America's First Sport

today starts the 2010 george mason lacrosse season. it will be my second year as the head coach for the jv team. i am so excited and nervous. new girls. new challenges. new opportunities. lacrosse has been something i have been passionate about since my eight grade year and to be able to share that passion by teaching the young women at mason is amazing. after jmu and not playing for four years i realized how much i missed the sport. i am excited for the season and to see what will develop this year.. i hope everyone will come out to a game.

last years team

womens lacrosse timeline:  

• 1636 - First documentation of the game by Jesuit missionary
• 1794 - Match between Native Americans creates a basic set of rules
• 1834 - Newspaper report covers a demo of the sport in Montreal
• 1876 - Game demonstrated in England for Queen Victoria
• 1890 - First women’s game at St. Leonards in Scotland
• 1913 - Game is played with 12 players for the first time
• 1926 - First game in the US is held at Bryn Mawr School in Baltimore, MD
• 1931 - United States Women’s Lacrosse Association, first national governing body for women’s lacrosse, is established
• 1933 - First USWLA National Tournament
• 1940s, 1950s, 1960s - U.S. National Touring teams travel, compete and conduct National Clinics.
• 1971- The USWLA maintains rules and governing committee for umpires Association for Intercollegiate Athletics (AIAW) for Women founded
• 1972- International Federation of Women’s Lacrosse Association (IFWLA) and Title IX formed
• 1979 - First plastic stick entered the women’s game
• 1981 - Intercollegiate Women’s Lacrosse Coaches Association (IWLCA) founded
• 1981 - First Schoolgirl Division included in the National Tournament
• 1980s & 1990s - IFWLA World Cups held in England, USA, Scotland and Japan
• 1981-1982 - AIAW Championships for women’s lacrosse
• 1982 - First NCAA D1 National Championship, with 105 total college lacrosse teams
• 1992 – Rosabelle Sinclair inducted into Hall of Fame
• 1998 - Formation of US Lacrosse; USWLA is one of eight national organizations that become part of the unified governing body
• 2003 -First combined U19 at Towson University, USA
• 2005 -IFWLA World Cup hosted by US Lacrosse, Annapolis, USA, experiences record
• Attendance of 6,820 at a women’s lacrosse game
• 2005 - The US becomes the only country to mandate protective eyewear usage for all girls and women in lacrosse
• 2006 - Women’s NCAA Rules written for college game
• 2006 -US Lacrosse Level 1 Lacrosse Coaches’ Certification Program launched
• 2007 - IFWLA U19 World Championship, Ontario, Canada. NCAA D1 Championships and US Lacrosse National Tournament held over same weekend in PA. The NCAA D1 semifinals in women’s lacrosse had a record  attendance of 6,529
• 2008- The National Tournament celebrates its 75^th anniversary, making it the oldest and most celebrated women’s lacrosse tournament in the country
• The Future - The women’s game is experiencing unprecedented growth. There are
• 477 college and college club teams and over 1400 high school teams in the US. With this growth comes great responsibility and the Women’s Division of US Lacrosse is focused on umpire and coach recruitment, retention and development in order to safely maintain the integrity of the sport as thousands of new girls pick up a stick for the first time each year. Our past helps guide our future, as we all are the culture-keepers of the great game of women’s lacrosse.

® courtesy of uslacrosse.org

where do I begin...

after a threat of being removed from the blog line up.. i have returned to the blog community. i thought real life updates and being in others blogs categorized me as updating but i was informed that was incorrect thought...

so a quick overview of the past two months..

december: was full of vacation, traveling, parties and general enjoyment. i was on a "use it or loose it" vacation policy with work so starting the 17th i was officially on vacation until the 4th of january..an early christmas present to myself.. i slept in, relaxed and headed down to north carolina to spend the holidays with my immediate family. a warm christmas without snow was not what i grew up with but it was a nice change. i enjoyed cooking with my mom and seeing my brothers and just getting to know my dad on that adult level that i never thought would come. its a funny feeling when the relationship with your parents changes.. its hard to explain but im sure most of you get it.. a mutual respect of some sort. i spent the next few days in the richmond area - board games, karaoke, and laughter all around

january: new years was off to an interesting start (we'll leave it at that) but i enjoyed my time with the friends i went with.

the rest of january was about making choices and learning to live with them -- learning and growing from the experiences i have been presented with and truly enjoying time with friends and building those friendships.

february: has been off to a great start.. full of laughter and joy.

Mom & Dad Would Be Proud..

Just in case you haven't heard yet this is how my alma matter, James Madison University, kicked off December Finals Week. - Yes this is the brand new 30 million dollar library that we should be using to study in but of course we don't.



JMU DUKES!! Never change!

Leaving on a Jet Plane

This past weekend I visited one of my college roommates Samantha and her family. Sammie and I have known each other since our Junior year and the memories we have created have been truly amazing. I was a honored to be apart of wedding. A shoutout to Stuart, one of the most standup men I know. For my second trip to Denver, I was truly going to get some loving from Mr. Reid Carsten Siffring. (below)

He is the most precious child and just has a wonderful spirit. After I had received enough hugs, kisses and naps with the little one, it was time for Sammie and I to have some girl time.

Although a short trip Sammie and I were able to enjoy some pampering, go to the movies, and enjoy some Sushi which all usually happen when we are together. I love spending time with her and just catching up.

Denver is the most beautiful place to visit and despite how many times you see them the Rockies are just breathtaking.

 

All in all it was a wonderful trip and I look forward to going back soon whenever that might be. Although its sometimes hard to have friends in different time zones, its nice to know you have family all across the world.

I have a super busy week, but look forward to a post from the upcoming weekend.

thankful.

i am thankful for...

Christ's abundant love - by God's grace i have been saved and would not be the person i am today if for not His love. i am thankful for His death on the cross for me.

my dad - a quiet, strong, determined, genuine and hardworking man who has loved me unconditionally. i am honored to be his first child and only daughter. i am thankful for the little moments that make our relationship what it is today. i love you.

my mom - a hardworking, caring, wise woman whose love is incredible. her advice continues to amaze me and shape who i am becoming. i am blessed to have such a wonderful mother. i am thankful for your encouragement and strength. i love you.

my parents - thank you for the wonderful example you have set for us. i know we haven't made it easy, but thank you for continuing to be a team.

my brothers - to andrew and daniel - two young men who truly have a spirit for life. your ability to make people laugh is intoxicating. continue to grow into the men i know you will become. thank you for being my brothers. i love you both so much and know that despite the distance we will always be there for each other.

family - to the rest of my family - you are the most dynamic group of men and women i know. i am thankful for the relationships we have and continue to grow. i love you all for your individuality.

friends - i wish i could thank you all individually but that would take years. to each and every single one of you from east to west i am thankful for the way you all inspire, challenge, support and love me. i know that because of each of you i am a better person. thank you.

my roommates - elizabeth and ryann - two beautiful women(inside and out). although we have been the peachtree 3 for only a short time i have loved every minute we spend together. thank you for who you are and your kindness. i am thankful to have you both in my life and look forward to the future.

a child's innocence - to my cousins who are all under the age of 5 and to my sunday school class - your way of looking at life is a refreshing and an encouraging reminder. i am thankful for your spirit and love for life.

time differences and technology - without these two things i would not be able to cultivate and maintain the relationships i have. i am thankful for the opportunities these two things allow me to accomplish.

music and art - two things that i enjoy and respect those who exude talent in these areas. i am thankful for those who share their talents.

hope. faith. the future - the ability to know my life has so much more ahead of me. i am thankful for the ability to dream and accomplish, to grow and make reality. thankful for a faith that gives me the strength to know everything will be okay.

laughter. joy. happiness. - all of which my life would not be complete without.

patience. encouragement. strength. wisdom. - all qualities i am thankful to posses and continue to learn.

and for...
love. sunshine. sunsets. the beach. the stars. the ocean. healthy competition. football. virginia. late nights. road trips. cooking. bonfires. lacrosse. fireworks. jmu.

a slight obsession.

Here is the offical trailer for The Last Song by Nicholas Sparks..

You better believe I will be there.

Hot Pockets, Apples to Apples, Football, God, Bowling and The Last Song

By the title alone, you can see this weekend was one for the books.

Friday Night: Laughter is the best type of medicine, even if you are not sick. It truly just makes for a great evening. While in college, I worked for UPB, although short lived, I learned alot and grew very much. In that time, I had the opportunity to drive Jim Gaffigan to the airport. At the time, he wasn't a very well-known comedian except for his "Hot Pocket" skit. This Friday, I went to Baltimore, where I say fourth row for my first comedy show. It was truly an enjoyable experience and the company I was with made it even more so. I also came to discover that Baltimore is not an area that I would want to live or raise my children and understand the hatred that goes toward that city.

Saturday: Saturday was filled with excitement as I awoke to participate in McLean Bible Church’s Turkey Outreach – a Thanksgiving holiday food drive, if you will, 1000 volunteers, packing 6000 boxes which included a turkey, a bag of potatoes, corn, green beans, bread, cake mix and the gospel. Each box fed a family of 10. Its incredible what little time it takes to make such a huge difference.

Saturday evening was our first event at the Peachtree. It was a fun filled evening of homemade sangria, light snacks, new friends and a classic game of Apples to Apples. It makes me so excited for the next event. A monthly theme of parties might be occurring from now on.

Sunday: As usual, I started the morning off with teaching pre-school Sunday school. The rest of the day followed with a football and a good book. I know it sounds strange to watch football and read a book, while enjoying a Magic Hat #9, but I wasn’t truly loving the game the G-men weren’t being broadcasted in VA, so I made the most of the day.

Sunday evening continued with Frontline, dinner at Bertuccis and bowling. I still can not get enough of bowling. I am convinced no matter who you go with, weather you just met them or have known them forever, bowling is something everyone can enjoy. Even if you are horrible or you are some strike superstar, there is always laughter.

In the past couple weeks, I have met more solid men and women after Frontline, who I have truly enjoyed spending time with then I have in a long time. I am happy about meeting new people and expanding my social circle. I do not however look forward to cooking a steak dinner for the boys whom we lost to last night. A bet is a bet.

The night ended with me staying up until 3am to finish my recent Nicholas Sparks find, The Last Song. Although predictable, I still cannot get enough and obviously will stay up until late hours to finish the book. A great read, like always, and worth checking out.