Coaching a high school sports team is a difficult task in itself. However, coaching two sports while truly connecting with every player is nothing short of phenomenal. Girls Lacrosse and Field Hockey Coach Lizzy Des Enfants has managed to accomplish just that throughout her ten plus year coaching career.

   In high school, Des Enfants was an athlete herself, “I started by playing lacrosse, which is my main sport, because I thought it was interesting. My lacrosse coach then asked me to play field hockey, and I fell in love with both,” she said.

   Des Enfants started coaching at a young age, still finishing her senior year in high school when she started her first coaching job with an elementary school Lacrosse Team. “I have been coaching since I was a senior in high school. I used to coach elementary lacrosse, and started coaching high school in 2015,” said Des Enfants.

   Varsity Lacrosse Player Junior Brooke Hudson has known Des Enfants for a little more than two years. “She is very good at positively motivating everyone. She makes everyone feel special. Also, her first year teaching lacrosse at UC she led our team to be undefeated League champions and she did it a second time this season.”

   “One of my favorite memories with coach is meeting her for the first time. We (the team) didn’t know if we were going to have a coach or get a good coach. I remember talking to her and instantly knowing she was a good fit for our team,” said Hudson.

   Every great coach needs a great inspiration. For Des Enfants, she remembers her high school coach with great admiration. “The best coach I ever had was my high school field hockey and lacrosse coach, Ernesto Luna. Unfortunately, he passed away a few years back. He would always remind us to have fun and not take life too seriously,” said Des Enfants. She said, “I try to incorporate that mindset into the way I coach now.”

   One can even see some of  Luna’s coaching methods shining through in some key advice offered by Des Enfants to beginning coaches. “Sometimes it’s alright to be serious, but most of the time the main focus needs to be to have fun,” said Des Enfants

   “Coach has helped me cheer up after hard days and helped me push myself,” said Hudson. While some coaches tend to take on an all or nothing attitude, putting victories over the well-being of their team, for Des Enfants her players always come first.

   “Coach is definitely a leader. She is very good at getting a team of players where half haven’t played before and then making them into a strong team where everyone has a huge impact. She is very good with making a team strong,” said Hudson.

  “Coaching was definitely challenging when I was a bit younger and fresh out of high school, as it was hard to gain respect when you are at a close age to your players,” said Des Enfants. “But when your players see that you know what you’re talking about, they eventually give you the respect you deserve,” she added.

   Des Enfants is also a huge source of motivation for her team. Hudson said, “Coach is one hundred percent a role model for me. She is motivational, competitive, and compassionate.”

   “My favorite part of coaching is being able to share the passion for the sports I love with our younger generation. In lacrosse, we constantly talk about ‘Growing the Game’ [improving one’s skills], and I feel like it’s my duty to get as many kids playing as possible,” said Des Enfants.

   “As a lacrosse player, she is brutal. She loves to play hard and check. She also plays with a lot of passion and with a mindset of winning,” said Hudson.

   Des Enfants shared, “I coached a player my first year coaching who went on to play Division I lacrosse, and she now coaches! I feel I did my part in helping fuel her fire in lacrosse and now she is out there growing the game too!”