T.C Lacrosse Kicks off Season With New Coaches

Last year’s lacrosse season crashed painfully into the finish line. Many question what will happen to the program after last year’s scandal that affected the program last year. At the beginning of the season, a large controversy arose between coaches and lacrosse boosters. The season ended with ten wins and five losses for the varsity girls and a disappointing two wins and 11 losses for the varsity boys. It also led to the resignation of the boys’ coach and the removal of the girls’ coach. “We weren’t really told anything, and it’s always hard to lose a coach. But I think that this season will still be fun,” said junior Anjuli Dewakar. Many of the lacrosse players had no idea about what was going on, despite the negative publicity stemming from a Washington Post article in August. Luckily the rough season did not stop the Athletic Department from moving forward and finding two head coaches with plans to improve the program top to bottom.

          After a very long search the T.C Athletic Department announced the new varsity coaches for the girl’s and boy’s team in December. The varsity girls’ team will be coached by Caroline Van den Berg, a former Division 1 lacrosse player at Columbia University. “She seemed really nice and really experienced so I feel like this season will turn out well” Dewakar said. The Varsity boys’ team will be coached by Michael Mulherin. Coach Mulherin grew up in Northern Virginia and played lacrosse both high school and college. “[The new coach] is definitely going to have different ways of looking at things, there will be new stuff we haven’t seen before,” said junior Conner Sullivan.

Before winter break both teams were able to sit down with the coaches and ask questions about the upcoming season. While meeting with the boy’s varsity team, Coach Mulherin told his players that “this isn’t a rebuilding year. We are competitive now.” He also set goals for the ram moving forward, starting with beating last season’s record. Prior to getting a new coach, the girls’ lacrosse began after school conditioning. With the pre-season work the girls, team has already started and the upcoming spring conditioning both teams have planned, lacrosse players will be ready to go by opening day. Both teams are looking forward to a successful 2010 season.