Although spring sports haven’t officially started the Latrobe Girls Lacrosse team is using the off-season. These girls have been putting in the extra work since fall hoping it will pay off in regulation season.
Even with the struggle to find a time and place for the team to practice this winter, the coaches found a way. The outdoor fields were out of the question because of the freezing temperatures and constant snow. Holding practice inside became the coach’s only choice. The limited gym space caused girls to end up having to practice in the senior auxiliary gym and the senior high weight room from 7:30 pm to 10:00 pm. “The timing isn’t ideal but we make the most of the time that we are able to meet with our players,” said Head Coach Votovich. No matter how late practices run or where they are, these girls show their dedication by showing up twice a week during the preseason and doing their best.
An average practice for this team is an hour and a half in the weight room and an hour in the gymnasium. These girls go through a series of circuit workouts and lifts concentrating on form and building up their strength. “Conditioning in the weight room and gym is definitely going to make us a lot stronger, a lot faster, and overall better players,” said junior Ryanne Lehman.
After an intense workout in the weight room, the team moves into the gym to practice stick work and running drills. This can be difficult due to the smaller space and the number of girls trying out. “The gym is almost a third of the field and it’s obviously very difficult to work on the gym floor while passing and doing ground balls,” said Coach Votovich. No matter the obstacles that this team faces they find a way to overcome and work towards their common end goal of having a great season.
The hard work during the preseason doesn’t stop at practices for these girls. Once a week the team travels to Pittsburgh Indoor Sports Arena (PISA) to scrimmage local teams like Franklin Regional, Oakland Catholic, Plum, Fox Chapel, and Hempfeild. The games are twelve on twelve with twenty-five-minute halves and a running clock. PISA is vital to the girls’ preseason because it prepares them for real game experiences and gives them a look into the upcoming season. “We’re lucky enough to play teams in our section, so we get to scout out the competition before the regular season and see where we stand, ” said Coach Votovich. These girls travel the distance and practice late nights all to better themselves as a whole.
The team participated in the Midnight Madness Tournament on Saturday, January 25 from 9:30 pm to 3:30 am. Both the girl’s lacrosse junior varsity squad and varsity got to participate in three games. They got to face off with tough teams like Cannon McMillon, Hampton, Shaler, and Trinity. Conditioning is great but working together during game-like situations is the best kind of practice out there. This was great for the team because soon they will meet with some of these teams in the upcoming season.
All this hard work is leading to a very promising and successful season for our lady wildcats. Getting into real gameplay, creating a team bond, and practicing the basics early will only lead this team further during the 2025 season.