By Devin Munroe '16
Seven Questions with Coach "EMac"
In light of the spring season beginning, The Anchor staff interviewed our very own girls varsity lacrosse Coach, Erin McCarthy, as she takes on her first year as head coach. From this interview you will get a window into Ms. McCarthy as a coach, and get her thoughts on the upcoming season.
How long have you been a coach at Severn?
This year will mark my ninth season as a lacrosse coach for Severn.
How would you define your coaching style?
I would say my coaching style is intense, well organized, but fun at the same time. I work to find a balance between intensity and showing the girls how to love the sport.
What qualities do you look for in a player?
The first things I look for in a player is her work ethic, skills, lacrosse IQ, and the ability to be a team player.
The Admirals have come off of two strong seasons the past two years. What do you think will be the strengths of this year’s team?
For starters, we have sixteen returning varsity players and seven new members to the team, so we feature a good mix of experience and youth. In addition, having Coach Domenech as a member of the staff is a great asset due to his defensive expertise and exceptional college coaching experience. On the field, Maddie McDaniel returns as the leading draw controller on the team. Her strength on the draw controls and leadership on the attacking end will be a huge help to the team. We are also lucky to be returning our entire starting midfield line-up: juniors Brooke Robbins, Ally Hall, and Tess Bradshaw. Their experience and speed will help us control the midfield. On the defensive end the anchors of our team return with Rachel Sindler and Devin Munroe controlling the defense, as well as our two phenomenal goalies, Zoe Bennett and Abbey Dengler.
What skills have you learned from your college career in having a successful team?
From my time at Salisbury I learned that in order to be truly successful you have to be willing not only to work hard every day, but also have a true love for the game. You also need your coaches to be there to teach you the fundamentals and your teammates there to push you hard every day in practice. Team chemistry is also a huge component to being successful.
What are your short-term goals?
My short-term goals are to bring the team together and infuse the returning players with the new players. I also want to be a competitive force within the IAAM-A conference. It is my goal to build upon what Coach Sot established these past twenty years.
How do you plan on improving as a coach from year to year?
I think that improvement as coach will come from putting in the time for Professional Development, and attending coach’s clinics and coach’s conventions.
(Photo by Matthew Cole / Baltimore Sun Media Group, Courtesy of Capital Gazette)
