With the return of school in 2018, Spring sports season is now underway at Winter Springs. The girls lacrosse team is back at the sport with a new coach and new energy to restore the success of the lacrosse program at WSHS.

The new coach, Lauren Gardenhire, is a Winter Springs alumni who played as a Lady Bear before she graduated in 2006. Coach Gardenhire aims to bring back the team spirit and success of the girls lacrosse team she experienced as a student athlete.

The girls on the WSHS girls lacrosse team range in experience from just a couple of weeks to 11 whole years playing the sport. This diversity in experience and age produces a tight-knit program, as the older, more experienced girls are given the opportunity to step up and help the younger girls get a handle on the sport.

This year, as part of the goal to build new, closer relationships with one another, the girls, led by Coach Gardenhire, varsity coach, and Coach Vela, JV coach, have set up a “big” and “little” program, where each upperclassman and/or returning player is assigned an underclassmen to guide and exchange small presents with, similar to spirit bags that most teams at WSHS exchange.  

Although the official season has only just begun, the girls have been working hard all year to stay in shape and improve their skills. There is an unofficial fall season that most players participate in where the Lady Bears play against other local high school teams and prepare their abilities for the actual season.

The girls’ first game of the 2018 season is February 22nd at home against Ponte Vedra, who ended last year’s season ranked 6th in the state. Although the match-up may seem quite intimidating for the Lady Bears, the team is looking forward to face the challenge as a united team.