YLHS Ladies Lacrosse Team on their Season

 

Yorba Linda High School Women’s Lacrosse team has just started its season in February.  The team opened the season with a loss against El Dorado who is ranked in the top 10 in the OC/LA area, then lost the next two games by 3 total goals. Soon after, however, they earned their first win at the annual Rose Bowl Tournament with an 11-2 victory over La Canada.

 

Usually, the team has two games per week, so they practice the other three days under direction of Coach Aed. Women’s Lacrosse team focuses on the “fundamentals of passing and catching, conditioning, and as many game situations as they can cover,” says Coach Aed. That is the daily routine of the two-hour practices three times a week. During the practice days, Coach Aed makes creative attempts to improve the team by “try[ing] and watch[ing] some film of our games and practices with the girls when possible.” Coach Aed’s practice philosophy is, “Practice fast, communicate, help each other, and listen.  Most of all, give me all you got that day.”

 

The Women’s Lacrosse team is making extra efforts and overcoming hardships since it lacks experience as a team compared to competing schools’ long-established teams. “90% of our opponents have years of playing experience compared to us,” Coach Aed explains, “We are so young when it comes to lacrosse experience.”

 

Madelaine Mamot, junior in YLHS, joined Women’s Lacrosse team this year, and this November was the first time she has ever played Lacrosse in her life. Even though she was involved in a couple other sports teams such as Golf and Soccer, she has never played Lacrosse in her life, and this was a challenge that she had to go through, especially during her Junior year.   Especially because she was taking three AP classes and two other sports, joining Lacrosse team was a difficult decision that she has nevertheless made. “I used to consider Lacrosse girls simply aggressive.” In the beginning of the year, she was worried if she is not aggressive enough to play against these girls. “When I truly became a part of the team and started enjoying practices and games,” Madelaine tells, “I learned that Lacrosse requires not only aggressiveness but also teamwork, cooperation, vigorous practice, and dedication.” Also, she was grateful for her team which fully supported her playing. Mamot explained with gratitude, “Even though I lacked techniques and skills that my peers had been trained to have for a long time, my team definitely encouraged me and coached me to have passion for Lacrosse.”

 

The effort and the passion that Madelaine Mamot now has in Lacrosse was certainly passed down by other teammates. “Our girls have to work for everything.  Nothing is given to them in regards to accomplishments,” Coach Aed tells. Their efforts to catch up with other experienced schools start with their off season training with Athletes Quest, participating in the Fall Ball League, traveling to camps, and trying out for the Orange County elite teams, all of which help them to become good players and great competitors. Also, the team has its first seniors this season. Coach Aed comments that, although it is tough to compare to last year since the season is really young still, “having senior leadership is invaluable to our program.”

 

Coach Aed finds delightful prospect in YLHS Ladies’ Lacrosse team. He is pleased to reveal, “We actually have quite a few that could play at the collegiate level.”  He considers grades just as important as “stick skills”. However, he excitedly tells that, “Since we have a 3.3 overall team GPA, many of our girls have that opportunity [of becoming professional Lacrosse players]!!!”

 

 

When Coach Aed was asked about the team’s chances in this season, he responded, “This might sound odd, but if we pass and catch the ball, yes. Pass and catch the ball, [and] we will make a run at the CIF playoffs.”
On their last game against Laguna Hills High School on March 6^th, YLHS Women’s Lacrosse team tied to 5:5. YLHS Women’s Lacrosse team is playing five games in April, with its next game against Los Alamitos High School on Thursday, April 7^th at 3:15.