After being part of the St. Louis Park Youth Lacrosse Association for eight years, and all the lessons and experiences I gained from being a part of the association, I felt it was time to give back. That is why I chose to accept an offer to be a youth coach in the spring of 2022, and to join the 8U team. 

As someone who began playing lacrosse as an 8U, but played on a 10U team because there was not an 8U team at the time, I felt that this would be a special experience. I am able to give young players the experience I had, at the level they should be playing at. Of course I enjoyed my time on the team when I was younger, however I am now able to provide other young athletes with an enjoyable experience at a level they will have fun at. 

This is now my second year as an assistant coach of the 8U team, and it is by far the most fun “job” I have had. I am able to work with adults and kids who share the same love for the sport that I do. I am so grateful for our amazing assistant coach here at the high school, Hayley Savat, who is also the president of the youth association and has gotten us involved with the youth. It is always fun and exciting to work with energized children who are eager to learn a new sport. It reminds me of how lucky I am when I am able to use my journey with lacrosse to inspire young athletes to do the same. 

As part of coaching the youth, we at the high school have become more involved with the youth as a whole. We have now hosted two youth nights, which I feel really brings the lacrosse community together. It is so much fun when we are warming up for a game, and see a bunch of little kids running around and cheering us on. It is also wild to think that 10 years ago we were in the same spot those kids were, looking up to the big kids and cheering them on. Now we get excited when it is our time to be role models for the youth, and make them excited for where they will be in 10 years. 

Many other athletes on the girls lacrosse team at Park are now sharing the same experiences they had with the young athletes in the association. I am part of a group of almost a dozen athletes on the Varsity team who are giving back to the group of adults that gave us so much. It is really a full circle moment seeing kids playing at a level we were once at and realizing how far we have come.