Girls’ lacrosse began their first captains practices in January. Twice a week — on Mondays and Wednesdays — the girls’ lacrosse team practices at Anytime Fitness in Edina. This season there are four lacrosse captains: juniors Meg Ridgway, Margaux Pollock, Rylie Unangst and senior Shaydi Falcon. 

Ridgway said she’s looking forward to this season as a captain.

“It’s definitely made it more personal because I have formed so many more relationships by being a captain and it really just forces me to have a different view on everything,” Ridgway said. “It’s not as personal for myself but it’s more for the good of the team.”

As the season approaches, the team has been getting in shape to prepare for the upcoming games. Unangst said she believes that it has been beneficial to produce this intensely before the season officially starts.

“We’ve been conditioning a lot — we want to really be in shape so we’re not getting in shape during the season because we have games coming up pretty quick,” Unangst said. “We’ve been really working on stick skills and candling as well as getting a good defense down — we’re trying to have a strong defensive line this year.”

Junior Madeline Anklam said she thinks that trusting the team is just as important as preparing physically.

“We need to trust each other more in the games, and we need to work on transitions on the field,” Anklam said.

Ridgway said she is looking forward to the team bonding throughout this spring season.

“I’m very excited for us to all practice together again and play games together again,” Ridgway said. “And I’m excited for our team dinners.”

In addition to team bonding, Anklam said that the pre-season conditioning is crucial to the beginning of their season.

“I really like that we’re conditioning in the beginning of the season so it’s easier to run when we start playing games,” Anklam said. “I like being able to have a stick in my hands before the season, it’ll be beneficial for the team to have played before it starts.”

Park’s girls lacrosse’s first game is at 6:30 p.m. April 18 against St. Paul Central at St. Paul Central High School.