Meet the First-Years: Ashley Barnes '13

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

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

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