbies outside of lacrosse?
Alex: My hobbies outside of lacrosse at school are somewhat limited as I am still adjusting to the busy schedule I don't have a lot of time to do a lot of other things. With that said I would say homework and napping, and napping doesn't happen much. However, I really enjoy photography. Also, my biggest passion is community service. I did a lot of work with the JDRF back at home for Diabetes and would love to continue with that. I did the Lexington pre-orientation trip which was great because it showed me all of the opportunities that there are for me to help out in the Rockbridge community.

6.Where do you live on campus?
Alex:I live in the Graham-Lees dorm on the 3rd floor! I have a huge single that looks onto the mountains. I love having a single because I have my own privacy and work space for when I don't want to have to go to the library, but at the same time I can leave my door open and am bound to have people walk in and say hey. There is always someone to talk to if you wander around the GL halls.

7.Where is your favorite place to eat in Lexington?
Alex: My favorite place to eat in Lexington is probably The Bistro, which has amazing cheeseburgers and really good salads. I also like Blue Sky for a good sandwich and AMAZING chocolate chip cookies. Also, I have to say that the D-hall brunch on Sunday mornings are my favorite thing to look forward to before a Sunday filled with work.

8.Is Lexington a lot different than where you’re from?
Alex: Lexington is somewhat similar to Darien. It is similar to Lex in the size and the small shops that are in the downtown area. Both are small towns where everyone knows everyone. Lex is different because it has W&L right in the middle of it and then VMI and is filled with tradition and history.

9.What are you most excited for this season?

Alex:I am so excited to play in our first game. Our team has worked and trained so hard for the past five to six months and I can't wait to see it all fall into place. Seeing how hard everyone has worked in the off season, I know that we will go far this season because we will continue with the intensity.

Meet the First-Years: Elizabeth Bucklee '13

2010-02-08T07:42:00.003-05:00

Lexington is quite the winter-wonderland these days! Despite many conflicts that the weather has presented us, our team is getting things done to the best of our abilities. Between wall-ball, pool workouts and 6AM practice, we have pushed through and gotten a lot accomplished to be ODAC Champs!

This week we're continuing to introduce the First-Years. Here's a little bit about Elizabeth Bucklee (Princeton, NJ / Stuart Country Day School) and how she's enjoying her first year at W&L:

1. What made you choose W&L?
Elizabeth: I chose W&L because of the strong academics, the lacrosse team, and the feeling around campus. It is such a great atmosphere because everyone is happy to be here and truly loves this school. The academics at W&L are challenging but professors want to help you succeed and will do what they can to make sure you are doing your best.

2. How is your second semester going so far?
Elizabeth: I love being back on campus - I missed it while I was back home over Winter Break! I'm really enjoying my second semester classes and my History 108: America from 1877 to present is my favorite one so far.

3. What is the hardest thing you’ve had to adjust to as a college freshman?
Elizabeth: The hardest thing about being a college freshman is realizing that you are responsible now for everything you need to get done. From laundry to deciding what classes to take and what to do when you run out of shampoo, you have to take the initiative to stay on top of everything. You have to become very independent very fast!

4.Whats been the easiest?
Elizabeth:The easiest adjustment for me at college was with my roommate. We clicked from the very beginning in September and are still best friends! She has never seen a lacrosse game before so I can't wait to introduce her to the sport at our first home game!

5.What are your hobbies outside of lacrosse/field hockey?
Elizabeth: I really enjoying doing community service work. I was very involved in community service during high school and my past summers and so I am excited that I am going to lead the W&L D.C. Pre-Orientation trip this August!

6.Where do you live in campus?
Elizabeth:I live on the 3rd floor of Graham-Lees which is a First Year dorm right on campus. It is close to D-Hall, the library, and classes so it is really the perfect location!

7.Where is your favorite place to eat in Lexington?
Elizabeth: My favorite place to eat in town is at Blue Sky. It's a fun place to have lunch with friends and they have amazing sandwiches and salads!

8.Is Lexington a lot different than where you’re from?
Elizabeth:Lexington is not very different from Princeton because both are university towns with little boutique shops and cute places to eat. Both towns have a lot of character but Lex is much smaller!

9.What are you most excited for this season?
Elizabeth: I'm really looking forward to our games, of course, but also to all of our scrimmages during February Break. It will be a good chance to really put into practice everything we've been working on in pre-season and to play against other teams before our first official game. I'm the most excited to hold the ODAC trophy in May!!!

Meet the First-Years: Ashley Barnes '13

2010-02-01T07:41:00.002-05:00

This season we have some awesome new members of our team. We'll start by introducing First-Year Defender Ashley Barnes (Annapolis, MD/St. Mary's HS):

1. What made you choose W&L?
Ashley: I get asked this question all the time and I never know what to say. I don't know what particularly drew me to W&L but I'm really glad to be here. I pretty much love everything about this school! I love that I can see the mountains from my window, all of my professors know my name, that I can leave my stuff anywhere and no one will take it and I love all of our quirky traditions. Over break I forgot that the speaking tradition isnt exactly normal behavior, so when I visited my grandma she kept telling me to stop talking to strangers and told me I should carry pepper spray in case people tried to talk to me.

2. How is your second semester going so far?
Ashley: Second semester has been great so far. I'm really enjoying all my classes.

3. What is the hardest thing you’ve had to adjust to as a college freshman? Ashley: Waking myself up. I am not a morning person. I usually have to set 5 alarms and sometimes still sleep through them all. During field hockey season I missed the bus once. I felt awful, but luckily the trip was cancelled because of the weather. That was a relief.

4. Whats been the easiest? Ashley: Ten O'Clock classes. I had three last semester and it was amazing.

5. What are your hobbies outside of lacrosse/field hockey? Ashley: I love reading and running. I also really like working with kids. For the past two summers I've had the oportunity to work with intellectually disabled kids and had a great time. They're starting a special olympics program in Lexington so I'm hoping to get involved in that.

6. Where do you live on campus? Ashley: I live on the 4th floor of Gilliam. It's a blast

7. Where is your favorite place to eat in Lexington? Ashley: The healthy foods co-op. They have the best rice cakes and vegan cookies. Their french onion soup is pretty delicious too.

8. Is Lexington a lot different than where you’re from? Ashley: The downtown of Annapolis is quaint and historic kind of like Lex. And its home to the Naval Academy so I always see mids running around in uniforms like the vmies do. But, the greater Annapolis area is a bit more urban.

9. What are you most excited for this season? Ashley: I'm so excited to be a part of the team. Everyone has been so welcoming and friendly. It's hard to believe that less than a year ago I was watching the team play and thinking wow these girls are awesome and now I get to play with them. I am just thrilled to be on the team.

Captains' Outlook for the Upcoming 2010 Season

2010-01-25T16:25:00.001-05:00

Day One is finally here!! We are pumped and ready to go. Here's a look at what this year's Captains see in our future this year:

Laura Cavanaugh '10 (Pylesville, MD/North Harford HS):
It’s hard to believe that the first week of practice is already here! I think everyone will be glad to finally get our sticks in our hands after a few months of hard training. Overall, our team’s strength has tremendously improved from where we left off last year due to our amped up lifting and fitness regimen. I am confident that our hard work in the off season will give us the edge we need to reach our goal this year (ODAC Champs!). Throughout the next few weeks of practice, I am convinced that everything will come together very well now that we will have our entire team on the field. Go Generals!!!!

Julia Gotwald '10 (Alexandria, VA/St. Stephens&St. Agnes) :
I think the team this year is going to be stronger and faster than we have been in past years. Everyone has been working hard running, lifting and doing agilities in the off-season that will definitely pay-off during our season. We are really excited to get the season going because we know what we are capable of and cannot wait to start playing. We expect that all the SAQ sessions and the lifting program will set us ahead of the competition and will definitely help us achieve our goals and be ODAC Champions! We predict that the defense will be very strong because we did not lose any key players on this end from last year and our offense will be innovative and quick this year. Overall, we cannot wait for the season to get going and we believe we are going to come out with a bang!

Emmy Mathews '11 (Baltimore, MD/Bryn Mawr School):
I am incredibly excited about the beginning of our season and from observing my teammates, the feeling seems mutual. This year we have put more work in than ever in the off-season to make our team faster and stronger, and I am very eager to begin to see all of that hard work pay off. In changing the way that we prepare for the season, a certain confidence permeates the team. We have confidence in what we have done up to this point and confidence that it's going to lead us to success in the coming months.

GO GENERALS!!

Kat Michaels '08 - Assistant Lacrosse Coach at Colorado College

2010-01-11T09:20:00.001-05:00

Classes are back in session and our first day is just around the corner. We hope everyone had a great holiday and is as ready as we are for January 25th! We're hearing from 2008 graduate Kat Michaels (Virginia Beach,VA /Norfolk Academy) this week about her adventures in coaching and out West:
1. What's your favorite part about coaching lacrosse?
Kat: It would have to be being on a team again. Of course I am on the other side and it's a tad different, but I love practice, and most of the time I am overly excited. Also, since I have not played lacrosse in awhile, I sometimes am allowed to play with them and love it!!!

2. What has been the biggest challenge going from player to coach?
Kat: My biggest challenge has been slowing down my explanations and communicating clearly what I want the players to do. For instance, it takes me awhile to figure out how to explain certain defensive movements that came naturally to me and my defenders do not understand why someone should move like that. I speak without thinking my explanations through.
3. Did you always know that you wanted to coach?
Kat: No, not really. I actually started coaching in Aspen for something else to do after the ski season ended. But after a few practices, I fell in love with the sport again. It was way too much fun helping the newbie middle schoolers with their defense and stick work. The best part was when a sixth grader, about the smallest person on the field, stopped the ball by leaving her girl in a game. It was so awesome! It's the best feeling.

4. Are you enjoying life in Colorado?
Kat: Life in Colorado is great. It is very different from East Coast living. It's more relaxed. I have picked up a lot of new sports and activities that I didn't do at the beach like hiking and skiing. Also, I want to get into road biking and mountain biking, but unfortunately bikes are rather expensive.
5. What do you do outside of the office and off of the field?
Kat: Outside of the springs, I am also a ski instructor in Aspen, CO. I have friends and family near there and can go to Aspen to work during the winter break because of school, which is the best thing in the world. We also don't practice on weekends so it gives me the ability to go skiing and visit some of my ranch friends in Wyoming as well.

6. What do you miss most about W&L/Lexington?
Kat:I miss my college friends and lacrosse family the most. Being on the other side of the country is a little hard to see everyone and keep in touch.

7. Do you still keep in touch with Generals Lax Alums?
Kat: I try to. Facebook is always a great thing as well as skype. Last April, we had a get together with the 2008ers in Virginia Beach.. I don't come over to the East Coast very often so we try to organize a fun weekend when I do. I hope this year when I come over with the Colorado College team that I will see some of my friends. We are coming to DC in March during Tilbor’s birthday weekend and then I am coming to Baltimore for a coaching conference in January. Also, I hope to see Bender and RBarr in Maine in April when we play Colby, Bates, and Bowdoin. The only 2008er I haven’t chatted with in a while is Henson. She is over in Africa saving the world and it’s just really hard to keep up, but I hear from my other friends that she is glorious and doing wonderfully.

8. If you could give one piece of advice to current Generals Lax players, what would it be?
Kat: Go somewhere different and live on your own for awhile. If going to DC or NY is what you have been dying to do since you could remember, go for it, but if there is any hesitation, go explore the country or world for that matter. Live life before you have to settle down and become a real adult person (YIKES!). If you need a connection out here, give me a shout. I will be out here for a little bit and would love to show you the West. Just remember, DC and NY will always be there and will be an easy transition if you decide that’s what you want.

*Note: There were problems accessing the link in Christine Bender's last post - please try this instead: https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=10633843

Christine Bender '08's First Year in Med School

2009-12-28T10:08:00.003-05:00

Happy Holidays everyone! We hope you are enjoying the season and time with family and friends. This week we heard from 2008 graduate Christine Bender about her busy life in Medical School:

1. Where are you in Med. School?
Christine: I am at University of New England, located on the southern coast of the great (and wintery) state of Maine.

2. Overall how has your first term gone?

Christine: The first trimester went well. We are well into the second and it is hard to believe I am halfway through my first year. All in all I like school and have great classmates.

3. Have you thought about what concentration of medicine you'd like to focus on? Christine: I am interested in orthopedics and sports med. But I am keeping an open mind to everything at this point. I'll probably have a much better idea once I start rotations during my third year (so perhaps another blog entry then!)

4. Did you always know that you wanted to be a Doctor?

Christine: Hmmm. Well no, but I am not exactly sure when I figured that out. It had been in the back of my mind for several years but I always questioned whether or not it was something I actually wanted to pursue. Even last year I was still a little unsure about it. But fortunately I think it's been a good choice so far!

5. What do you do in your free time (if you have any!)?
Christine: Free time??? I am no longer familiar with that concept. But I guess I had been finding some time to run...mostly along the fabulous beach right by school. I also played some IM flag football throughout the fall...but that led to an unfortunate incident. I somehow managed to tear my ACL so I'm now having that surgery right before Christmas. Occassionally I would go home (only about an hour away) for a weekend to see the fam and dog and get some good meals. Immediately following a week of block exams, my class generally manages to have some fun...I won't bore you with details, but these are by far the best weekends. I was planning on getting a ski pass for the winter but looks like that plan has changed...guess it leaves more time for studying.

6. Have you kept up with Women's Lax Alumnae?

Christine: Yup. Mostly the 08'ers...a classy bunch.

7. What's the biggest thing you miss about W&L and/or Lexington?
Christine: Hmmm...Utah, lax, Goshen, the colonnade, warm weather, the Chessie trail, Lex Coffee, our field, spring term (we dont exactly have that here)....I'm sure the list could go on.

8. Anything else you'd like Generals fans, players, parents and alumnae to know?
Christine: Well yes. A bunch of my classmates and I are going on a Medlife trip to Peru this summer. We basically hire a local doctor there and set up clinics in different villages each day where we treat the locals. In the past, it has been a huge success and hundreds of people line up at these clinics to get treatment they might not otherwise receive. It is an incredible opportunity to get clinical exposure and see things medically that we will probably otherwise never get to see in the US. Anyway, we have to raise money for trip costs and medical supplies to take with us, so if anyone would be willing to donate to this trip, I would be very appreciative. Donations can be made at: https://owa.wlu.edu/owa/redir.aspx?C=8ea52d7f61f648e2b88152bb643740c4&URL=https%3a%2f%2fwww.paypal.com%2fcgi-bin%2fwebscr%3fcmd%3d_s-xclick%26hosted_button_id%3d10633843
Thanks and happy holidays!!!

Lisa Dowling Costello '93 - Catching Up With W&L's 1st All-American

2009-12-21T08:00:00.008-05:00

This week we heard about how former Generals Women's Lacrosse player Lisa Dowling Costello '93 is enjoying life in Baltimore, MD and staying in touch with the game:

1. Where do you currently live?

Lisa: In Baltimore, where I grew up.

2. In what career field are you currently working?

Lisa: I am currently working in retail – actually two separate part time jobs. One is for a friend and W&L classmate of mine, Josh Levinson, who owns a running store called Charm City Run (check out their web site!!) The other is for a jewelry store in my neighborhood. I also coach lacrosse in the spring at Notre Dame Prep.

3.Have you been in the same area/career field since graduation?

Lisa: No I taught school here for 5 years and then left to have my daughter, Lilly, who is now 9.

4.What do you like to do in your free time?

Lisa: Wow, hard to say. I am trying to become a more enthusiastic runner although as Jan Hathorn can attest, that day may never come. In the summer, we are big beach people!

5. What has been the biggest milestone in your life since graduating from W&L?

Lisa: Having a child – it makes you reprioritize as well as analyze your life!!

6. Are you still involved in lacrosse at all?

Lisa: Yes I still coach Varsity lacrosse at NDP here in Baltimore – it is a great spring job and I love being around the girls and the game! It is amazing to have seen the progress of women’s lacrosse over the years. I am lucky that some of my players have ended up at W&L, Annie Rochfort, Daley Formby and Rachel Wallick to name a few.

7. Have you made it back to campus recently?

Lisa: Not too recently but my husband (Tom ’91) and I are hoping to get down there and see the new Wilson field and all the changes this spring!

8. Do you keep in touch with your fellow Generals Alums?

Lisa: Definitely. Baltimore is W&L north in a lot of ways so I am fortunate to see a lot of Generals on a regular basis. As for my former teammates, we still email and facebook and laugh about our old antics.

9. Anything else you'd like Generals' fans, players or parents to know?

Lisa: Just what a great experience W&L was and how much I loved playing D3 sports. It enabled me to become a bigger impact player without sacrificing my “life” to the sport. And how happy I am to have seen the women's lacrosse program’s continued success over the years – it was fun to have been there in the beginning!

Sarah Tilbor '08's Life in Washington DC

2009-12-14T10:09:00.005-05:00

This week we spoke with 2008 graduate Sarah Tilbor about living and working in D.C. and her continued involvement in and love for lacrosse:
1. How long have you been living in D.C.?

Sarah: I have been living in DC since graduation from W&L in June 2008.

2. What are you doing there?

Sarah: I am working as an environmental consultant at a DC-based company. My main client is Department of Energy. I set up trainings and collect data for industrial energy efficiency. We just started a new contract for “Save Energy Now,” which was launched in early December at the Capitol.

3. What's your favorite thing about living there?

Sarah: My favorite thing about being in DC is being surrounded by all different cultures. I love running to Dupont then up Massachusetts Avenue, which is lined with Embassies. I can eat any kind of food any day of the week… it is GREAT!

4. What do you like to do in your free time and on weekends?

Sarah: It depends on the time of year. I enjoy trying new restaurants/types of food and music venues/music. The music scene is awesome; it is great to have so many options every night of the week. I also enjoy getting out of the city to hike and camp. DC is only an hour and a half from the Shenandoah National Park, which has some great hikes!

5. Have you kept in touch with your '08 class?

Sarah: I have! I love keeping in touch with everyone in my class. Every time I talk to someone new, there is a new adventure – new job, new goal, new location. One is a banker, lacrosse coach, Peace Corp volunteer… it is so interesting and inspirational to see how lives can change in such a short time. I have had the opportunity to visit with almost all of my teammates since graduation, including a trip out to Colorado to see Bender and Katherine.

6. Have you stayed involved in lacrosse in some way?

Sarah: Have I ever! I currently coach a competitive club team in the DC-Metro area called Capital Lacrosse Club. Many W&L girls played in similar leagues while in high school. This team takes up much of my free time during the fall and summer. I also coach private lessons for goalies in the area. It has been interesting seeing the other side of the recruiting process. And I love seeing the W&L coaches at tournaments. Whenever I see a Trident, my smile widens.

7. What is the biggest thing you miss about W&L?

Sarah: I miss being in such close proximity to so many of my best friends. I miss waking up and being able to jump on my teammates and friends to rally them for the day. I miss the close proximity to the mountains. But mostly, I miss my best friends.

8. Plan to make it back on campus for a game in the spring?

Sarah: I do! I plan on getting to a few games close to DC and I plan on visiting for ODACs!

9. Anything else you would like Generals players, parents or fans to know?

Sarah: Generals – don’t put off the things you want to do while at college. Life after college isn’t as bad as you think. But it isn’t like W&L. Live it up and love the process. It’s a great day to be a General! L4L!

Checking in in the off-season.

2009-12-07T11:53:00.005-05:00

It's been a few weeks since the blog has checked in with our 2009-2010 team so here's an update on what they've been up to here on campus:

Hard work! The Generals' Women's Lacrosse team has made a big commitment to their preparation in the off-season. Led by our Captains and Upperclassmen, the members of our team have been demonstrating just how much they aim to achieve this season through their efforts. They've been fully invested in attending speed, agility and quickness sessions offered by the University as well as improving their strength in the weight room. From the looks of things it appears that this team has taken to heart the motto "create your own destiny." Be prepared to expect BIG things from them this spring!

We've also welcomed back our fall sport student athletes and they have already begun to make big motivational impacts. Junior Captain Emmy Mathews (Batimore, MD/Bryn Mawr School), Junior Kate Donnelly (Houston, TX/St. John's School), Sophomore Christina Benedetti (Derwood, MD/Academy of the Holy Cross) and First-Year Ashley Barnes (Annapolis, MD/St. Mary's HS) enjoyed a hard-earned 10-7 record with the Generals' Field Hockey team, advancing to the Semi-Final of the ODAC Championships before falling to Eastern Mennonite. Emmy Mathews earned second team All-ODAC recognition for her play this season. First-Year Sarah Stiefvater joins us from the Generals' Women's Soccer team who bolstered a tremendous 17-2-3 record, an ODAC Championship and a trip to the Second Round of the NCAA Tournament. They are all shifting into lacrosse gear and we're excited to have them back!

The team has also dedicated their time outside of the classroom and gym to other efforts deserving a hand. The Student Athletic Advisory Council teamed up with W&L athletic teams and members of the community to send Soldier Care Packages to our troops abroad. Senior Meredith Freeman (St. Louis, MO/MICDS) played an extraordinary role in organizing and rallying support, as did Head Coach Brooke Diamond. Our team was responsible for supplying Little Debbie-like snacks, which we did a fabulous job of.

We continue to stay in touch with Maggie, our Friends of Jaclyn adoptee. The Captains organized sending her a Halloween care package and Thanksgiving cards and we also often use Facebook to hear about what she's doing as well as keep her posted on how things are in Lexington.

Thanks for checking in and we hope that you all continue to get excited for the spring!

Katharine Farrar's Fall Term Abroad in Sevilla, Spain

2009-11-30T09:48:00.002-05:00

This week we heard Junior Katharine Farrar's (Lexington, VA/Episcopal High School) perspective on spending her Fall semester abroad in Spain:
Where are you studying in Spain?
Katharine: Sevilla (Seville) which is in Andalucía in southern Spain.

What made you choose this location?
Katharine: Friends from W&L who studied abroad in Sevilla last spring couldn’t stop talking about how amazing it was. Also, being a small town girl from Lexington, I knew that I didn’t want to be studying in a huge city like Madrid so I looked at my other options. Sevilla seemed to best fit the profile of the study abroad experience that I was looking for so I went for it!

What's the best part about living there in Sevilla?
Katharine: The best part about living in Sevilla is the learning experience that I am having. Going off to college and being on your own in the US is one thing, but leaving the country and being on your own in a completely different cultural setting is another. I think that being here has enabled me to learn a lot about myself as well as the outside world and other cultures. I have finally been able to apply my many years of studying Spanish in a real life setting which is so cool to be able to do.

What's the hardest thing about living there?
Katharine: The hardest thing is probably not having all of the conveniences that we do at home in the US. It is pretty hard to find certain things that you really need and not having a car also makes things pretty difficult. You can’t just zip across town to pick something up; you have to plan ahead because it takes at least 20 minutes to get anywhere you need to go. Something else that is pretty hard about being in Sevilla and not another part of Spain is the difference in the Spanish accent. In Andalucía there is a very distinct accent that doesn’t sound like “normal” Spanish so it is pretty hard to understand people at times and even harder for them to understand us when we speak because we don’t have that accent.

What are the biggest adjustments you feel you've had to make living in a foreign country?
Katharine: Learning to adapt to the different kind of lifestyle has been a huge adjustment. The day to day routine here is so different from the one I follow at home which was very hard to get used to. I was pretty exhausted the entire first 2 weeks because I was not used to the schedule of a very early breakfast, a late lunch and a late dinner. Not to mention we walk EVERYWHERE here so it can get pretty tiring. Another big adjustment would have to be the supermarket scene over here...which isn’t so “super.” It is not as easy to go into one store here and find everything you need. Most times you go to one store for fresh bread, one store for fresh veggies etc. and the grocery stores provide the basics. There is no such thing as your one-stop-shop Rockbridge County Super Wal-Mart over here.
What classes are you taking?
Katharine: I am taking four classes that are all helping me fulfill my Spanish major requirements: Spanish Realist Novel, Writing and Composition of Texts, Culture and Society of Spain and Spanish Art: El Greco to Picasso.

What do you and Wilton do on weekends?
Katharine: We have been using most of our weekends to travel around Spain and other parts of Europe. In Spain, we have gone to Granada, Toledo, Madrid, Cordoba, Malaga and Cadiz. We have also ventured to Munich, Portugal, Morocco, London and we plan to head to Rome in December. When we are in Sevilla for the weekends we usually treat ourselves to eating out for meals, since we cook for ourselves during the week days. We also walk around the main part of the city, going in and out of shops and just to kill some time. The weather is pretty consistent here in that there is usually sunshine and blue sky so venturing out during the day is very enjoyable!
What is the one thing you miss most about W&L/Lexington?
Katharine: I miss the atmosphere of the W&L campus and my favorite places to eat. We really don’t have a school campus here…I go to classes in one building and that’s it. There is no true “campus” which I miss because you really feel like you are at school and you get to see all of your friends during the day. I also must say that I really miss Blue Sky, Franks and Lexington Restaurant. To be honest…the list could go on and on but I won’t embarrass myself by mentioning all of the places that I can’t wait to go to when I get back.
Anything else you'd like Generals' fans, players and parents to know?
Katharine: I can’t wait to get the season started and reunite with everyone at our AWESOME tailgates. I also look forward to seeing Maggie and her family, some of our biggest fans, at our games cheering us on! See everyone in the new year!!!

Catching up with Amanda Strickler '06 in Washington, DC

2009-11-23T09:29:00.002-05:00

This week we're catching up with 2006 graduate Amanda Strickler on how she's enjoying life and work in Washington, DC:

What made you decide to move to Washington, DC?
Amanda: After living abroad for the better part of the last three years, I wanted to be fairly close to family and friends. A career may have had something to do with the choice as well...

When did you move?
Amanda: June 2009

Where are you living in the city?
Amanda: Alexandria, VA-southwest of D.C.

Where are you working?
Amanda: The L-3 Services Group

What’s your favorite part about living in our nation’s capital?
Amanda: The vibrant, upbeat, and exciting atmosphere. There is always something to do in D.C.

What’re the biggest adjustments you’ve made since moving?
Amanda: The cost of living in the D.C. area - I am accustomed to Lexington prices...Additionally, I am now without my annual RCHS "Drive Your Tractor to School Day" viewing.

What do you like to do in your spare time and on weekends?
Amanda: I love to walk around D.C. and discover the city. The outdoor farmers markets, museum exhibits and events on the mall-there is constant change. I'm also taking an art class in Alexandria which has been fun. But when I'm not feeling cultural, I put on my #3 penny, UA Shorts, white lighting turfs, and gogs and spend hours pelting lax balls at small woodland creatures.

Still keeping in touch with your fellow Generals’ alums?
Amanda: Yes! They will all tell you that I suffer from a correspondence handicap, but I think we do a good job of talking and getting together. We're hoping to have another laxy reunion sometime in 2010.

Anything else you’d like to share with Generals fans, players, parents and alums?
Amanda: Go Gennies! Stab and Kick! Also I am currently without a camera so I'm sorry for no pictures!

Kathy Brown's Term Abroad in Cortona, Italy

2009-11-16T09:48:00.015-05:00

This week we heard from Junior Kathy Brown (Baltimore,MD/Catonsville HS) about how much she's loving her time abroad in Italy:

Where are you studying abroad in Italy?
Kathy: My study abroad program is located in Cortona, Italy. Cortona is in an part of Tuscany about an hour or two outside of both Florence and Rome. If I were to provide a visual that anyone at W&L could relate to, I'd say that the town would be similar to a Lexington that was built on the side of House Mountain (only about 2000 years older). The view from this mountaintop town allows me to see most of the Tuscan valley and all the way into Umbria.

What made you choose this location?
Kathy: I ended up choosing the UGA- Cortona program for a number or reasons. I seriously considered going with Syracuse's Florence program, but a large part of me thought that I would miss out on a more relaxed, authentic atmosphere. My art major adviser actually recommended the Cortona program to me and from there it really seemed like a no brainer. After all I am used to going to school in small-town Lexington, so Florence would have been an even bigger change.
Are you happy with your decision?
Kathy: I have been here for over two months now and I have very little to complain about. There are 48 people in my program and I think the thing that everyone has the biggest problem with is the food. Funny concept right? Actually the problem with the food is not that it is bad, but rather that we are served too much of it. On a more serious note though, this program is very well-established. When we first arrived, we flew into Rome and traveled to Florence from there. They exhausted us with sights and visits to more museums than you can imagine. I thought they were crazy, but when we arrived in Cortona it became quite clear that it was all a ploy. They had exhausted us intentionally knowing that Cortona would be that breath of fresh air at the end. A place that felt more homey. I don't think anyone here has regretted not being in a big city after that. The UGA set-up is also very inclusive, from the meals to the field trips I would be hard-pressed to find another program that provides this much for me (and at this cost). I also love, love, love my professors. W&L is not too shabby either, but it is good to get out and experience other styles of teaching. Especially with regards to the art department. The art department is pretty small, but this semester has taught me so much already. The professors here come from all types of backgrounds and they have really exposed me to the possibilities available in the art world. OH! and I have met so many people from all over the U.S. Yes my program is small but we have people from California, Montana, new Mexico, Fargo, you name it and we have the region covered. If I had to do it all over again, maybe I would have signed up to come in the summer and the fall.

What is your living situation like there?
Kathy: My living situation is pretty fabulous. I live in an old monastery that was converted into a dormitory. The dorm is located on one of the highest points in town and the view out of my bedroom window is just wild. (Did I mention that it is one of the highest points in town? Yes, I essentially scale a mountain every time I have to walk back to our building. There have been days when I didn't think I was going to make it.) Anyway I have two roommates that are both from Maine and they very kindly gave me two beds...well a bunk-bed all to myself. That may sound luxurious but I cannot actually sit up in my own bed. Luckily most of my work has to be done in the studios anyway. My bathroom situation is another story, but lets just it has the European touch.
Have you done a lot of travelling thus far/do you plan to travel more?
Kathy: Well as I said the program started off with a few days spent in Rome and Florence. A car backed into me in Rome and the gypsies stalked me in Florence. We saw just about every sight there was to see in those two cities. My favorite events from that week were probably wandering around in Trastevere, Rome and sitting by the Tiber River at night (the Trevi fountain was also really neat at night). In Florence, the gelato at Vitello's and climbing the Duomo. Additionally every weekend we take field trips to different Italian towns for my art history class. I have been to Viterbo, Orvieto, Urbino, Gubbio, Arezzo, Assisi, Perugia, Pienza, Montepulciano, San Gimingano and Volterra. Out of those towns I thought that the Orvieto Duomo and Orvieto Underground (caves) were neat, Pienza felt like you were in a poppy up fairytale book and Arezzo had a particularly great antique market. I have also been to Lake Traismeno. My parents came this past week and we went there for the day. The lake is huge and monumental looking. AS for the remaining field trips, I am going to Bevagna and Torgiano tomorrow, then Siena and Naples in a few weeks. Last but not least I am going to hop around in Spain for a week. Spending a few days in Barcelona, then jetting off to Sevilla to spend Thanksgiving with Katharine and Shwilton!!!

What has been the biggest adjustment/challenge you've faced in living in Italy?
Kathy: Well I'd say it has been an adjustment not playing field hockey this year. I think I needed to take this time for Italy, but a part of me was sorry that I had to leave the team.
The cultural adjustment hasn't been more than I can handle. Yes, I used to get stared down when I would go for my runs in Nike and Under Armour but that's nothing too serious.

What classes are you taking?
Kathy: Over here I am taking Italian Language, Renaissance Art History, Painting and Printmaking.
Have you come across any familiar faces in your travels?
Kathy: Familiar faces, well my parents came to visit and a friend from school is stopping by next week but no pleasant surprises. I guess you could say that the Madonna and child has popped up in more places than I ever imagined.
Besides familiar faces from home, I see many of the same townspeople everyday, so in that regard the faces here have become familiar.

Anything else you’d like Generals fans, parents, players and alums to know?
Kathy: If they know of anyone looking for a good art program they should look into going with UGA. My time here has been incredible and I am going to be a mess when I have to leave in a month. I am already really grateful for this experience. It has probably been the best thing that I have done in my academic career.

Wilton Megargel's Fall Term in Spain

2009-11-09T09:47:00.018-05:00

Junior Wilton Megargel (Charlottesville, VA/St. Anne's-Belfield) is enjoying her semester abroad in Sevilla, Spain. We caught up with her to find out just how much she's liking it and what she's up to over there:1.)What made you choose Sevilla as your study abroad location?
Wilton: I chose Sevilla because I wanted to go to Spain and Madrid was too big of a city and in Barcelona they speak Catalan instead of the type of Spanish I have been learning in my classes. Also, I had friends from W&L who went last winter term to Seville and had a great time, so after talking to them, I was sold!

2.)Are you happy with your decision?
Wilton: I am really happy with my decision! I always knew I wanted to study abroad and being here and taking classes is better than I imagined! At first it was kind of a shock and the style of life here took a week or two to get used to. For example, everything closes here for siesta (yes that still goes on) from one o'clock to five o'clock in the afternoon so you can't run errands during that time and have to plan your day accordingly. This also means that if you forget something at the store for lunch, you can't run around the corner to the grocery store to pick it up. At first I found this really frustrating but now it's just normal. I really like that when I decide I want to go to the beach for the day randomly I can say, "Oh, I think I will spend the day on the beach in the south of Spain to catch some sun..." Sounds a little cooler than driving to Roanoke for chinese buffet (not that I don't love Red Palace).

3.)What is your living situation like there?
Wilton: I am living in an apartment with Katharine and two other girls from Colorado who are in the same program. We have a living room that feels small when filled with all four of us and our laundry rack (because they don't have dryers), a kitchen (complete with a clothes washer next to the sink), and two bedrooms and a bathroom. Oh and we have an air conditioner!!!! Which is pretty key seeing as it still gets into the 80s these days!
4.)Have you done a lot of traveling thus far / do you plan to travel more?
Wilton: I haven't packed all my weekends full of trips but I have done a good amount of traveling. Our program takes us on trips around Spain, so I have been able to visit Madrid, Toledo, Cordoba and Granada. It is fun seeing different parts of Spain because they are so different. Katharine and I traveled to Munich for our first "big trip" and loved it!! It has to be on my top five list of places I have been in my entire life. The city is so clean, the people are really nice and everyone there loves Americans AND everything is very efficient. Germany has got it going on! (SO jealous that Mere can communicate with the Germans...) I also got to spend a beach weekend in Lagos, Portugal (probably second to Munich on my list of great places...) which was really cool. Lagos is a small beach town on the southern, most western point of Portugal and it used to be thought of as the end of the world before Columbus! Tomorrow I leave to go to Morocco to see the Medina in Fez and then ride a camel to spend the night in the desert. The camel ride is by far the part that I am the most worried about. Katharine and I are also planning to make it to Rome and Paris for our December break.

5.)What's been the biggest adjustment or challenge you've faced living in Sevilla?

Wilton: It has been hard adjusting to the pace of life here. The Spaniards are not the most efficient people and really don't have a sense of urgency doing anything, especially when you are American. They walk really slowly on the street, are never in a rush, constantly sitting outside sipping coffee/wine and like to take long siestas. Sometimes things happen on time, and sometimes they don't - why get stressed? Also, it took us a while to realize what everything on the menu meant. The first night I almost ordered pig intestines because the picture looked like pasta and red sauce - yeeuck. And everything comes with the eyeballs still attached. But these are really small prices to pay when you are studying abroad. It just comes with being in a different culture. Oh yeah, and we have to cook for ourselves!!! Some nights this is a challenge. No madre/dhall/srat over here to make us hot meals! Katharine and I have had some wild experiences trying to cook a good dinner.

6.)What classes are you taking and are you enjoying them?
Wilton: I am taking four classes over here and they are all in Spanish - three literature and one writing. Our university here is at the total opposite end of the spectrum compared to W&L, being a huge public university. Again, everything just runs a little differently in Spain and it took me an hour to locate all my classrooms before the first day of school because the rooms aren't numbered in order and the building is huge!! I also learned the first week of school that when I went to a class and the professor never showed up, that I should not worry because it is totally normal here for a professor to skip a class - I just had to pick a different class to take (silly me!).

7.)Have you come across any familiar faces in Europe?
Wilton: In Munich at Oktoberfest, Katharine and I saw some friends from W&L who are in our class and also studying abroad which was really fun. We have also had some of Katharine's friends from high school visit and Kathy Brown is going to be appearing in Spain for a week before she heads back to the US!!!!!! Can't wait!

8.)Anything else you'd like Generals' players, parents, fans and alumnae to know about your time in Sevilla?

Wilton: Can't wait to see everyone in January and meet all the freshmen I don't know yet!!! Miss everyone!

Parents' Weekend 2009 - Annual Parent Appetizer Party

2009-11-02T09:39:00.004-05:00

October 31st marked the Annual Parent Appetizer Party for Generals' Women's Lacrosse. We had a great turnout, complete with a festive spread of appetizers and desserts. Senior Captains Laura Cavanaugh (Pyslesville, MD/North Harford HS) and Julia Gotwald (Alexandria, VA/St.Stephen's & St. Agnes) kindly hosted the event along with their parents, Betty and Wayne Cavanaugh and Joan and Robert Gotwald. It was a great opportunity for current Generals players and parents to get to know and welcome new faces to the group. Thank you to everyone who was involved in making the event a success. We're all looking forward to seeing everyone this spring!

A Weekend Volunteering with Habitat for Humanity

2009-10-26T12:51:00.010-04:00

The Generals volunteered with Habitat for Humanity this weekend in Lexington. Here's a reflection of the weekend's activities from the First-Years: This past Saturday, the lacrosse team split into two groups to spend some time doing community service in Lexington. The first group helped out Habitat for Humanity by building a wheelchair ramp together.
We learned a lot about teamwork as we helped each other out to complete our task. It was a really good experience for us as a team to be able to work together in something other than lacrosse and off the field.

The second group went to Habitat for Humanity Restore. The Restore takes donated construction items and sells them in order to raise funds for Habitat projects. It was a great team-bonding experience and we enjoyed learning about The Restore and doing the tasks they gave us together. We had lots of fun loading trucks, sweeping the store, and perusing the Book Nook.

It was good knowing we were able to better someone's life, while still being able to enjoying each other's company and learn how to cooperate with one another in order to be successful. We definitely learned valuable things that will definitely help to make us a more successful team on and off the field!

Kate Lester '06's Life Back in Lexington as a Law Student

2009-10-19T09:29:00.017-04:00

This week we caught up with 2006 Generals' Alum Kate Lester to find out how she's liking her post-undergrad time as a W&L law student in Lexington:

Are you enjoying your second year of Law School at W&L?
Kate: I am enjoying my second year of law school. It is much busier than my first year because of extra-curricular activities, schoolwork and the job search. However, there are many advantages to having a year under my belt. Reading and writing gets accomplished much more quickly and efficiently and I'm enjoying the courses I chose to take this semester.

What are the biggest differences you see between living in Lexington as an undergrad and living here as a Law Student?
Kate: As a law student I find myself much less involved with the community and much more wrapped up in my schoolwork. I find that I rarely get time to visit the undergraduate side of campus because of all of the activities going on at the law school. Lexington is still a great place to study and live. I continue to feel safe and love its history.

What do you miss most about being an undergrad?
Kate: I miss having time to play two hours of sports everyday, of course! Along with that, I miss being a part of a team and living with my best friends and teammates. My years as an undergrad were much more carefree, but I still find time to have fun in law school. No worries!
Have you made any new discoveries about Lexington now that you’re living here as a Law Student?
Kate: I have not made too many new discoveries because I was sure to do as much as possible as an undergrad. However, I did get a chance to go to the Lexington Wine Festival at Lenfest several weeks ago which was great! I also got out to Panther Falls several times while the weather was nice. Both activities I did not participate in as an undergrad.

What do you like to do in your free time/on weekends?
Kate: On weekends I spend most of my time with law school friends hanging out outdoors, watching football, playing Apples to Apples or cooking together. I take trips to Charlottesville and DC every once in awhile and make sure to stay active.
Do you keep in touch with your ’06 Generals Lacrosse class?
Kate: Yes, I keep in touch with all of my '06 lacrosse class. They are actually the W&L alumnae that I keep in touch with the most because they are my best friends.

Have you thought much about plans after graduating Law School?
Kate: I have been forced to think about my plans after graduation because the job search for next summer has already begun. Last summer I was in Wilmington, Delaware working for a Superior Court Judge and I am leaning towards returning to that area to practice in the future. I will probably begin at a law firm that has practice areas in corporate and commercial litigation. I have become more and more interested in products liability litigation as well. Ultimately I have to wait and see how the job market fares over the next year. I would also love to clerk for a Judge again at some point.
Anything else you’d like alums, current players, fans and blog readers to know?
Kate: Seven years at Washington & Lee will be a gift of significant proportion in the future and I will strive to use it to the best of my ability. So thankful that four of those years were filled with lacrosse! GO GENERALS!

2009 Alumnae Game Recap

2009-10-12T10:50:00.000-04:00

Saturday, October 10th was our 5th Annual Alumnae Women's Lacrosse Game. The team was joined by (from left to right) Katie Flippen '09, Sarah Tilbor '08, Kelsi Robinson '09, former assistant coach Rachel Barr, Christine Bender '08 and Kelly Evans '07 for a morning of competitive lacrosse.

It was a great day for Generals Women's Lax due to both the strong play on the field and the opportunity for our recently graduated alums to connect with former teammates and to meet some of the new faces on our squad.

We hope all of our Alumnae enjoyed Homecoming Weekend and look forward to seeing you at our games this spring!

Fall Ball Update and First Annual W&L Fall Scrimmage Day

2009-10-05T10:01:00.001-04:00

The fall season for the Generals has flown by this year. We are beginning our last week of practice tomorrow, followed by our annual Alumnae game on Saturday, October 10th. Yesterday, October 4th, we held our first annual Fall Scrimmage Day on the turf field. It was great getting the chance to compete against outside opponents after working hard and challenging each other for the past three weeks.
Our Seniors, Laura Cavanaugh (Pylesville, MD/North Harford HS), Meredith Freeman (St. Louis, MO/MICDS), Julia Gotwald (Alexandria, VA/St. Stephen's&St.Agnes) and Britten Mathews (Richmond, VA/Collegiate) shared their thoughts on the fall season has gone thus far:

"We are so excited to be back with the team! The days of working hard are finally paying off and we as a team have decided to be in better shape than we've ever been. Our fall season has been a great opportunity for our team to begin the bonding process and for individuals to get comfortable playing with each other. It's also been a chance for players to get stronger and faster. This will hopefully continue throughout the winter and give us a head start when the spring season starts in January. Our practices have been very productive on both ends of the field and we cannot wait to see it all come together in the scrimmages against Guilford and Lynchburg. With all the work we have put into our fall season so far there is no doubt that we will crush any ODAC opponent who comes our way. As seniors, we have put a lot of emphasis on introducing the first years to our program and making sure that all of our teammates are one hundred percent dedicated to our end goal: reclaiming the ODAC championship!"

The team's hard work definitely did pay off yesterday and we proved that if we keep it up we will surely be top competitors in the ODAC this spring. We opened the day with a scrimmage against Lynchburg at 11AM. At 12PM Lynchburg and Guilford played each other and then at 1PM we were back on the field to take on Guilford. Both games were successful in that we executed much of what we've been emphasizing at practice. No score was kept, however we had great offensive plays generated by quick and precise ball movement from our attacking end of the field. The defense did not disappoint either - we communicated loudly, our collapses were quick in the 8M and our on-ball pressure definitely rattled our opponents. We received stellar play from our First-Year Goalkeeper Alex Hamill (Darien, CT/Darien) who remained very strong and consistent throughout both scrimmages.

The day ended with a chance for us to hang out and catch up with our #1 fan Maggie and her family. Maggie is our adoptee through the Friends of Jacyln program and she loves Generals' Women's Lacrosse. We were very happy to give her the opportunity to watch us play well on the field and to have her and her family's support.

Kelley Zwart '08 Updates us on Life in Manhattan

2009-09-28T09:45:00.003-04:00

This week we heard from 2008 Generals' Lacrosse Alum Kelley Zwart (Lexington VA/ Rockbridge County High School). Kelley is living and working in Manhattan and loving every minute of it:

1)Where are you living and what have you been doing since graduating from W&L in 2008?
Kelley: I live in New York City with three other W&L ’08 roommates. Since graduating I’ve been working in advertising at McCann Erickson NY. I work in account management in the pharmaceutical and healthcare division of McCann.

2) What made you decide to take this job and to move to NYC?
Kelley: I’ve been intrigued by advertising since I was little. I used to tear print ads that I liked out of magazines and cover my bedroom walls with them! But it wasn’t until after taking Professor Macdonald’s Art in Business class my freshman year at W&L that I was convinced I wanted to pursue a career in advertising. I first visited McCann during my Junior year on the Advertising Trip to NYC that Professor Macdonald organizes every year and really liked it. So much so, in fact, that I got an internship there the summer before my Senior year and had a great experience. After graduation I headed to New York to see if I could land a job at McCann and I did! I really enjoy working in advertising because it is a great blend of business and art. I was a Business Administration major at W&L but took studio art classes every chance I got because I love art too. Advertising allows me to combine both my business skills and my creative side, so it’s a great fit for me!

3)How do you keep yourself busy outside of the office?
Kelley: My favorite thing to do when I’m not at the office is run. After sitting behind a desk all day, my body is begging for exercise! I also really, really missed having any sort of athletic competition in my life, so I’ve started running road races. I love it! I joined the New York Road Runners, the big running organization in the city, and I occasionally run with one of the local running clubs up here, the Central Park Track Club. It’s great to have a group of people to run with because I really miss being on a team! Right now I’m training to run my first half marathon race in Richmond, VA in November.

4) What is your favorite part about living in Manhattan?
Kelley: I absolutely love Central Park! It’s by far my favorite place in Manhattan. Our apartment is only 5 blocks away from the park, so it’s really easy to head there for a run or walk or even an afternoon laying in the sun on one of the many lawns. After growing up in Lexington with the Rockbridge countryside all around, I really need a good dose of nature whenever I can get it! There are so many roads and trails to run and explore in Central Park – I never get bored there. This summer there were lots of fireflies during my runs at night, and once I even saw a raccoon! Felt almost like home, haha.
5)Are you in touch with other former Generals?
Kelley: Of course! I especially love hearing from Henson about her adventures in Africa! When I’m really lucky I get to hang with the Generals Lax Alums up here in the city. One of the highlights of the spring was getting together with a bunch of former Generals for the 2009 ODAC Lacrosse Championships! It’s not often that you can get alums from so many years together all in one place. It was really great to see everyone, put on our old pennies and cheer for the Generals! I really hope we can do it again next year. And I miss all the ’08 Alums!
6)What are your favorite memories from W&L?
Kelley: Hmm, well I could probably write a book about that!! If I had to narrow it down, though, I’d have to say beating Middlebury our senior year is way up there at the top! The energy going through the team during that game was unreal. It was magical! That game was amazing and I’ll never forget it.

7)If you could go back and do it all again, is there anything that you would change?
Kelley: I truly loved my entire experience at W&L. A day doesn’t go by that I don’t think about how great it was! But if there is one regret I have it’s that I didn’t study abroad during my four years at W&L. At the time it seemed like there wasn’t a right time for me to leave for a semester, but in hindsight I realize that I should have gone anyway! My friends that went abroad had the most amazing and fulfilling experiences and now have memories that will last a lifetime. I feel like I missed out on that. I can always travel and visit places, but it’s not the same as studying there and forming special bonds with other students who are abroad. So my advice to current W&L students is to just make it work and go!
8)What is one thing that you know now that you wish you knew when you were still in college?
Kelley: Well, you know how stressed out you get during school about papers and exams and class? Don’t stress! Some days I would give anything now to have to take a test or write a paper and then go to a class or two instead of sitting behind a desk ALL DAY! Looking back, class wasn’t that bad, having to do schoolwork wasn’t that bad… I wish I hadn’t stressed so much and had relaxed and had fun a little bit more!

9)Anything else that you want to share with fellow Generals Laxers and blog readers?
Kelley: Every day truly is a great day to be a General! Current Laxers: whether you’re winning a game or running sprints in the freezing cold, love every minute of it! Don’t take for granted the four years you have to be a college athlete, and better yet, a W&L General. Also, I hope to see you all on the field in October! GO ALUMS!!

Generals Lax Players Volunteer at the W&L Girls Sports Clinic

2009-09-21T09:58:00.041-04:00

Yesterday, Sunday September 20th, members of the Generals Women's Lacrosse team spent the afternoon volunteering for the W&L Girls Sports Clinic. The clinic was put on collectively by the W&L Women's Swimming, Women's Track/Cross Country, Women's Basketball and Women's Lacrosse teams in an effort to help girls in Rockbridge County understand the enjoyment in being active and the value of being fit. The clinic ran from 2pm-5pm yesterday afternoon and began with lacrosse and running. Half of the girls worked with our team learning lacrosse while the other half worked with Women's Track/Cross Country in the running workshop; after ample amount of time in each the groups switched . For the second half of the afternoon, the girls rotated between swimming and basketball workshops.

We caught up with Women's Lacrosse Seniors Julia Gotwald (Alexandria, VA/St.Stephens&St.Agnes), Laura Cavanaugh (Pylesville,MD/North Harford HS), Britten Mathews (Richmond, VA/Collegiate) and Meredith Freeman (St. Louis,MO/MICDS) on how they felt the afternoon went and what the team got out of the experience:

Junior Ellie Van Sant (Chevy Chase, MD / Taft School) and Sophomores Maddie McKaig (Annapolis, MD/Annapolis HS) and Alli Shearin (Essex Falls, NJ/West Essex Regional HS) stretch with the girls in warm-ups.

Meredith: In terms of our team bonding I think it was a fun and easy way to spend time together, and I think we have a few inside jokes as a result of that, which is always great. Additionally, I like how we gave a general lesson as a group and then EVERYONE got to be involved on a personal level and nobody was just standing on the sidelines feeling unused

Meredith leads the group in ground ball demonstrations

Julia: All the girls seemed excited to be there and their skills and knowledge of the game improved drastically within just forty five minutes. The team definitely bonded over teaching these young girls and a lot of people's personalities definitely came out this afternoon. I think the team benefited from this clinic as well because it made us think about the basics of lacrosse and the little things about cradling and catching and throwing that we sometimes overlook yet are a staple of the game.

Alli Shearin and Freshman Neely Burch (Gladwyne, PA/Agnes Irwin) work on ground balls

Britten: Today was a chance for our team to work together to teach these campers the fundamentals of the game but more importantly, to hopefully instill the love of the game in some younger laxers around Lexington.

Junior Kate Speare (Wallingford, PA/Strath Haven HS) helps her clinic buddy learn to cradle

Laura: It was great to coach such an enthusiastic group of girls, many of whom were at or around the age I was when I started playing lacrosse. Today was a wonderful opportunity to take a small portion of our day and devote it to interacting with members of the community. Having our team there working together was fantastic because all of the girls could get one-on-one instruction with their skills. We saw vast improvements as the clinic progressed and I hope that some of the girls will pursue the sport that I have grown to love over the past 13 years.

Introducing our New Assistant Coach, Megan Moore

2009-09-14T09:30:00.002-04:00

Hi! I'd like to use this post to introduce myself to all of our blog readers - I'm Megan, the new Generals' Women's Lacrosse Assistant. I'm happy to be in Lexington and think that this upcoming year will prove to be a great one for our program. Fall season is patiently awaiting and I'm excited to work with the talented group that makes up W&L's Women's Lacrosse team.

I graduated from Gettysburg College in May of 2008 where I studied English and Writing and played four years of lacrosse for the Bullets. I had a tremendous playing experience at Gettysburg and hope to be a part of what makes Division III lacrosse so enjoyable for our players, parents and fans at W&L. Prior to accepting the position here I served as an assistant at Dickinson College in Carlisle, PA. The weather in Virginia is much more sympathetic during February's pre-season practices than the weather in Pennsylvania! (or at least, that's what I've been told...).

I'm from a small town on the Eastern Shore of Maryland called Chestertown. I've found many similarities between Chestertown and Lexington and am quickly starting to feel at home down here in the South. I'm looking forward to meeting all of you in the upcoming year once our season gets underway. Please feel free to email me anytime at moorem@wlu.edu. I hope to see many of you at our fall scrimmages this October!

Laura Cavanaugh's Summer Interning with Aflac in Baltimore, MD

2009-09-07T10:00:00.016-04:00

This summer Senior Defender Laura Cavanaugh (North Harford HS/Pylesville, MD) spent some valuable time as a marketing intern in the D.C. Area. Laura gave us some good insight into what she learned there and a brief glimpse of her summer outside of work as well.

1) What are you doing this summer and what made you decide to take this position?
Laura: I am doing an internship with Aflac (yes, the duck hehe) in Marriotsville, MD. The internship is partly marketing-oriented, a field that I am very interested in pursuing after college. I am a business major and thought that an internship this summer would be the best way to alleviate some of the anxiety of taking the plunge into the real world following graduation in June.

2) When did you begin your job and how long were you working this summer?
Laura: My job began in the beginning of June and I worked until mid-August.

3) Where did you live?
Laura: I lived at home (probably for the last time ever!)

4) What did your normal day look like?
Laura: My morning normally started in the office, making calls and doing paperwork. Then, a fellow intern and I drove around the Maryland/DC area and either marketed to new business owners or enrolled employees in insurance plans.

5) What was the best part of your job?
Laura: The best part of my job so far was meeting so many interesting people. I met individuals from a variety of vocations- from bus drivers, electricians, construction workers to CEOs and presidents of companies!

6) What was the most challenging part of your job?
Laura: The most challenging part of my job was getting over the fear factor of talking to complete strangers about Aflac. It definitely taught me to be more confident and realize that everyone, no matter what their title, is human and are not unwilling to help someone out.

7) Anything else you'd like to share with your teammates or other blog readers?Laura: Here's a picture of a neat (but scary!) little plane I took to Nantucket last weekend.

Anna Pobletts' Summer in the Lab

2009-08-31T11:17:00.027-04:00

Sophomore Defender Anna Pobletts (Sykesville, MD/Century H.S.) has spent her summer interning in Baltimore with the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Lab. We caught up with Anna to hear about her hard work this summer and a little vacation time too:
1) What are you doing this summer what made you decide to take this position?
Anna: This summer I am working at the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Lab. I got this job from an internship I had during my senior year of high school. APL (Applied Physics Lab) works on a lot of really cool stuff like space shuttles to Pluto, missiles and fighter planes for the military and video game simulations that can be used for both school teachers and military training.

2) When did you begin your job and how long will you be there this summer?
Anna: I started the week after school ended (June 8) and it ends August 28. So I'm here basically all summer.

3) Where are you living?
Anna: I'm living at home since APL is only about 30 minutes from my house.

4) What does your normal day look like?
Anna: I am a computer science major and I am doing a lot of programming at the Lab so my day usually consists of writing code at my desk or having meetings. It is all very business-like and it's pretty interesting. I get to work on a project that will help the Department of Defense(DoD) decide what systems (planes, ships, sensors, weapons, etc) they should use in battle.

5) What has been the best part of your job so far?
Anna: The best part is when we get to work with the other interns. I get to work with the other 200 interns here and find out about a lot of really cool things that are going on at the Lab with tours and demos and etc.
6) What has been the most challenging part of your job so far?
Anna: The hardest part of the job is that I am teaching myself Java, which is a programming language. It is difficult but very rewarding when I figure something out!

7) What have you been doing outside of work this summer?
Anna: I work full time and every day I start early in the morning so I definitely sleep a lot when I'm not at work! I've also been hanging out with a lot of friends from home and some W&L friends who have visited. I'm actually on vacation at the beach in Georgia as I'm writing this! Here's a picture of my cousin and me at a church in Savannah where a new Miley Cyrus movie is being filmed (I'm a huge fan).
8) Is there anything else that you would like to share with your teammates or other blog readers?
Anna: Since my job is at a government classified lab, I'm not allowed to take pictures inside my job. You can get a better feel of what APL is all about from their website, http://www.jhuapl.edu/.

Kathy Brown & Katharine Farrar's Summer at Camp Alleghany

2009-08-24T11:11:00.056-04:00

Junior Defender Kathy Brown (Baltimore, MD/Catonsville H.S.) and Junior Goalkeeper Katharine Farrar (Lexington, VA/Episcopal H.S.) spent their summers as camp counselors for Camp Alleghany for Girls in Lewisburg, WV. Both Kathy and Katharine have shared their thoughts and given us good insight on their experiences at camp:
1) What are you doing this summer and what made you decide to take this position?

Kathy: This summer I worked at Camp Alleghany as a senior camp counselor. I had five of my own campers who were all 15 year-olds. I decided to work in West Virginia with Katharine because she gave the place such warm reviews. I was looking for something new that would allow me to live away from home for a little while this summer. Greenbrier County was a beautiful setting for the camp, which also made the job more appealing. I thought I'd be able to learn something from a fresh crop of people and I figured it was worth a shot. Katharine: I am working at Camp Alleghany for Girls in Lewisburg, WV. I decided to work at a summer camp this year because I had so much fun as a camper and I wanted to give back to camp!!

2) When did you arrive at camp and when did you leave?

Kathy: I arrived at camp on June 17th and I left July 18th... but I plan on going back for the end of the year Banquet Night!
Katharine: I got to camp on June 16th and left August 8th.
3) Where did you live?

Kathy: While at camp we all lived in platform tents and slept on cots... well actually the counselors got first dibs on the wooden beds so I did snag one of those. The actual camp is situated on the Greenbrier river nestled at the base of some mountains in WV.
Katharine: I lived in Senior Camp which is for campers from ages 13 to 16. We lived in tents (not camping tents) that had floor boards and canvas flaps etc.

4) What did your normal day look like?

Kathy: A normal day is pretty easy to describe, but I won't go into too much detail about all the bugle sounds and chimes that rang throughout the day to signify something or other. We got up for breakfast at 8, went to assembly at 9:15, then classes began. I taught arts and crafts at 10:00 and land sports at 11:00. The middle of the day was broken up with free time, lunch and then capped off with a rest hour. At 3:10 I taught land sports again and 4:10 was some time that I had to work on the top secret Banquet night decorations. Every evening consisted of dinner, evening activity and tent time. Practically everyday went according to that schedule with a few special days as exceptions.
Katharine: A normal day at camp meant waking up at 7:45am, breakfast, assembly, two hours of activities, free time, lunch, rest hour, two hours of activities, free time, dinner and then evening activity. The days were full and everyone was always busy!!

5) What was the best part of your job?

Kathy: The best part of my job was... wow that's a little tough. I really enjoyed getting to know the other counselors. Some people were from all over, but the environment was very welcoming of different personalities. I had a chance to make new friends and I really enjoyed what they taught me. I was also surprised by how close I became to my campers. To be honest I didn't think I'd connect with my campers as well as I did. Getting to know those girls was a special treat.
Katharine: The best part of my job was watching girls that range from age 8 to 16, grow and mature into young ladies and be able to be themselves for three to six weeks without any worries from the "outside world."

6) What was the most challenging part of your job?

Kathy: It was challenging coming up with engaging lessons/class plans. I taught arts and crafts and land sports and there were a lot of counselors working together in the various departments. It was difficult to agree and coordinate what you wanted the campers to accomplish during each class. Oftentimes though the campers helped out and let us know their interests.
Katharine: The most challenging part of my job was incorporating safety into the activities for the girls while also having fun at the same time.

7) Is there anything else that you would like to share with your teammates or other blog readers?

Kathy: I'm glad I got to spend part of my summer with Kath (Katharine). Even though we usually only saw each other in passing, it was really nice to know that she was there. The camp was definitely a unique place that's hard to describe in any other context so I know I don't have to say anything and Katharine understands exactly what I did this summer. Since both of us are going abroad in the fall it was good to hang one last time before the winter!

Britten Mathews' Marketing Internship in Washington, DC

2009-08-17T10:49:00.007-04:00

Senior attacker Britten Mathews (Richmond, VA/Collegiate) is spending her summer interning for AARP in Washington, DC - let's hear more about her experience thus far:
1) What are you doing this summer, what made you decide to take this position?
I am working in the Member Exhibits Division for AARP in DC this summer. My main focus is event planning and marketing AARP’s National Event- Vegas@50+ which will take place in October in Las Vegas. We estimate to have about 30,000 attendees and 500 exhibitors. I knew this job would be great experience because it involved a large, well known organization in the D.C. headquarters. I have been exposed to many angles of the marketing and event planning industry and to AARP’s approach to these.

2) When did you begin your job how long will you be there this summer?
I started my job on June 8th and will finish August 14th. I will also attend the Vegas@50+ event October 22-24, 2009 which will be great additional exposure. I am most excited to see this summer’s work come together on site in Vegas.

3) Where are you living?
I am living in Georgetown with 4 UNC- Chapel Hill graduates. We live in a house very close to the Observatory so it is very common for me to either hear or see VP Biden’s motorcade. I also can see the National Cathedral from our upstairs and the church bells are clearly heard on Sundays. I have enjoyed D.C. and the city feel- definitely a great experience outside of the Lexington bubble. I would love to return to D.C. after graduation! 4) What does your normal day look like?
I work from 9-5 every day and have my own cubical (unfortunately not near any windows). I have a 15 minute walk to the metro each morning and about a 15 minute metro ride. I am fully responsible for updating and marketing the Vegas@50+ National Event through the social networks including Facebook, Twitter, and AARP’s Online Community. I communicate directly with the exhibitors for Vegas@50+, updating their company’s listings and helping them organize their booth space. I am also in charge of certain pages that will be published in the event’s Program Book. My team has done a phenomenal job of challenging me each day yet taking me under their wings and educating me on their industry.
5) What has been the best part of your job so far?
My most rewarding experience so far was an event we planned on Capitol Hill for a division of AARP. It was a Health Action Now Lobby 3-Day Event on the Hill which I was a part of from day one until its closing. Watching all of our work come together on site was very rewarding and the best hands-on experience I could ask for from an internship. I look forward to a similar experience in October when I travel out to Las Vegas.

6) What has been the most challenging part of your job so far?
The most challenging aspect of my job has been admitting that I do not know how to do everything. Asking for help and accepting that some things will not be perfectly correct was difficult at first. However, because our team works very well together this challenge has been easier to overcome.
7) Is there anything else that you would like to share with your teammates or other blog readers?
While it will be sad to leave D.C., I am looking forward to returning to Lexington and to beginning another great lacrosse season with the team! I cannot believe it is already senior year!

Kate Donnelly's Summer Interning with the Shepherd Poverty Program in Camden, NJ

2009-08-10T08:00:00.003-04:00

This week we are checking in with junior Kate Donnelly (Houston, TX/St. John's School) who is spending her summer interning with the Shepherd Poverty Program in Camden, NJ:
What made you decide to spend your summer interning with the Shepherd Poverty Program?

After taking professor Beckley’s Poverty and Human Capability seminar freshman fall, I knew I wanted to get involved in the Shepherd Program. Professor Beckley’s class was so interesting and I really felt like I learned a lot about our country just by studying policies and experiences. Also, Beckley is just a great professor and person to get to know. I am actually minoring in poverty studies, and that is how I discovered this internship. For many years, Camden has had an extreme poverty rate and has been at the top of the ‘most dangerous cities’ list, so there is definitely a lot that needs to be done. The company I am working for is a development company that is trying to revitalize Camden and make it the vibrant city it used to be. I thought this internship would be a great opportunity to see a side of the non-profit world that I have never experienced before—the business side. I have loved my job so far because I have gotten to talk to some great residents of Camden and have also learned so much about running a non-profit. It has been a real eye-opener and has definitely changed my perspective and outlook on Camden, poverty, and life itself.

When did you arrive in Camden? How long will you be staying there this summer?

I actually started my internship in Berea, Kentucky where all the Shepherd Interns came together for an opening conference. Total, there are around 40 interns from Universities around the country, many coming from W&L. We all met at Berea College one of the partnering Universities and had an orientation for the summer. Then, on June 7th my two roommates and I drove all the way to Camden, NJ and started work on June 8th. I am spending a total of 8 weeks in Camden and will be going back to Lexington on August 1st for a closing conference. All of the Shepherd interns will meet back at W&L to give a report on their internships and share experiences. I will then be heading home, back to Texas, for a few weeks before coming back to school!

Where are you living right now? Will you be heading anywhere else?

I am living in the Rutgers-Camden campus graduate apartments. I share a four bedroom apartment with a kitchen and common room with my two roommates, Rob and Charlie, who also go to W&L. The apartment is actually almost exactly like the woodscreek apartments at W&L and is not too bad! It’s located in the “nicer” part of Camden and it has great security, which my parents were extremely happy about….

What does your normal day look like?

On a normal work day, I wake up around 7:30, get ready and walk to work. I have to get to work around 8:30. One of the main projects I am working on is a Home Improvement Program, so I spend much of the day interviewing potential residents for the program. The program is actually really neat. Through a lottery system, we give $20,000 dollar grants to homeowners to improve the safety, appearance, and livability of their home. In the interview, I basically help them fill out the application and make sure they turn in all the paperwork. It has been fun getting to know some of the Camden residents, and has probably been my favorite part of the internship. I am also working on some other miscellaneous projects including an analysis on a neighborhood that could use some housing improvements, and a large park plan. I usually finish work around 5:00 and walk home. I rest a little and then go work out of course! The Rutgers-Camden campus has a GREAT turf field that I have been using and I often run along the Camden waterfront promenade. Rob, Charlie and I then cook dinner and relax. There isn’t much to do in Camden (yet) so we have done some interesting things like dollar bowling, going to the Harry Potter premier, and going into Philly, which is only a 10 minute subway ride away.

What has been the best part of your internship so far?

The best part of my job has definitely been getting to meet some great residents in Camden. On the surface, Camden may look like a horrible, crime-ridden place, but if you get to really know the residents of Camden, you will find some really fascinating people who are working so hard to create a great life for them and their families. I have also loved getting to know my co-workers. They are so dedicated to Camden and I have learned so much from them. We also have a ton of fun in the office. Hah, sometimes I feel like I’m on a TV show while I’m there.

What has been the most challenging part of your job so far?

I’d say that the hardest part about working in Camden has been that there is so much to do to improve the city that it can get a little overwhelming. You could have so many great ideas about how to make Camden a better place, but working with the government and jumping through hoops can be challenging. You definitely have to remind yourself of the big picture and believe that every little bit helps so you don’t get bogged down. I’d say that seeing the reactions of homeowners when they find out that they have been randomly selected for our home improvement program, or after the improvements have been made and they are so happy with the results definitely helps remind me that we are making a difference.

Anything else that you want to pass on to your teammates or other blog readers?

Just that I can’t wait to see everyone in the fall!! I miss ya’ll and hope you’re having a GREAT summer!

Kate Speare's Summer in Texas

2009-08-03T11:10:00.005-04:00

Junior attacker Kate Speare (Wallingford, PA/Strath Haven HS) is spending the summer interning for a venture capital fund in Houston, Texas - let's check in and see how things are going:

What are you doing this summer, what made you decide to take this position?
This summer I'm interning with a small Venture Capital Fund called DFJ Mercury in Houston, TX. DFJ invests in seed and early stage start-up company's in three sectors: Information Technology, bioscience and advanced materials. I decided to do this internship this past fall when an alumni set up a program in Houston for 6 internships in different kinds of small companies. The idea was to allow sophomores a chance to experience the business world before applying for the typical junior year internships. I thought this was a great opportunity so after I interviewed put DFJ Mercury as my preference because I didn't know much about Venture Capital but thought that it sounded really interesting and exciting!

I'm also taking an entrepreneurship class at Rice University that one of my co-workers is teaching. In this class we create our own start-ups. Throughout the class we will produce a business plan, an executive summery and we will also present elevator pitches and then longer pitches at the end of the class.

When did you arrive in Houston, how long will you be there this summer?
I flew down to Houston June 7th and I'm flying back August 21st. So I'll be in Houston for almost 3 months. The final presentations for my class are August 20th which is why I'm staying in Houston so long.

Where are you living?
I'm living at Kate Donnelly's house!! The Donnelly's have been AWESOME! I can't say enough good things about them! Mr. and Mrs. Donnelly, Frank and Laura (Kate's brother and sister) have all been so nice and have really made me feel like I'm at home in Houston.

What does your normal day look like?
Normally I'll Get to work between 8:30am and 9am. If it's a Monday I'll usually go to a deal meeting where everyone in the office meets and goes through all of possible and current investments. Then throughout the day I'll be given different start-up company's to research (usually in the IT sector). This involves reading business plans, executive summaries, PowerPoint presentations or just looking through their website. I'll do further research to find out about competitors and the market or anything else that needs to be looked into further. Then I'll right up small reviews on the company, which are basically listings of the pro's and cons interns of the company as a future investment. Throughout the day I'll also do small research tasks for the three managing directors at DFJ if they need some statistic or other information. Then if I'm lucky, I'll get to sit in on a meeting with some of these companies!

What has been the best part of your job so far?
Because I'm researching IT companies that are submitted to DFJ, I get to see some really cool emerging technologies. A lot of them have applications to my life as well which makes it more interesting. The other great part of working at DFJ is that it is a small firm which means I get to work with the top guys! The person who is in charge of me is a W&L alum who founded DFJ and is one of the three managing directors.
What has been the most challenging part of your job so far?
One of the most challenging things for me is having the confidence to say my opinions and submit them to my boss. It's hard to evaluate these companies since I've had such little experience, but I've come to realize that just using common sense is a big part of it. Plus, every time I submit my evaluations, I get feedback and then can improve for the next time evaluation. This summer, I'm definitely learning to be more confident in talking to people, whether it's networking with alums or just sharing my opinions when I'm asked to at work.

Is there anything else that you would like to pass on to your teammates and/or other blog readers?
Houston is a great city! Although it's quite different from Philly, I've really enjoyed it. Also, the Donnelly's are the coolest family! They're so much fun to be with and are all so kind. I greatly appreciate their generosity. I've had such a great summer experience!

Emmy Mathews' London Summer

2009-07-27T08:30:00.002-04:00

This week, we are catching up with junior midfielder Emmy Mathews (Baltimore, MD/Bryn Mawr School) who is spending the summer taking finance courses at the London School of Economics:

What made you want to spend your summer in London?

Playing two sports, I knew I wasn't going to be able to study abroad for an entire semester but I knew that I wanted to have an abroad experience. Going to London and taking a Finance class at the London School of Economics, I knew I would get a european perspective on Finance and also be more prepared for my Business Administration major.

When did you arrive in London, how long will you be staying?

I left for London on July 3rd and will be there for the month of July. My course only lasts three weeks and after that is finished I am traveling to Barcelona for a weekend and Prague for my remaining three days in Europe.

Where are you currently living? Will you be traveling anywhere else?

Right now I am living in a LSE dorm on High Holborn St. It's a very convenient location, right next to Covent Garden and close to Leiscester Square, Piccadilly Circus, and many of the theatres in London. I walk only five minutes to class and can walk to most of the museums as well. This weekend I am traveling to Turnberry, Scotland to see the British Open. I have a ticket for Saturday and then am planning on watching Sunday's round in Turnberry somewhere.

What does your normal day look like?

On weekdays I have lecture from 10-1. After grabbing lunch, I have class from 2-3 in the afternoon where, in smaller groups, we go over problem sets. After class I usually find something touristy to do around the city. My favorite museums so far have been the Victoria and Albert Museum which has some AMAZING decorative arts and the British Museum. I have been to the British Museum twice and there is still so much more of the building to explore!

What has been the best part of your time in London so far?

My favorite part of London so far has definitely been taking in the sights. From walking all around the city, I have absorbed so much culture and gotten to see so many things that are just incredible. In the National Gallery, in one of the what seems like thousands of rooms, Van Gogh's "The Sunflowers" is just hanging out on a wall next to some other paintings. It amazes me that or free I can just go in and look at paintings as famous as that one. It really blows my mind.

What has been the most challenging part of your trip so far?

The most challenging part has definitely been trying not to spend so much money! The exchange rate is currently around 1.7, and it's been really hard to stay within a budget especially because I want to cram so much in while I am here for just a month.

See you all soon!

Natalie Herndon's Adventures in Costa Rica

2009-07-20T08:56:00.003-04:00

Senior defender Natalie Herndon (Atlanta, GA/Westminster Schools) is spending the summer in Costa Rica to further explore her Spanish major and Latin American Caribbean studies minor. Let's hear from Nat on how a summer in Costa Rica is treating her:

What made you decide to spend your summer in Costa Rica?

I wanted to spend my summer in Costa Rica because I knew that I wanted to be teaching abroad this summer and I thought, that Costa Rica offered an experience that I would value and enjoy. At first, I was conflicted between choosing internships in Buenos Aires, Argentina and Nicoya, Costa Rica, but I ended up applying for the internship in Costa Rica because Nicoya is a very small town and is very connected to it's heritage and I wanted a place where I could not only get a true Latin American experience, but also a place where I would absolutely have to speak spanish and to also be able to connect to the people and their history. Also -- in June and July it's really cold in Argentina and I don't really like cold weather :-)

When did you arrive in Costa Rica? How long will you be staying?
I arrived in Costa Rica on June 13, and I'll be staying till August 15 (9 weeks)

Where are you living? Will you be traveling anywhere else?
Right now, I'm living in a house with my Costa Rican mom (Isabel). It's a really nice house compared to all the other houses here-- its very clean, and I have my own closet and bathroom. It's also great because a lot of Isabel's family lives really close by, so I've met a lot of people through them.
What does your normal day look like?
Well, it's been kind of crazy recently because the schools in Costa Rica were on vacation for the past two weeks, and now, because of the swine flu scare, they've shut down again. However, prior to these past two weeks, I would wake up early and eat breakfast with Isabel, then go to Spanish classes in the morning and receive Spanish instruction. We worked our way through grammar workbooks, talked about a couple of short stories, and talked about how daily life in Nicoya worked. Then, usually at around 2, I would leave the institute to start working at the Elementary School (The Cacique School of Nicoya) There, I worked with 4th 5th and 6th grades to help improve their English language instruction. We worked a lot with pronunciation, listening skills, and a little with writing, but not much. I love the kids, and I see them all over the place when I walk down the street-- No matter what, they always stop me and tell me how their days are and what they are doing. However, recently, because the schools have been shut down, the Institute where I received Spanish instruction decided to provide free english language instruction to the community. Currently, I'm assisting in the development of this project. Right now, I'm working as a receptionist, administrative assistant, curriculum planner, and next week, I'll be a teacher. It's been a pretty hectic week, but I'm so excited about next week, and all the kids that will be here. We've had a pretty big response from the community already, so I'm excited for the project to get under way.

What has been the best part of your trip so far?
So far, the best part of my trip has been my weekend getaway to Monteverde. I went with a couple of my friends to Monteverde (which is in the Cloud Forest) to go on a canopy tour of the rain forest. We did the Selvatura zipline tour and it was AWESOME! We were literally on top of a mountain in the middle of the clouds, flying through the air. We did one zip line that where the fog was so intense that you couldn’t see anything around you but the line about a foot in front of you… (we have a video of someone disappearing into the clouds, it’s pretty incredible) I was pretty scared when we first started going because we’re up EXTREMELY high, and there’s nothing really to hold onto except this skinny cable and a harness—but I’m so glad we did it.

What has been the most challenging part of your trip?

The most challenging part has been being away from my friends and family in the states--I absolutely love getting updates from everyone whenever I send out emails. However, my friends here have helped me out a lot with being lonely-- When Ellie left, I was a little sad, so a bunch of them called me and invited me to go watch the sunset over Nicoya on top of a mountain. That was really special to me.

Are there any things in particular that you miss from the U.S.?

There are two very specific things that I miss from the US. I miss air conditioning, and I miss my own bed. I used to really miss hot showers, but recently, it's been so hot that I really look forward to a nice cold shower in the evening.

Any other messages that you want to pass on to your teammates and/or other blog readers?
I miss yall ssooooooo muuuuuucchhhhH!!!!! I can't wait to get back to Lex and hang out. KEEP ME UPDATED ON YOUR LIVES! I hope everyone is having an amazing summer, and I can't wait to get back to the states and see your shining faces :)

Love, Nat

Lauren Acker's Summer in Chile

2009-07-13T21:37:00.001-04:00

As the summer continues the next few blog entries will chronicle our team's summer jobs, internships and adventures in various corners of the world. To kick things off we are checking in with sophomore midfielder Lauren Acker (Bloomfield Hills, MI/Seaholm HS) to see how her summer abroad in Chile is going:

What made you want to spend your summer in Chile?
- I had wanted to study abroad for a long time and I knew that this summer it would be especially difficult to find a job at home in Michigan so I began doing some research into abroad opportunities. I knew I wanted to travel in South America, since I have never been, so I began researching the various programs. I had three programs to choose from: Peru, Argentina and Chile. I heard from several people that Chileans are very welcoming and that Chile is a beautiful country, and I have found both statements to be true!

When did you arrive in Chile, how long will you stay?

- I arrived here on June 18th after an overnight flight from Dallas and will be here until July 25th after spending a total of 5 weeks with my host family.

Where exactly are you living now? Will you be traveling anywhere else?

- I am living in a small apartment with my host mom and sister. We live in Chorrillos which is an area of Viña del Mar. Viña del Mar is a city on the Pacific coast of central Chile. At the beginning of my trip I spent 4 days in the capital of Chile, Santiago (see pic of Lauren with the Santiago skyline above). Tomorrow, I will take a day off from classes and travel north by bus to La Serena for the weekend. When I leave Chile, I head to Peru for 6 days to hike the Incan trail to Machu Picchu with my parents and my brother who are meeting me in Cuzco, Peru.

What does your normal day look like?

- A usual day for me consists of waking up at 8:30am, fixing myself breakfast, and taking the metro into Vaplaraíso, where I take classes at the Pontifical Catholic University of Vaplaraíso. In total it is about a 20 or 25 minute commute. Then I have classes from 10:00-1:15 and after that I eat my lunch with friends at the International Studies Abroad office across the street from school. After that I usually explore Viña or Valpo with a few friends or on my own and then return home. I do whatever homework or studying I have to and converse with my family. We eat dinner and talk until we head to bed.

What has been the best part of your trip thus far?

- The best part of my trip so far has been getting to know my host family; I have a mom and a sister who is 23 (see picture below). My sister’s boyfriend spends a lot of time at the house as well. Spending time talking with them is usually the best part of my day; they are all so sweet! One night I went Salsa dancing, which was really fun but very difficult to learn! And I love walking around, exploring new places, and observing my surroundings!

What has been the most challenging part of your trip thus far?

- The hardest part is the fact that my brain is constantly functioning, trying to translate everything I see or hear and speak in Spanish; its exhausting! I remember the first morning at my home-stay, I had just rolled out of bed and was on my way to the bathroom to brush my teeth and my mom asked me if I had slept well. And I was speechless for a minute when I had to think about what she said to me and reply in Spanish when I was still half asleep!

Are there any things that you miss from the U.S.?

- I can’t say there is much I miss! I love it here! I do wish, however that the air was cleaner and there were more places to run and exercise safely. And I guarantee that I will never again take for granted central heating in the winter! (July is their coldest month since our summer is their winter.) It doesn’t get much colder than the 40s but when the only place you can warm up all day is in bed with a hot water bottle (“guatero”), you definitely appreciate how lucky we are to have heating!
Is there anything else that you'd like to pass on to your teammates or other blog readers?

- I have had such a wonderful experience and wouldn’t trade it for anything! I encourage everyone to study abroad if you have the chance. And to those of you studying abroad this fall: I hope you enjoy it as much as I have! I’m excited to see you all back at school and on the field!

The Latest Update from 2007 Graduate Mallory Lobisser

2009-07-06T10:00:00.000-04:00

After graduating from W&L in 2007, I headed straight to grad school at UVA for my masters in accounting. It was a quick 9 months in Charlottesville, but without lacrosse, I found myself with a lot of free time. While I definitely missed the forced workouts on the field every day, I finally had the opportunity to pursue a few things that I hadn’t had time for throughout my four years in Lexington. I immediately got in touch with the athletic director at St. Anne’s-Belfield School in Charlottesville and was given the reins of the girls JVB lacrosse team. I coached girls from 7th grade through 10th grade and we had a great time! My patience was tested on a regular basis, but I loved sharing my passion for the sport with the girls and watching them improve from our first game to the last. It was something I definitely hope to do again in the future!

In addition to coaching, I took a job at Dover Saddlery. Horses have always been my passion, but finding the time to be both a rider and a lacrosse player in college was never easy. Working at Dover gave me the opportunity to work with other people who love horses (not to mention a killer employee discount!). Being surrounded by “horse stuff” unlocked a long-suppressed desire to be a horse owner so last January, I became the proud owner of a Dutch-Warmblood colt named Benji (see photo).
When I was a senior in high school (2003), my trainer back home in Seattle gave me the opportunity to show her horse, Sally. Sally was quite a character and despite her antics and stubbornness, we had many successes in the show ring. Our time together culminated with a trip to the world renowned facility Spruce Meadows in Calgary, Alberta. To this day, it was one of the most amazing competitive experiences I have ever had (next to beating Amherst in the NCAA tournament in 2005!) When I went away to college, I sadly had to leave the barn and horses behind. In June 2007, my trainer called me and told me that Sally had given birth to an adorable chestnut colt that would be named Benji. I didn’t actually meet Benji until August when he was just 2 months old, but I fell in love immediately and was ecstatic when my trainer agreed to sell him to me.

Since then, I have gotten back in the show ring on another of my trainer’s horses (Puerto Rico – See photo) and passed the CPA exam. In September, I once again said goodbye to the barn back home and moved to Washington, DC. I began working for Deloitte & Touche out of the McLean, VA office and I am a staff auditor and my largest client is Fannie Mae (I am sure you can imagine how exciting that is…) Benji arrived at his new home in Virginia at the end of April 2009 and I don’t think he is missing Seattle one bit. It will be a long road to the show ring as Benji is just coming two years old, but the experience of working with a young horse has been amazing.
I miss lacrosse, my teammates, Lexington, and W&L, very much, especially each spring, but horses have given me the opportunity to foster two things that made my days as General so rewarding: my competitive spirit and teamwork. Lacrosse taught me so much about success and failure and the lessons I learned are invaluable. I will always be proud to be a General!

2009 Women's Lacrosse Awards & Honors

2009-06-29T09:00:00.009-04:00

The 2009 Generals Lacrosse season brough many accolades to the team and individuals alike. One of the most meaningful and rewarding things that our team did this year was to get to know Maggie Reca and her family through the Friends of Jaclyn program. We all look forward to continuing to get to know the Magge and her family better throughout the many years to come!

All-ODAC Conference Honors:
1st Team: Kelsi Robinson '09; Britten Mathews '10; Emmy Mathews '11
2nd Team: Colleen Evans '09

Honorable Mention: Kate Flippen '09; Meredith Freeman '10

IWLCA Chesapeake Regional All-American Honors:
1st Team: Kelsi Robinson '09; Emmy Mathews '11

2nd Team: Colleen Evans '09; Britten Mathews '10

IWLCA All-American Honors:
3rd Team: Kelsi Robinson '09

IWLCA North-South Senior All-Star Game Selections:

Colleen Evans '09; Kelsi Robinson '09 (see photo below)

I would like to take this time to thank the 2009 class of Colleen Evans, Katie Flippen and Kelsi Robinson for a fantastic 4 years at W&L. Their hard work, determination and commitment resulted in many successes for the program, including a four year record of 61-16, 3 ODAC Championships and 3 NCAA berths. Each of you are incredible young women and I look forward to seeing where your talents and passions take you.

Finally, a big thank you to Rachel Barr and Wendy Orrison who have now completed their final seasons with W&L women's lacrosse. Rachel completed her 3rd year with the Generals this spring and has returned to New Hampshire to explore career options in nursing and graphic design. Rachel will be missed for her insight on and off the field, her guidance and leadership to student-athletes and, of course, her killer pool workouts and arts and crafts abilities! Over Wendy's eight years with the program she has been a voice of fun, passion and commitment and someone we all will miss at practice each and every day. THANK YOU!!

We are incredibly proud of this year's successes both on the field and in the classroom and are very excited for the 2010 season! See you all in the fall :-)

2005 Graduate Kristen Brown Shares Quotes from Members of her Lacrosse Team (Part 2)

2009-06-22T10:19:00.021-04:00

Quotes from Players

I asked some of the players to answer three questions:
-What does lacrosse mean to you?
-What is your favorite memory?
-What does it feel like to be the first public high school team in the city of Philadelphia?
Their answers are listed below.
Naomi Suarez:
Lacrosse is my life and my everything
Favorite memory: Jade and Chanel falling!
I feel like a legend, and that we are making history here at Mastery Charter Shoemaker Campus.

Octavia (Tai) Bridgeford:
Lacrosse is like a family built off of hard work and diligence.
In Philadelphia, being the first public lacrosse team I feel excited and obligated to do 200% better.
Ti'erra Ferguson:
Lacrosse means commitment. It's like a simple word that means family.
Favorite memory: When Jade fell!

Patricia Helms:
To me lacrosse means dedication, hard work and memories for years to come.
Favorite memories: Our second game when even though we lost, we all was in a good mood and got down and dirty in the mud!
It feels good to be an outcast, but it's a lot of pressure starting something historical Jade Henderson:
Lacrosse is determination, teamwork and fun; play a sport that is hardly recognized in my neighborhood.
Favorite memory: The most memorable part of lacrosse is when our center checked the goalie and we scored at the end of the game!
Starting a team makes me feel like I'm starting something that will go & be bigger than I am; I feel like a leader because I took part in a historical team. I feel like Richard Allen because he started the first AME Church and it went on to be such a beautiful, successful church.

2005 Graduate Kristen Brown Coaches Lacrosse in Philadelphia (Part 1)

2009-06-15T10:02:00.004-04:00

After not picking up a lacrosse stick for nearly four years, I had really begun to miss the sport. It probably comes as no surprise that my ears perked up when a friend mentioned that she was helping coach a local Philadelphia middle/high school team, and could potentially use help. Soon after, I found myself traveling out to West Philadelphia two to three times a week to serve as a volunteer assistant coach to the first girls team in the Philadelphia Public League. I joined two dedicated teachers, Debb Jetter and Megan Zor, who worked to establish the team at Mastery Charter Shoemaker Campus (MCSC)- a public charter school in Philadelphia (see picture below of coaching staff).
Being a part of something that is just getting off the ground has certainly had its challenges. While many elite public high school lacrosse programs exist just miles away in suburban Philadelphia, no such league exists within city limits. As a result, coaches Jetter and Zor had to to work hard to find private school opponents willing to compete against our brand new program. Since MCSC serves 7th through 10th graders, we often had to compete against opponents who were older, bigger and more experienced than us. Additionally, the team had to obtain equipment and facilities to play a sport that 10th grader Jade Henderson-Hayes explains "is hardly recognized in our neighborhood." Despite the obstacles and challenges, this experience has proved to be incredibly rewarding. I've watched as the girls worked hard to transition from novices to real lacrosse players. Girls who at the beginning of the season couldn't catch two balls in a row and would barely run faster than a jog, are now sprinting, catching, passing, anticipating and playing with their hearts. As the school requires that all team members meet strict academic requirements to remain eligible, it has become clear that the sport has instilled a sense of discipline in players and helped them continually focus on academic achievement. I've also seen several players step up to take on major leadership roles that they might not have otherwise had.
Even though we didn't have a winning record this year, I'm positive that this was a winning year for Mastery Charter Shoemaker Girls' Lacrosse.

Next week Kristen will share Quotes from the players!

Checking-in with 2008 Graduate Allison Gockley

2009-06-08T09:51:00.005-04:00

While I really miss W&L and especially the lax team, it shouldn’t surprise anyone that I have been very busy as usual in my first year “in the real world”. Besides the occasional trip to Lexington and visiting Kat in Aspen, one of the highlights of this year was my medical mission trip to Guatemala this spring. I traveled to several villages in Guatemala with 20 other people from my church setting up clinics to provide basic medical care to people most of who have never seen a doctor in their life. Guatemala is one of the most beautiful places I have ever been, but most of the people live in complete poverty without running water or nutritious food, let alone medical care. While we saw a ton of patients with a wide variety of needs, the highlight for me was definitely doing cool procedures with the surgeon who came on the trip. I got to give injections and cut with a scalpel and all kinds of gross stuff (I spare you all the details)! We also had the opportunity to build a new home for a widow with six children. I was involved in digging the foundation and while I’m pretty sure I have never been as dusty as I was afterwards, everyone was impressed with my pickaxe skills, which I attributed to playing lax of course. I am excited to begin medical school at Penn State this fall and know that W&L has given me a great foundation for all that is to come. Glad to hear that the W&L lax team had another great year and as always…L4L!