Thunder Ready To Roll

If you know what your strengths are as an individual, you can do more for the team.

That is what the Mt.St.Mary lacrosse team is banking on as they head into the 2017 season under new head coach Mackenzie Berger.

Berger takes over for Jenny Grimm who spent two seasons coaching the program she played for during her days at the Mount.

Grimm, who had to step away from the varsity lacrosse job because of an out of town career opportunity, was arguably the lacrosse program’s most accomplished player. As a coach, she guided the Thunder to the Monsignor Martin Athletic Association playoff title game in both of her two seasons. Winning it in 2015.

Berger, who played lacrosse at Iroquois High School and Medaille College, is excited about her first varsity coaching job. Knowing that she has some big shoes to fill, Berger is wisely going with the mind set of not trying to be a replica of who Jenny Grimm was as a coach.

Instead, Berger’s mission has been to gain the trust and respect of the girls by showing them who she is as a person. Part of that process has been telling the girls that she knows full well of the Mount’s legacy of success in lacrosse. But while Berger obviously wants to keep that run of winning going, she also told the girls her approach is more than just about wins and losses.

“The very first day I met with some of the seniors, I told them I’m all about winning, but there’s a lot more to life than winning,” Berger said before a recent practice. “I want them to succeed and I want them to learn not only lacrosse lessons, but life lessons. To let them grow as a person, rather than just on the lacrosse field. Respect was one of the biggest things, and winning. Respect and winning.”

Berger will have plenty of talent to work with as the Thunder return 12 girls from the team that was upset by Mt. Mercy in last year’s championship game.

Leading the way will be senior midfielders Molly Meegan and Katie Hart who will both continue their careers in college. Hart at Slippery Rock, Meegan at Mercyhurst where she will be reunited with her older sister Katie Meegan.

Hart, Meegan and senior Mary Grace Downey (defense) all have the experience of having won and lost a playoff championship game. The blend of the ultimate high and low gives all three a unique perspective on the game entering this year.

“I think it helps because they know how it feels to lose and I’m sure that they don’t want to do that again,” said Berger.

“I told them I, personally, have never won a championship. I’ve been to the semifinals. I’ve been through it all and I know the feeling of losing. I told them they’re winning this year and they need to go all the way for everybody.”

“It was hard, definitely, last year. You really didn’t see it coming,” Molly Meegan said of the loss to Mt.Mercy. “Sophomore year when we won, well the seniors won, it was awesome. It was so much fun. A lot of us had siblings on the team and we looked up to them. So it was good to see them win for their senior year.” Sophomore goalie Samantha Miller also returns and will look to build off an impressive rookie season in net. Berger’s assistant Alea Wade, who was Berger’s teammate at Medaille, has worked closely with Miller trying to fine tune her game and make Miller an even more effective keeper. Miller will have a quality defense in front of her that is anchored by Downey and Grace Burich. Senior Madison Badgley, who can play midfield and attack, is poised for a strong season as is senior Catherine Lippert (mid/Attack). For Berger, step one to gaining the trust of the girls was relating to them as individuals. By doing this, Berger feels, she can find out what each girls’ pluses and minuses are on the field. Which will allow her to plug them in spots where each girl will feel comfortable, confident and able to do their best for the team. From the players perspective, a new coach coming in can be a stressful time because you wonder how this new coach will utilize you. But Meegan said the way Berger has reached each of them as people has put their minds at ease so they can fully understand if Berger asks them to add something new to their job description. Meegan said, though the girls like and respect Grimm for what she did as during her time as coach, the fact that Berger has made getting to know the players as people a top priority has helped everyone feel at ease. “It’s definitely a lot different this year and I think everyone is showing Mackenzie their different talents because she’s a new coach. She doesn’t really know (us),” Meegan said. “So I think it’s a lot better this year.”