From the Chair of the Board: Ripple Effect

Celebrating the 100th anniversary of women’s lacrosse in the United States is a chance to reflect on what this sport has given me.

From my first years as a youth player to the honor of representing our country at the highest level, lacrosse taught me what it means to give yourself fully to something bigger than you. That perspective has shaped who I am — my values, my work ethic and the standard I hold myself to in every chapter since.

I was fortunate to join the U.S. Women’s National Team program at 17. Walking into that environment, I quickly understood that the program is more than a roster. It’s an example. It shows the lacrosse community — and the world — what the sport can be at its best.

One of the strongest examples I had was Jess Wilk. Jess coached me on the 2007 U19 Team, and I went on to wear No. 19 (her number as a player) as a small way to honor the respect I had for her as a competitor and leader. She embodied the expectation that excellence isn’t occasional. It’s the culture. When you are surrounded by people like that, you don’t just learn how to play at a higher level. You learn how to carry yourself, how to prepare and how to lead.

My U.S. coaches along the way reinforced the same message: It is our responsibility in the U.S. program to set the standard for how the game is played. Every team I was part of felt that deeply and took that challenge seriously. What a gift to be part of a program that sets the gold standard, then watch it ripple outward as more athletes, coaches and communities raise their own expectations of what’s possible.

Now, as chair of the USA Lacrosse Board of Directors, I carry a different version of that same responsibility — to support the mission of growing the game and strengthening the experience at every level so the sport’s best values reach more young athletes.

As we celebrate the first 100 years of women’s lacrosse, my commitment is to the next 100: to help build the base, widen the pathway and ensure every player who picks up a stick has the chance to be shaped by this game, just as I was.