Meet Erin! A devoted mother of four, Erin seamlessly integrates her unwavering passion for fitness into every facet of her life. She currently owns her own consulting company called PowerFour Consulting. Some of her well known clients include Alpha Fit Club and Playa Bowls.
Erin’s athletic journey commenced in her early years, engaging in many different sports. Erin attended Red Bank Catholic High School in New Jersey. During high school she actively participated in soccer, swimming, and dance. Post-high school, Erin continued her athletic pursuits with the sport she was most passionate about: swimming. She competed on the Division 1 Swim Team at Sacred Heart University in Fairfield, CT. Throughout her four-year tenure, she not only excelled in the pool but also earned the prestigious title of Academic All-American each year. Today, swimming remains a pivotal part of her fitness routine, cherished with the same enthusiasm she had during her college years.
To sustain her fitness prowess and competitive spirit, Erin regularly participates in fitness competitions, triathlons, and in a masters swim program. Her impressive running resume includes completing the NYC Marathon twice, as well as numerous half marathons, 10ks, 5ks, and various other races. With over 13 years of experience, Erin is a seasoned fitness instructor, offering expertise in Cardio, Kickboxing, Spin classes, HIIT classes, Crossfit coaching, triathlon training, and running coaching. Notably, she has led rooftop classes alongside some of NYC’s hottest trainers and facilitated small group sessions, spreading her contagious love for fitness. She loves spreading the love of fitness, no matter what it is!
Erin’s most significant accomplishment is maintaining her fitness throughout multiple pregnancies and instilling a love for fitness in her four children. A role model to many, Erin radiates a genuine passion for fitness and sports, leaving an indelible impact on everyone she encounters!
Q: What sports did you play growing up?
I played soccer, basketball, softball, dance, gymnastics, swimming and tennis.
Q:Was there anything that made you hesitant about starting your sport(s)
No. I loved following in my big brother’s footsteps after watching him play sports and I witnessed my parents always staying fit so just felt like it was a natural progression.
Q: What female athletes (or any athletes) did you look up to?
Natalie Coughlin and Amanda Beard were 2 of my favorite athletes, they were Olympic swimmers. Mia Hamm, soccer, Dominique Moceanu for gymnastics, Lisa Loeb for Basketball.
Q: What is your favorite memory associated with sports?
It’s hard to pick a favorite memory. One of my favorites is from soccer in middle school. We would all meet up early in the morning at one girl’s house and her mom would french braid our hair and we would put glitter in it and draw sayings on our arms. The whole day we got to wear our uniform like that at school since we had a game. Everyone cheered so hard for each other and you felt like a real squad at school together. I think that’s when I fell in love with the community of sports and not just the actual sport.
Q: How has playing sports helped shape your life?
Playing sports has taught me about discipline, time management and focus. It’s brought me some of my best friends in life who continue to motivate me to try new things and get after new challenges. It has allowed me to believe in myself, not be afraid of hard things and stay fit with multiple kids even when most people use that as an excuse. I am so grateful for sports in my life.
Q: What advice would you give to young girls who are just starting off in sports?
It’s not about being the best. It’s about trying your hardest. Supporting the girl next to you. Finding the things that make you feel good and excited and not doing what someone else is doing. You will have so much more fun and if you take the pressure off of being the best (that will come on its own!) and just enjoy the experience of learning and improving and playing.
One of my favorite things about fitness is there are so many options you can and should change it up as often as possible, try new things and experience what is out there. It should be fun.
Meet Julianna! Julie is currently a labor and delivery nurse at Monmouth Medical Center in New Jersey. Before becoming a nurse, Julie’s passion and hard work ethic started with gymnastics.
With a rich and diverse background in athletics and leadership, Julie has navigated various roles throughout her journey. Her introduction to gymnastics took place at Northern Elite Gymnastics at an early age in elementary school and she competed until 2013, culminating in the achievement of Level 9 regional qualifier status. Simultaneously, Julie played field hockey at Roxbury High School, New Jersey, from 2006-2013. She was a center midfielder and assumed the role of team captain during her junior and senior years.
After high school, Julie continued her gymnastics career at West Chester University. Julie elevated her passion for gymnastics by founding and presiding over the University’s Club Gymnastics team from 2013-2017. As captain and primary organizer, Julie played a pivotal role in shaping the club’s success. Her involvement extended beyond the university realm, as she assumed responsibilities within the National Association of Intercollegiate Gymnastics Clubs from 2016-2019. She served as the Mid-Atlantic Regional Coordinator and was an advisor.
Julie continued to contribute her passion for gymnastics and growing the sport of gymnastics by coaching at other gymnastics clubs in different facilities throughout NJ and PA. Here she worked with athletes at all levels, from preschool to elite/olympic athletes.
Currently, Julie is a labor and delivery nurse and pursing her Doctorate in Nursing Practice to be dual certified as a women’s health nurse practitioner and a midwife. During college she started CrossFit to supplement her gymnastics practices. Even though her gymnastics career has dwindled, she is still avid Crossfitter at Fitness by the Sea, in Avon New Jersey. She continues to share her love for fitness and gymnastics to this day.
Q: What sports did you play growing up?
I started gymnastics at a young age and stuck with it for the rest of my life. Along the way I dabbled in dance, softball, track, etc. but none of those kept any particular interest for me. There was no other sport that could bring me joy, pain, and a sense of accomplishment the way that gymnastics could. When I got to middle school, I joined the field hockey team, which also became a big part of my life. Ultimately, I decided gymnastics was more important to me, and what I wanted to continue to pursue in college.
Q:Was there anything that made you hesitant about starting your sport(s)?
With gymnastics, I started so young that there was nothing I could be consciously hesitant about. As I grew older though, there were things that I would pick up on that made me hesitant to continue. For starters, I had a growth spurt in high school. At 5’5″ I’m not “tall” for an average person, but for a gymnast, I might as well be a giant. When people think “gymnast”, they think “small”. And I was not. It was a tough adjustment. Changing equipment settings, learning how to work with my body, and standing above other girls on my team were all a challenge, but it was not something that was going to keep me from pursuing my goals in the sport that I love.
Another hesitation was rooted in fear. As a whole, gymnastics is TERRIFYING. Even now just looking back at some of the skills I used to do I cannot imagine working up the courage to do them again. At any given time the smallest thing could go wrong – miss a hand placement on the beam, let go a split second early from the bar, over rotate a skill on the floor, land short on a vault – minor things that can be catastrophic. It’s easy to get in your head thinking of anything and everything that can go wrong when you’re putting your life on the line.
Going into CrossFit, I was a little hesitant because I had never done any kind of weightlifting in the past and it was all new territory. Gymnastics was always my primary workout. I did a couple days of basic skills training with one of the coaches and was genuinely surprised how easily a lot of the gymnastics skills translated into my new sport. I came hardwired with balance, flexibility, and strength already. I chose CrossFit becauseI felt like I needed a workout outside of gymnastics, but I couldn’t bring myself to go to the rec center at school. I needed structure. I like being coached and I’m a very coachable person. I like to be told what I’m doing right, what I’m doing wrong, and how I can improve. Learning something new is intimidating, but CrossFit has such a supportive and energizing environment that the hesitation evaporated almost immediately after joining.
Q: What female athletes (or any athletes) did you look up to?
Carly Patterson was my first gymnastics idol. She went to the 2004 Olympic Games when I was 9 years old and had just started competing myself and taking an interest in a more professional aspect of the sport. She was perfection in my eyes. When I was in high school, the “Fierce Five” – Jordyn Wieber, Aly Raisman, Gabby Douglas, McKayla Maroney, and Kyla Ross – went to the 2012 Olympics. I have never been more invested in a sporting event. These girls were MY AGE and in the Olympics! I idolized them. After high school, I was fortunate enough to coach at a gymnastics summer camp where I worked alongside all of these athletes I spent my childhood looking up to and it was an incredible experience to get to learn from them firsthand.
Q: What is your favorite memory associated with sports?
My favorite memory came after my collegiate career had already come to an end. I continued to compete as an “alumni” athlete and attended the intercollegiate nationals in Daytona, FL. I was placed on a team with 7 other alumni athletes, most of whom I had never met until competition day. We were old, semi-retired, washed up athletes competing alongside college girls in the prime of their career. Despite the odds, we made finals. Even further, we finished first place as a team. I was overjoyed that even after all these years, I was still able to accomplish something beyond my expectations.
Q: How has playing sports helped shape your life?
Gymnastics has quite honestly made me the person that I am today. From a young age I was taught discipline and structure. I learned time management skills, balancing priorities, and perseverance. It’s helped me transition into so many different phases of my life, being the one constant in my world that was always changing. The sheer dedication it takes to have such a full commitment to something is a skill that I use in my every day life with work, school, CrossFit, and life in general.
Q: What advice would you give to young girls who are just starting off in sports?
If you love it, stick with it. There’s gonna be hard times no matter what, and there’s gonna be a million reasons to quit. But if your passion is truly rooted in the sport, it’s worth it to find a million and one reasons to stay. You will be pushed beyond your limits and you will be challenged mentally, physically, and emotionally. You will also meet some of your life long best friends, create the most incredible memories, and learn so much about yourself. It’s all worth it. “Above all, you have to love what you do. You cannot fake passion.” – Shannon Miller
Meet Kristen Hall McHugh, my high school lacrosse coach! With two decades of teaching experience, Kristen has dedicated her career to education, currently serving as an elementary guidance counselor in Ocean Township, NJ. Her commitment to fostering a positive and supportive environment has earned her the title of Educator of the Year, and NBC recognized her dedication to kindness by naming her a Kindness Ambassador.
In the realm of sports, Kristen brings a wealth of experience. She coached freshman and JV teams at Long Branch for a year, followed by a two-year stint as the JV coach at Ocean. Her coaching journey continued with a three-year run as the Varsity coach.
Kristen’s passion for lacrosse traces back to her four years as a player at Monmouth University. During her time, the team became conference champions in 2001 and secured the first-ever bid to the NCAA championship in the same year. As a junior and senior, Kristen proudly served as captain. During her time at Monmouth she also earned All-Conference honors.
Kristen’s athletic journey began at Ward Melville High School as a three-sport athlete, captaining the teams and securing All-Conference honors in each sport. Through both her teaching career and sports involvement, Kristen is driven by a commitment to excellence, leadership, and a passion for fostering positive growth and development.
Kristen is still actively involved in her son’s sports programs, by volunteering in various roles and supporting the team in any way she can. She is also still very active, walking or running as much as she can between working in school and being a sports mom! She still loves throwing the ball around with her son and bonding over their love of lacrosse. Kristen’s dedication to being a guidance counselor, a role model for her son, and keeping active is inspiring. Let’s get to know her!
Kristen coaching Ocean Township’s lacrosse team
Q: What sports did you play growing up?
I played many sports over the course of my life such as soccer, lacrosse, winter track, softball, volleyball, basketball.
Q:Was there anything that made you hesitant about starting your sport(s)?
I was very late in the game to start playing lacrosse as a freshman at Ward Melville High School on Long Island. Most of my peers began playing years before me at a young age. I played softball until 8th grade. My PE teacher convinced and supported me to try lacrosse which she believed I would excel in. It was very hard to take the risk especially since I wasn’t all that confident in myself in middle school. Thank goodness I listened to her because lacrosse was and still is an integral part of my life.
Q: What female athletes did you look up to?
Mia Hamm!!
Q: What is your favorite memory associated with sports?
My favorite memory was when we had the NEC Conference at Monmouth and earned the first ever bid to the NCAA tournament in Monmouth History. We played the number one team in the country, Maryland, and we were winning at halftime. Then we got blown out 23-9.
Q: How has playing sports helped shape your life?
Sports has shaped my life in many ways. It taught me work ethic, time management, teamwork mentality, motivation, and the need to keep busy!
Lastly, the bonds formed with teammates have resulted in lifelong friendships and connections, creating a supportive network that extends beyond the playing field and have enriched my personal and social life. I have an extremely close bond with some of my college teammates to this day. We make yearly attempts to get together with and without our kids. We are still involved with the Monmouth lax program. We text constantly to support, cheer up, vent and joke with one another daily. Lifelong friendships have stayed, regardless where we live.
Kristen with Monmouth University Lacrosse alumni
Q: What advice would you give to young girls who is just starting off in sports?
Sports open up so many opportunities to challenge yourself. There were many times I was out of my comfort zone and sports always provided me with an environment and support system to take risks!
Kristen supporting her son, Brady, at the Lacrosse World Series
Meet Jamie Grieco! She is a special education teacher in Howell, NJ and a mom of two boys! Jamie attended Lenape High School in New Jersey, and played four years varsity high school soccer, as well as one year of lacrosse. She also played on many travel soccer teams. Soccer was what she was most passionate about.
After high school, Jamie played four years at The College of New Jersey. While at TCNJ, she was named to the NSCAA All- Mid-Atlantic Region First Team in 2007, voted d3kicks.com All-American Third Team. · She earned various NJAC honors in 2007 and 2008 being named first team all-conference and a two-time player of the week. ·Jamie played forward and led the team in goals and points with her 17 goals the third single-season mark in school history. ·She was also selected to the NCAA All-Tournament Team in 2005 and 2006. Playing soccer was a huge part of her life and she continues to bring that love for the game into her adult life.
She continues her passion for fitness by working out at EZE Fit gym and by running half marathons. Jamie also continued her passion for soccer by playing in a women’s soccer league, until she had her two boys. She continues to stay active at the gym and by running. Let’s meet Jamie!
Q: What sports did you play growing up?
I played soccer and lacrosse for one season. I started rec soccer at about 6 years old. I was the only girl that made all star team. We played in a tournament and I remember A little boy on the other team laughing at me because i was a girl. It made me upset. But I’m so glad I didn’t let it stop me. I was so proud to be on that team. From about 9 or so on to about 18 I spent playing travel soccer every weekend. I met a lot of friends and had amazing coaches. It was extremely time consuming- I realize now how much money and time my parents spent on tournaments. The hotel trips were the best! I loved collecting patches from other teams (I wonder if they still do that?!) My high school team was very good. We were Group 4 South Jersey Champs a few times. We almost won a state championship but sadly fell short. I joined lacrosse my freshman year because my coach knew I was fast and athletic. I ended up doing well with it but it was too much on my plate with spring soccer since my goal was to play in college.
Q:Was there anything that made you hesitant about starting your sport(s)?
Not that i know of. I was shy so maybe to start. Definitely was a quiet leader, so I didn’t take on that captain role growing up. I wish I wasn’t so hesitant to speak up back then!
Q: What female athletes did you look up to?
Kristine Lilly was a forward like me. And everyone loved Mia Hamm!
Q: What is your favorite memory associated with sports?
One of my favorite memories was playing in a national championship in Disney! We got to have thanksgiving dinner at Epcot and explore the park after. We stayed at an awesome hotel and it was fun being with my team. It was just such a cool atmosphere. We sadly lost in the final.
Another favorite memory is my senior year at TCNJ thinking we were not going to make the playoffs because our record wasn’t as good and we didn’t win our conference. We found out we were in a few days later (after a few nights of partying and being sad) and it was the best feeling ever!
Q: How has playing sports helped shape your life?
It’s shaped my life by giving me lifelong friendships, shown me the importance of commitment and fitness. Soccer has given me a competitive drive. Not in a selfish way but in a way that I always want to do my best: but if there’s an athletic competition I sure as hell want to win.
Q: What advice would you give to young girls who is just starting off in sports?
Joining a sport was the best thing I ever did, but it was hard. Being on a team will teach you more about life than any lesson at school. It’s a lot physically and mentally but worth it! Don’t give up!. buttttt also find a sport you are passionate about . (T ball was not for me! Haha)
Meet Dani! Dani Zimmerman is an athlete from Ocean Township, New Jersey. She participated in travel softball until her junior year of high school and played for her high school team for all four years. Additionally, Dani has been involved in swimming since the age of 8, competing at the club level and continuing to swim for all four years on her high school team.
She extended her swimming journey at Montclair State University, swimming competitively for four years. During her time at Montclair she was named Honorable Mention All-NJAC Academic Team. She also earned many wins, including a win in the 200-medley relay in NJAC win over Kean, she picked up a victory in the 200-medley relay against CSI, and placed 13th in the 200-yard backstroke at the Metropolitan Championships. Dani also turned in a third place time at the Met Championships in the 800-freestyle relay. She claimed first in the 400-freestyle relay against Division I Seton Hall, and notched a second-place in the 500-freestyle as the Red Hawks knocked off Kean. She was a huge asset to her college program.
She is currently a K-8 Health and Physical Education Teacher, High School Swim Coach, Club Swim Coach, and Oceanfront Lifeguard. In her current pursuits, Dani can be found engaging in various activities to maintain her fitness for her lifeguarding job and competitions. These include swimming, paddling her 10’6 racing board, rowing in an ASAY Surfboat, surf skiing, and running on the beach. Beyond her water-centric activities, Dani nurtures her passion and love for strength and fitness by attending Crossfit classes at BTS [Fitness By The Sea] to be the fittest version of herself.
Q: What sports did you play growing up?
I played softball and swimming! I played travel softball up until my junior year of high school and played for my high school all 4 years. On top of that, I swam at the club level from the age of 8, continued to swim all 4 years for my high school team, and swam for 4 years at Montclair State University.
Q:Was there anything that made you hesitant about starting your sport(s)?
My dad was an amazing triathlete and runner growing up. That being said, my sibling and I always felt a lot of pressure to live up to his standards that he set for us. When I was 7, my older brother had been on the Monmouth Barracudas swim team for 3 years already and it was expected that I joined as well. I recall being scared of the cold pool, coaches, and the pressure that was put on me. That year I set out to try out for the Monmouth Barracuda Swim Team. I had my swimsuit, cap, and goggles on and walked onto the pool deck at the JCC. I was frightened. I remember my brother encouraging me with words of encouragement, the coaches going out of their way to make me feel comfortable, and seeing my dad in the bleachers looking disappointed in me. I started to cry and I refused to get in the pool. The one coach, Coach Cheryl, was even nice enough to wait until everyone had left to ask me if I wanted to get in the pool, but I refused.
The following year my dad asked me if I wanted to try out. I recalled the trauma I had felt from the year before and I refused. The next week, my best friend Amanda told me she was going to try out for the swim team and asked if I would try out with her. The comfort of knowing someone was there with me going through the nerve racking experience was the push I needed to start my swim career.
Q: What female athletes did you look up to?
As a swimmer, you are not always perceived to be a part of a ‘real’ sport or ‘cool’ sport. However, there was an athlete all of us swimmers looked up to who made our sport ‘real’ and ‘cool’. We all looked up to Michael Phelps. He was the person who made my sport ‘cool’ to the world which was something I always loved. My favorite female athlete was Missy Franklin. I looked up to her work ethic and her grace. Whenever I watched her swim a race, she would smile behind the block and when she finished, she would shake hands and give a smile to her opponents whether or not she swam her best race.
Aside from professional athletes, I was fortunate enough to swim for a team that felt like a family. The older swimmers knew the younger swimmers and the younger swimmers looked up to the older. The older girls on my team were excellent role models for me and inspired me to want to swim in college. Saturday morning practices were always the days for test sets or racing off the blocks. I remember being a little swimmer and watching the older girl swimmers crush a test set against the boy swimmers after a 2 hour practice and I could not wait to be able to do that one day.
Q: What is your favorite memory associated with sports?
My favorite memory associated with sports was my junior year of college in 2018. The Montclair women’s swim team had a long lasting rivalry with NJAC competitor TCNJ. Our teams always went back and forth beating each other during our dual meet. The year period we had lost by a few points. In our 2018 dual meet we were at the TCNJ pool. I remember being excited and motivated to race for my team rather than for myself. Despite some of my teammates swimming events that they do not normally swim in, we trusted what our coaches planned in order to create a successful line up. Throughout the meet, everyone showed up and did what they had to do. After every race we felt our momentum building and the pool deck was electric. Having the drive to win the meet for our whole team was the fuel we needed to take home the win that day!
Q: How has playing sports helped shape your life?
Playing sports has shaped my life in numerous ways. From a young age I played 2 sports and was involved in multiple teams. This forced me to learn time management from a young age. I knew that if I wanted to give all of my activities 100% I had to balance my social life, athletic life, and academic life by planning. Anyone who knows me today knows that I am quite the planner. Learning time management at a young age has allowed me to continue to have strong time management skills as an adult. My time management skills always allow me to be able to coach 3 teams, teach full time, lifeguard in the summers, prioritize at least an hour workout daily, and be able to socialize.
Additionally, being a part of sports has taught me the value of being a part of a team. Being on sports teams taught me that you have to show up, commit, and put in the work in order to not let people down. It is one thing to hold yourself accountable however, it is a whole other level of commitment when others are holding you accountable as well. The desire to not let other people down was something that drove me to come to practices on days that I did not want to go and to this day I know I cannot let other people down since they are counting on me.
Lastly, playing sports has taught me the value of hard work. “Hard work works” is a quote my college swim coach always shared with our team. He was trying to emphasize the fact that there are no shortcuts in sports and in life. Being a straightforward non sugar coating person, this quote stuck with me after my college swimming days. I preach to my athletes, students, and myself that if you want to see results, make a change, or improve your performance you have to put in the work. Something that makes the process of working hard a little easier is surrounding yourself with other hard working people. Surrounding yourself with like minded individuals will help you keep your eyes on your goals and not give up on the tough days.
Q: What advice would you give to young girls who is just starting off in sports?
My favorite piece of advice to give young athletes is to not take everything so seriously and have fun. My senior year of college I had set high goals for myself and knew I was going to be so angry with myself if I did not reach those goals. I remember finishing my college swim career and being so upset and angry with myself even though I had reached my goals. I was upset because of how serious I was the whole year. I did not allow myself to have fun and enjoy my final year of swimming, because of how serious I took it. I tell my athletes to make sure they are having fun, because at some point the sports will end and you will want to look back on all the fun you had and not how serious you were.
Meet Rachel Lasda, a remarkable force both on and off the lacrosse field. Before her impressive collegiate career, Rachel made waves at West Genesee High School. She was captain of the Varsity Girl’s Lacrosse team, who became New York State Champions in 2007 and was named an All-American in 2007 as a defender.
Rachel attended Villanova University from 2007-2011, where she not only excelled as a four-year starter and two-year captain of the Women’s Lacrosse team but also earned a place on the Big East Honor Roll. She was one of the school’s top 10 all time scorers list for many years.
After college, Rachel’s passion for lacrosse did not stop there. She became part of the Latvian Women’s National Lacrosse Team, and has not only represented her country as a player but has also served as an invaluable Assistant Coach for the Latvian Women’s National Lacrosse Team. She was a player and Assistant Coach from 2013 to 2019 which included World Championships 2013 in Canada, European Championships 2015 in Prague, Czech Republic, World Championships 2017 in London, England, European Championships 2019 Netanya, Israel, World Championships 2022 in Baltimore, Maryland, European Championships 2024 Porto, Portugal. She was an Assistant Coach from 2020-2023 and might possibly make a comeback as a player/assistant coach in 2024!
As she continued her lacrosse career as a player, Rachel also continued to grow the sport of lacrosse while teaching and coaching.. Rachel worked at the Oak Knoll Upper School as a PE teacher and during that time, was the assistant coach from 2012-2014 and head coach of the Varsity Girls Lacrosse Team from 2015-2020. Under her leadership, the team achieved a stellar career record of 105-20, securing three Tournament of Championship Finals appearances, Group 1 Champions 5/5 years, Pre Tournament Champions 5/5 years, and a County Tournament Championship. Her accolades, including the 2015 USA Today Coach of the Year, 2015 NJ.com Coach of the Year, and 2015 NFHS Regional Coach of the Year, reflect the impact she has had on the sport.
Currently serving as the Head Coach for Ranney Varsity Girl’s Lacrosse in Tinton Falls, New Jersey, Rachel has been instrumental in building a program from the ground up, fostering growth and resilience among her players. Despite facing challenges, the team has shown remarkable improvement, a testament to Rachel’s coaching expertise!
In addition to her high school coaching role, Rachel has also taken on the responsibility of coaching the All Lax Select Club Team for the 2023’s and 2027’s, guiding aspiring players through their lacrosse journey. Her commitment extends beyond the field, evidenced by her role on the Careers Advisory Board.
Beyond lacrosse, Rachel is an L1 Certified CrossFit Trainer since 2019, showcasing her commitment to physical fitness and well-rounded athleticism at Ocean Athletics. Rachel is an inspiration to everyone she’s around!
Q: What sports did you play growing up?
My first sport was soccer which I started playing in the town’s rec league around age 6. I played soccer all through school up through senior year and on various summer club teams and indoor leagues. I grew up in Upstate New York though, so it was assumed that you would play lacrosse eventually. I started at age 6 through the town’s summer camp and started played for the school team in 7th grade. Club wasn’t a big scene in the area, we did most of our playing through the town but I had one season of club my junior into senior years. I know this isn’t technically a sport, but certainly helped me with my athletic development, I was a dancer from age 3 to 18 when I graduated high school. I did ballet, jazz, and pointe.
Q:Was there anything that made you hesitant about starting your sport(s)?
Not that I can recall. I was young, my siblings played sports, and my friends were playing sports so it seemed like a natural progression that I also would play sports.
Q: What female athletes did you look up to?
MIA HAMM! I loved her (and still do). She shaped a lot of what I thought it meant to be a female athlete. I was about 10 when she led Team USA to w World Cup Championship. I wanted to be just like her and go to UNC and be a soccer player. I had her book and I was able to get her autograph once which I cherished. As I got older, I still leaned on Mia Hamm and some of my favorite motivational sports quotes come from her. I will include them here:
“Somewhere behind the athlete you’ve become and the hours of practice and the coaches who have pushed you is a little girl who fell in love with the game and never looked back… play for her” “A winner is that person who gets up one more time than she is knocked down”
On a smaller scale, I really looked up to my sister also. She was just old enough (6.5 years) where she was playing competitive school sports as I was starting to build my vision of female athletes. She was (still is) a great leader and phenomenal player and I wanted to do and be everything that she was doing and being. She coached my youth team as a high schooler and it was such an impactful experience. Super supportive, super helpful and just all around helped me become a better athlete and coach.
Q: What is your favorite memory associated with sports?
Wow, this is a tough one! I have so many. I will pick 2 because they are separated by almost 10 years. The first, I loved high school sports. It was my favorite part of high school. I went to a really competitive lacrosse district and my classmates and I had been playing together essentially since we were 6 or7 years old. Once we made it to varsity, we were always contenders for states. After falling just short junior year, we put our heads down and got to work for the upcoming season. Finally in our senior year, we won states! I will always remember how amazing that felt to see our hard work pay off. On the way back to the high school, the bus was escorted off the highway by police cars and firetrucks and it seemed like the whole town was at the school waiting to greet us with congratulations. Such an incredible feeling.
My other favorite memory comes from my playing career as an adult. I got involved with the Latvian national team in 2013. My Dad is 100% Latvian and we still have family who live there. This moment comes 4 years after our first tournament with the team. Over those 4 years my sister and I faced a lot of challenges but also had a lot of triumphs. I personally was really feeling as though I belonged like a true Latvian. This memory comes from the 2017 World Championships in London. Before each game, both teams walk out and each national anthem is played. There wasn’t a big PA system or anything so teams had to sing the anthem. The first game out as it was Team Latvia’s time for the anthem, with all my teammates next to me singing the anthem and all our fans doing the same in the stands, I was overwhelmed with pride. Up to that point, I had never been more proud to be Latvian and to be playing alongside these amazing women. It was a really emotional time, and also something I will never forget.
Q: How has playing sports helped shape your life?
I owe so much to sports and I am not sure who I would be without them. Besides the obvious health and fitness benefits, sports have given me so much more. Sports taught me how to be a leader and team player. I learned that I am 100% responsible for my own actions and that my actions have consequences that I need to be accountable for. I learned that failure isn’t the worst thing, but not learning and growing from it is. I learned the benefits of discipline and hard work. I realized that I CAN do hard things so that when real life gives me challenges, I can always fall back on the experience of sports to remind me that I can handle it. I learned the importance of fairness and doing things the right way. I realized that I hate letting my teammates down and therefore have carried that same commitment and passion to my non-sports life. As a student athlete, I learned how to prioritize and practiced time management skills
Q: What advice would you give to young girls who are just starting off in sports?
Play because you love it and play because it is fun. With all the outside pressures, don’t lose sight of your own personal reasons of why you started. Take advantage of EVERY single second you get to be on the field with your teammates. Don’t waste an opportunity to play, your playing years go fast and before you know it, they will be over. Those years are some of my favorite moments of life. Learn from your coaches (and give them a break sometimes), they are there because they are passionate about the sport and they care about you as a person. Just because something is hard or uncomfortable, doesn’t mean you should quit. Put the hard work in. Even if you fail, you are still growing and becoming a stronger person. Don’t ever be afraid to fail! Being strong is cool. Do the work.
Meet Elizabeth (Stankiewicz) Neaton! She is a speech language pathologist working with students with autism in Howell, NJ. She began her athletic journey playing T-Ball and taking dance classes as soon as she was old enough. Liz found her love for field hockey around 5th grade and chose to be a goal keeper. Early on in her field hockey career in high school, she decided to pursue playing in college. She also played softball, basketball, and even made a switch to join the bowling team, but field hockey was her favorite sport that she put her passion into.
Elizabeth continued her field hockey career at the collegiate level at Stockton University. She was a four year starter and played 4 years at Stockton. Even though Liz has had various championships and accolades, her most proud moment was winning the “Monmouth County Sportsmanship Award”. Others include a school-record 12 games, she ranked fourth in the NJAC in shutouts, and for the goals against average . She recorded the second-best single-season shutout total and goals against average in school history and was part of the NFHCA National Academic Squad. Liz currently coaches for the Freehold Township High School Field Hockey team. She brings her love of field hockey and athletics to the next generation.
Q: What sports did you play growing up?
I played several sports, I was always involved. Sports have always been a part of my life. My parents started me with T-Ball and dance classes as soon as I was old enough. I played Basketball and Softball starting in 3rd grade. In middle school I played Basketball, Field Hockey and Softball. When I went to high school, I was selected to play with the varsity field hockey team my freshman year. I also played softball, all four years of high school. I continued to play basketball, but after two years, everyone was tall and I was small, so I switched to the Varsity Bowling team. I was always playing a sport no matter what season! I found my love for Field Hockey around 5th grade and chose to be a goal keeper. I decided in high school that I would pursue playing in college. I landed at Stockton University in South Jersey. There I was able to start as a freshman and play for 4 years at the collegiate level. Other sports I enjoyed in high school included softball, basketball and then I made a switch to join the bowling team.
Q:Was there anything that made you hesitant about starting your sport(s)?
I had an awesome support system, my parents were always supporting me keeping busy and trying new sports. New sports meant new friends. They were the reason I was so involved and so successful!
Q: What female athletes did you look up to?
I loved the olympics, I would always watch Misty May. Venus and Serena Williams were the female athletes that my generation grew up with !
Q: What is your favorite memory associated with sports?
I have so many memories. We had some amazing championship wins during high school, I have memories with my friends that I cherish to this day. My favorite memory is winning a field hockey state championship, winning a softball division championship and earning a spot on a college team as a freshman.
Q: How has playing sports helped shape your life?
Playing sports teaches you so much beyond just the sport. It teaches you to respect others, it teaches you sportsmanship, it helps you balance time. It makes you a stronger, and tougher woman. It keeps your mind healthy as well as your body. Sometimes, it teaches us to stand up for ourselves, and I always had amazing coaches to help with growing up as well as being a good “player”.
Q: What advice would you give to young girls who are just starting off in sports?
Try as many sports as you can! Try not to just pick one! It will help you make friends, as well as learning different fundamentals of each sport. Go to camps, participate, just try it out! Don’t be scared! Everyone has a place where they start from scratch!
I would like to start the Athlete Spotlight by introducing myself, Rachel (Resnick) Mullooly, aspiring children’s book author, teacher, coach, athlete, and wife to my amazing and supportive husband, Tim. I began playing sports at a young age and I played many different sports including soccer, dance, basketball, indoor track, and lacrosse. Soccer was so much fun, but to be honest, I was not the best player in high school. I was fast and athletic, but most girls had been playing on travel teams, while I just played for my town’s recreational team. During indoor track, I broke my school record for the 800 meter run, and ran the 400m, 800m, and mile. Most notably, lacrosse became a major part of my life. My sophomore year of high school I made the varsity lacrosse team and became a team captain my senior year, in 2009.
I thankfully convinced my mom to sign me up for a travel lacrosse team and played for T3 Lacrosse, which was a college showcase team. I was recruited by my AMAZING college coach, Jen Fallon, and was a four year starting defender for the University of New Haven. Some notable college awards include IWLCA All-American, D2ADA Academic Achievement Award,Northeast-10 Conference Commissioner’s Honor Roll, IWLCA All-North Region First Team selection, Northeast-10 Defensive Player of the Year, All-Northeast-10 Conference First Team, Northeast-10 Academic All-Conference.
After college, I continued my passion for lacrosse by coaching for many youth teams all ages from 2nd grade to 8th graders. In addition to playing lacrosse in college, I earned a degree in Psychology and a Masters in Education and teach kindergarten and 2nd grade. As a teacher, I am luckily still able to be very involved in coaching. I was the assistant varsity coach at Dr. Phillip’s High School in FL in 2017-2018, assistant varsity coach and JV coach at Middletown North in NJ in 2019, and assistant varsity coach from 2020-present at The Ranney School in NJ. I have coached for many youth teams, including Wall Recreation, Lightning Lacrosse (FL), and currently coach for All Lax Select Club Team since 2019. I also have continued my passion for fitness by doing Crossfit for the last 9 years, and began coaching at Fitness By The Sea in 2023. I completed my second marathon, running the New York City Marathon in 2023, and still pushing myself daily to accomplish my goals.
Aside from coaching lacrosse, I currently teach 2nd grade in Howell, NJ. Teaching is in my bones. I absolutely love my job and watching my students grow each year. I bring fitness and activity into our classroom, by doing yoga daily and always getting in a “Fresh Start Workout” to get our bodies moving. They love it! We practice not only how to become better readers, writers, and mathematicians, but also learn how to be kind humans and be our best self.
I strive to share my passion for lacrosse and fitness with my students, athletes, and future children. I am so excited for this next adventure ahead! I will be starting by interviewing female athletes from high school, college, or currently still participating in their respective sports to share the positive impacts athletics has. My goal is not only to grow the game of lacrosse, but introduce young girls to sports and make them feel confident in starting new sports by sharing stories of others who started out just like them.
Q: What sports did you play growing up?
I played so many sports! I played soccer, dance, basketball, indoor track, and lacrosse. I started playing soccer when I was in 2nd grade. I played soccer until my senior year of high school and loved being with my friends. I was not the best at soccer, but was very fast. I was even often recruited to the cross country team which I always denied (sorry Mr. Looney) because I had FUN with my friends playing soccer! Basketball and track were ‘in between’ sports. Basketball taught me footwork, and kept me in shape for lacrosse season. I only played one year! After that, I did three years of indoor track. For the spring sport, I found something new. When I was in 8th grade my friend told me about lacrosse and I went to a clinic at Monmouth University. It was the first time I had ever heard of the sport, but all of my friends were playing so I tried it out! We had a blast on the freshman team and I decided I wanted to make lacrosse my focus. I dedicated my time outside of practice to getting better at lacrosse. That whole next year, I practiced lacrosse after soccer and track… playing ‘wall ball’ on the brick wall on my house. I practiced daily for that whole year to make the varsity team. Tryouts for lacrosse my sophomore year finally came and I was one of two sophomores to make the varsity team. When Coach Hall and Coach Palaia told me that I made varsity, I realized all of my hard work paid off. This story inspired me to start this website and start what’s next…more information and big things to come! I ended up playing lacrosse in college at the University of New Haven, and became and All-American by my senior year of college.
Q:Was there anything that made you hesitant about starting your sport(s)?
I am very short and petite, and I was always nervous that I wouldn’t be as good or as strong as other players because of my size. I realized that by working hard and hustling in every game in practice, you get better everyday!
Q: What female athletes (or any athletes) did you look up to?
I was always a big fan of Mia Hamm because she was such a good soccer player!! She was one of the few females athletes I was even aware of. I wish there were more female athletes in the media when I was younger to have known of more! In high school I also looked up to many seniors when I was a freshman and sophomore, and in awe of their talents. I worked hard to play along side them during lacrosse games. I’m hoping that by sharing these stories and highlighting female athletes, girls have more female role models to look up too.
Q: What is your favorite memory associated with sports?
There are SO many! I think my two favorite college game-day memories are notable. One was during my junior college lacrosse season, we played a team that was the #1 ranked team in the NCAA, and we beat them during our regular season… it was a huge upset! It was one of those crazy games that went back and forth scoring and it wast just so intense. We went into overtime and won with a game winning goal. We all ran and celebrated together and just that feeling of accomplishment during that game was one of the best. Another one was during a huge game my junior year as well, and we were in the locker room before a big game. We all listened to Al Pacino’s speech from Any Given Sunday, and put motivational quotes in our cleats. “You find out life’s this game of inches. So is football because in either game, life, or football, the margin for error is so small. I mean, one half a step too late or too early and you don’t quite make it. One half second, too slow, too fast, you don’t quite catch it. The inches we need are everywhere around us. They’re in every break of the game, every minute. Every second. On this team, we fight for that inch. ” It was super powerful and the emotions heading out to the field for that big game were high, ready to fight for every inch to win our game. That ‘game day’ feeling as a player is something I miss deeply. Now I live it through the girls I coach!
Overall, all of my favorite memories consist of spending time with my teammates daily both on and off the field, getting pumped up for games in the locker room with dancing and music, practicing a laughing with teammates and friends, and having fun with my team.
Q: How has playing sports helped shape your life?
Playing sports has shaped my life in so many ways and I am so thankful I was involved in sports through out my life. It taught me the importance of team work by teaching me the importance of collaboration, communication, and shared goals. Sports showed me the importance of time management, as I balanced lacrosse, academics, and social life. It also helped me prioritize what was important to me. Sports built my confidence and taught me what it means to be committed to something. I practiced outside of practice to be the best player I could be, and to stay in shape during the off season. Some days I didn’t want to run, or workout, or play wall ball.. but I did it because I was committed to love of the game and love of lacrosse. It showed me how important staying healthy and active is and I carry that into my life on a daily basis.
Athletics pushed me to overcome obstacles and strive for continuous improvement, which has flowed into my career as a teacher as I strive to learn more about my profession and ways to help my students. I also made life long friendships throughout my time playing and being involved with many different sports, especially my college team. Coach Fallon, thank you for everything! Even today as an adult, I bring my love for lacrosse and athletics to my players on my travel and high school team, and students daily. Now, even though I am not actively playing lacrosse, I still compete by doing Crossfit, riding my Peloton, and running races such as 5k’s, half marathons, and even recently challenging myself to my second full marathon!
Q: What advice would you give to young girls who are just starting off in sports?
Don’t be too hard on yourself! Have fun and just try your best. It is okay if you are not the best, use that to motivate yourself and set personal goals. Have fun with your friends, enjoy the time spent with coaches and teammates, and work hard. The benefits out weigh the cons, so try a sport, if you don’t like it, try a new one! Also, if you are passionate about a sport, stick with it and practice outside of practice, put in the extra work to try and get better. Stay active and your body and mind will thank you!
Coach Rachel 