As the 2024 season came to an end, the girls’ lacrosse team fell short of a state championship after what seemed to be a contending season. With vital seniors leaving the team, drastic changes need to be made looking towards next season. What are these changes? What do the practices look like? What are some traditions that bring the team together and lead them to victory?
The girls’ lacrosse team has seen their fair share of winning in the past. With six conference titles, three regional titles and two state titles, the team is one of the most successful and underappreciated teams at Madison. In the past eight years, the team has been ranked top ten in the state five times and has been top five for four of those years. However, these accomplishments aren’t the product of luck. The girls’ lacrosse team has a vigorous practice schedule to prepare for their upcoming games.
“After we warm up, we go on a run and do some footwork drills,” Carolyn Somers (’26) said. “After that, we do some drills and finish practice with live play. This is really helpful because we go over game scenarios and practice plays that will happen in a game.”
The key to any successful team is strong practices. With six practices a week, all at least two hours long, the girls lacrosse team makes sure to get the reps they need to maintain their success. On the other hand, a team needs strong team chemistry along with good traditions. Every team at Madison has their own tradition, whether that be playing a certain pregame song or going out for a team meal, traditions are a huge factor in developing good team chemistry and trust between members of the team. The girls’ lacrosse team embraces these traditions, with a few unique ones of their own.
“We go to Manhattan Bagel every game day for breakfast,” Somers said. “We pass a squash around that we sign and draw on for game day and we also write game day letters where we write a partner a letter to hype them up before our game. These traditions make our team chemistry really good. We work together very well on offense and defense and we’re all really close.”
However, a team can’t rely on the same exact tactics every season. As opposing teams change rosters and improve over the course of the season, the Madison team has to do that same. When asked if the team planned to do anything differently this season, Claire Casto (’25) had some insight.
“This year the seniors got together during the winter a couple times and really got on the same page of what we wanted our season to look like and team goals which helped to plan out what we wanted the team to look like,” Casto said. “I think the whole team is on the same page about most things and we have been working on being accountable and helping each other understand what everyone’s role is on and off the field.”
With all these new changes coming into play, the girls lacrosse team is looking like a real competitor this season. The only thing the team needs now is support from the Madison community. With championships under their belt, strong team chemistry and a few college level players, every game should be packed with fans.
“I’m excited for the girls lacrosse season and am looking forward to watching the team make a deep run,” Akhil Mehra (’26) said. “I think they have a lot of talent and I’m looking forward to seeing them win games.”