Lacrosse – Boys – Greenwich Public Schools
Program Overview:
It is the goal of the entire staff to coach, teach, and motivate every member of the program to achieve both team and personal goals set at the highest level of potential. It is also a program goal to develop as a group so that sportsmanship, unity, and success is shared among the entire team.
The program consists of three levels: varsity, JV and freshman teams. Varsity has open tryouts consisting of two practices and one scrimmage to decide placement. There are no cuts, so any player not making the varsity roster automatically gets placed on JV. There is also a “floating” roster where JV players may be called up to play games against “developing” teams to make the competition more equal, but still with the absolute purpose of winning.
All freshman who do not make varsity play with the freshman team, not JV. In the rare case that the JV roster may require additional players to play a game, some freshman may get called up, but the goal is to have all freshman playing together as much as possible to build team chemistry and establish a strong foundation in the program ideology.
For some of the higher-level freshman, they may have the opportunity to practice with the varsity team and attend games, but only when there is not a conflict with a freshman program.
Time Commitment:
The varsity and JV teams practice or compete in games six days a week. Due to CIAC rules, a day off from playing is required, but on that day off, there may be film or workouts. Towards the end of the season, there may be several rest days of just film or walkthroughs, but players are required to attend all team obligations. Players on both the varsity and JV teams have games every week and no time off is given for vacation. If time off is needed to due family, medical, religious, or school related conflicts, players must speak to a coach prior to missing any practice or game. If any time is missed for an unexcused reason, that player will either be suspended or removed from the team – no exceptions. Members of the freshman team are the only players permitted to travel during spring break, but missing practices and games may jeopardize status on the depth chart.
Practices start after school at 3:40 PM and usually end by 5:15/5:30 PM. Home games are usually at 4:30PM or 5:00PM on weekdays with Saturday games starting between noon and 2:30 PM.
Pre-Season Conditioning:
Mandatory conditioning with Coach Mediate begins immediately following the football season. A schedule is posted on the Cardslax.com website and a lacrosse coach will be present at each workout for attendance.
Starting in January, clinics are held at the Boys and Girls Club of Greenwich and registration is done by the booster and captains’ parents. Participation is optional, but highly encouraged for any non-winter sports athlete. One month prior to the season, team meetings and workouts are held twice a week. These meetings are mandatory for any non-winter sports athlete. One week prior to the season, GYL hosts a free week-long clinic. This is open to any player interested in playing lacrosse during the spring.
Required Equipment:
The school issues a helmet to any player in need, but all other required equipment must be supplied by the individual player.
Any school-issued helmet can only be used during the spring season and must be returned with uniforms after the last game. No helmets may be borrowed during the offseason.
Coaching Staff:
Bobby Lutz
Head Coach
[email protected]
Jeremy White
Varsity Assistant Coach 1
[email protected]
Frank Wells
Head Junior Varsity Coach
[email protected]
Joe Vrtiak
Junior Varsity Assistant Coach
[email protected]
Brian Zeller
Head Freshman Coach
[email protected]
Jarrett McGovern
Freshman Assistant Coach
[email protected]
Greenwich Academy lacrosse team ready to face its challenging opponents – Greenwich Sports Beat
Greenwich Academy
By David Fierro on • ( Leave a comment )
Photo by David Fierro: Ava Butz, left and Maddie Holden are senior captains of the Greenwich Academy lacrosse team.
Like season’s past, Greenwich Academy’s lacrosse team’s schedule features ultra-challenging foes, a welcome sight to a squad with high expectations.
“In order to play your best, you have to schedule the best,” Greenwich Academy first-season co-head coach Halley Quillinan Griggs said.
“Our team is really excited to play the best teams in the country and test ourselves,” GA senior co-captain/midfielder Ava Butz said. “I know that we’re also one of the best teams in the country and we hope to beat those teams.”
Quillinan Griggs and Katie Johnson, a Greenwich Academy graduate, who has helped guide the program for numerous seasons, are GA’s coaches. In June of 2021, Quillinan Griggs was hired as co-head coach of GA’s Varsity A squad by athletic director Martha Brousseau, a position Melissa Anderson filled since 2014. Anderson, who was with GA’s lacrosse program since 2006, transferred to Massachusetts with her family, where she is serving as a history teacher at The Rivers School.
“It’s fun, we’ve had a lot of fun,” Quillinan Griggs said. “Katie went to school here, so she knows the traditions here, she knows how this school works and coaching alongside her to learn the Greenwich Academy community has been great. The team has welcomed me with open arms.”
Photo by David Fierro: Greenwich Academy captains Ava Butz, left and Maddie Holden will help anchor Greenwich Academy’s lacrosse team, which has a highly successful tradition.
Greenwich Academy will scrimmage Greenwich High School on Thursday, then has games against Bethlehem Central High School, Ridgefield, St. Anthony’s, old neighborhood rival Sacred Heart Greenwich, Westminster School, Hackley School, Taft, Loomis Chaffee, Wilton and Hotchkiss.
“We play the hardest teams on our schedule in the first few weeks, which is tough, but I think we’re going to have a great season,” said Butz, who will play lacrosse at Cornell University next season.
In its scrimmage against Wilton – one of the premier teams in Connecticut – Greenwich Academy played well, as the Warriors edged them in a back-and-forth game, 7-6.
Senior Maddie Holden, who will continue her lacrosse career at Duke University next season, will help lead GA’s midfield play along with Butz. The duo are the team’s captains.
Photo by David Fierro: Maddie Holden warms up prior to GA’s scrimmage game against visiting Wilton.
“It’s a lot of fun leading a group of great girls, I’m looking forward to it,” Holden said. “Being a part of the team has always been positive, everyone on the team is amazing and it’s always fun to go out and play with everyone.”
Greenwich Academy’s midfield features Butz, Holden, senior Taylor Glanville, who will take a good portion of the team’s draws and junior Ellie Burdick, who will also see action at the attack position. GA should receive plenty of offensive production from its group of midfielders.
“We have a lot of depth in the midfield, which is great,” said Butz, who also served as one of the captains of the school’s ice hockey team. “On offense, what really sets us apart is all seven of us are threats.
We are not just looking to a few players here or there and I think that’s going to help us be successful.”
Ava Butz begins her fourth season on Greenwich Academy’s Varsity A team.
On defense, returning is junior Ellie Johnson, who has committed to play lacrosse at Stanford University.
“Ellie Johnson is a force,” Quillinan Griggs said. “Most teams don’t have an Ellie Johnson, so we’re able to really take away a team’s top offensive threat with her and around her we’re a relatively young unit in terms of youth.”
Junior Rebecca Arpano, gives GA an experienced goalie, who has excelled in previous seasons. Freshman Lila Volpe, sophomore Molly Moore and junior Sienna Tejpaul are also among some of the squad’s defenders.
“We’re really young in terms of experience alongside Ellie, but she’s doing a great job of leading that unit and Rebecca Arpano, she’s a veteran in goal, so we have veteran talent at every unit,” Quillinan Griggs noted.
Greenwich Academy huddles up during its preseason scrimmage game against visiting Wilton on April 2, 2022.
Burdick, who has committed to play at Dartmouth, should also see some action at attack, along with patrolling the midfield, sophomore Dylan Casazza, is expected to help spark the attack unit and junior Mimi Novak is also starting at attack. Freshman Katie Barr and senior Emily Greenhaw also play at the attack position.
“Something that sets us apart on attack is that we’re all threats, but on defense, our communication is also great – we’re really good at talking to each other and letting each other know whether that slide is there,” Holden said.
Sophomore Brooke Bertrand and freshman Ruby Montanez are defenders, while junior Winnie Welch, junior Kate Haffenreffer and sophomore Amelia Lewis are midfielders. Freshman Chloe Cook is among the team’s attack players.
Greenwich Academy does draw control drills prior to its preseason game against Wilton.
“On the draw, Taylor Glanville is working hard, Ava Butz is remarkable on 50/50 balls,” Quillinan Griggs said. “We’re going to get the ball a lot this season.