The end of lacrosse season did not go as we had anticipated. After starting and playing ten complete games, Elizabeth was unexpectedly pulled early on in the 11th game and then received uneven playing time for the rest of the season. The coach offered no explanation, although played a JV player (not even another varsity player) in her spot whenever she wasn't on the field; she also gave her the silent treatment and (literally) turned her back on her when she was on the sidelines. Elizabeth, however, handled the entire situation with the grace we've come to expect from her. She may have cried all the way home in the privacy of our car, but she she held her head high on the sidelines, never said a bad word about the coach in front of her teammates and continue to cheer on her team. Unfortunately, not having Elizabeth on the field meant that the team lost two very close games, which made the coach's decision even more perplexing (why would you sideline your best player in a one goal game). Her teammates rallied around her, turning their backs on the coach on the sideline and standing with Elizabeth instead of next to the coach (which is where they usually stand). Lost in all of this was the fact that Emily had a wonderful second half of the season, playing every minute of every game upon her return from injury. She was an integral part of the defense and team and really started to shine as the season went on. They absolutely loved being on the same team and playing with each other and loved the other girls on the team. We are interested to see what next year brings, as four or five girls have already decided that they will not return for the next season.
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