Kaytie Costic played lacrosse for Greater Latrobe Senior High School from 2004-2007 and at Saint Vincent College for two and a half seasons. During her junior year in college, she assisted Jim Walters, coaching at the time for Latrobe, after playing for him in high school. She later became the head coach of the Latrobe team in 2011 and stepped down in 2022 when expecting her second child. Stepping down from coaching, without knowing who would take the position scared her, but Kaytie trusted her replacement. Katie expressed, “I couldn’t be more grateful that Coach Votovitch is the one who took over. She has allowed me to come back and keep helping to be a part of this program.” Kaytie is extremely dedicated to the program and played a huge role in making the team what it is today.
A month before her youngest’s first birthday, Mrs. Costic was sitting in her office working from home when she got her results back. She was concerned about a lump she found in March 2023. Before the doctor got the chance to call her, she saw the results on her phone and saw the word “Carcinoma.” Panic immediately rushed through her, as she knew what this meant, stage 2 breast cancer. Costic reflected on what that day felt like. “I remember crying thinking about what was going to happen to me and my family, thinking that my kids might have to grow up without their mom. It was really hard,” remarked Costic.
Kaytie underwent five long months of chemotherapy treatment, with each session lasting four to five hours. She worked at home while undergoing chemotherapy. She continued volunteering her time with the lacrosse team but mostly tried to rest and spend time with her family in order to recover.
Even during this tremendously emotional period in Kaytie’s life, she still found her way back to lacrosse. When asked, she said, “Lacrosse is a healing game, and for me, it’s always been that. Whenever I’m down I want to be at lacrosse, and when I am feeling sad I will go outside and play wall ball.”
“It was just a way for me to get my mind off the surgery, doing something I love and what I have a passion for,” said coach Costic. After being home for so long recovering, she started coming to some high school practices and helping run the youth program.
On April 4, 2024, Kaytie Costic was told she was officially cancer-free. After taking two seasons off, Coach Costic will return this year as Offensive and Midfield Coordinator in the spring. She has big goals for the upcoming season and is excited to be able to focus on specific positions, instead of the team as a whole. “Walking away from coaching you guys was the hardest thing because I love you guys as much as my own kids. I’m just so excited to be back,” she reveals.
The girls lacrosse team is filled with hard-working girls who are a direct reflection of the coaching they receive. Senior, Maddie Slater, who has played lacrosse since 8th grade, spoke about Coach Costic. “She motivated me always to try my best and put forth my best effort when playing or practicing, just making sure I always give 100%,” voiced Slater.
As Kaytie says, “Rome wasn’t built in a day.” She uses this phrase constantly, it reminds the girls that success takes hard work and time. It took long days of fighting and exhausting efforts for Coach Costic to gain her strength back. Coach Costic knows what hard work is because she did not give up, she took the time and continued till she won her battle against cancer. Just like Rome, Costic and the team were not built in a day.
