Down at Christopher South Athletic Complex, the women’s lacrosse team season has begun under new varsity head coach Arianna Chaitkin, a WHHS alumni. The team is heading into the season with the mindset to win conference games.
“Our ultimate goal this season is to win the Eastern Cincinnati Conference (ECC) and hopefully under coach Chaitkin we can accomplish this”, Astrid O’Callaghan, ‘26, a defender, said.
Chaitkin coached junior varsity last year, and her rise in the ranks is an exciting new source of hope for players.
“Lacrosse means a lot to me,” Chaitkin said. “I started playing when I got to WHHS and quickly realized it was my ‘sport’, after years of playing every sport under the sun.”
Although Chaitkin already knows some of the players, coaching a new team often takes time. However, she had noticed that this team is easier to coach due to a preexisting sense of community amongst players.
“The group of kids on this team are truly a pleasure to coach, and seeing them work hard while also having fun is a coach’s dream,” Chaitkin said.
The team culture under Chaitkin has stayed similar to last year’s culture under former coach Katherine Bowers.
“There’s not too many new players coming in this year from last year, so we kind of already have a bond and everyone on the team is very welcoming,” O’Callaghan said.
Chaitkin has used these bonds to her advantage by turning the team into a cohesive, winning team.
“Having them work to trust each other and hold themselves accountable is very important,” Chaitkin said. “We continue to work through this every day and ensure the whole team is aligned and committed to the values and objectives of the program.”
This program has helped train and raise phenomenal athletes, including Lauren Christy, ‘26. Christy recently committed to Butler University to play D1 lacrosse— a major success story for the program.
“Lauren has been playing lacrosse for eight years, while also coaching in our youth program,” according to the WHHS girls lacrosse Instagram page.
The team also has a new vibrant presence on social media this year, showing Senior Spotlights and developments, such as the “Big Dog Award.” This award praises players following breakout games or outstanding performances as an attempt to boost team morale.
“It felt great to win the Big Dog Award,” Kenyon Pollock, ‘27, the Mar.11 Big dog winner, said. “The best part of winning is the chain you get with the award.”
Along with the competitive nature on the field, the team does dinners and other outings outside of the games and practices.
“Team dinners are really fun,”Elise Weinrich, ‘27, a defender, said. “Everyone on the team can bond, and we just get close and have a lot of fun, and we don’t always talk about lacrosse.”
As the women’s lacrosse team finishes their season this May, this tight knit group of players will continue improving under their new head coach.
“I have seen everything this program has given to me, and wanted to give back to the program and the school in the same way,” Chaitkin said. “It has been amazing seeing them play together and figure out how they can all mesh together to become better.”