Back on the team: Former captain joins Monty Tech girls lacrosse program as JV coach
Former Bulldogs captain Savannah Caskins wasted no time getting involved again with the girls lacrosse program. The 2023 Monty Tech graduate has taken over as the junior varsity coach, working alongside Bethany Johnson, who coached Caskins just one year ago at the varsity level.
When Johnson came to Caskins with the idea to coach JV, she did not hesitate to rejoin the beloved lacrosse program.
"Ms. Johnson made it so much fun, we all just worked as a team, we all came together as one and made it like no other team, even win or lose it was always a great time together," Caskins said.
Caskins played three seasons of varsity lacrosse at Monty Tech (her freshman year was the COVID-19 cancelled season) and worked her way up to being named captain her senior year alongside Abby Marks and Bailey Mulrenan, who are now seniors on the team.
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She was one of the Bulldogs' top scorers and contributors, so she knows her way around the game and how to lead the young group of players. Her squad is made up of 21 girls, consisting of freshmen, sophomores, and a handful of "swing" players who split time on JV and varsity. There is a mix of fresh faces and experienced athletes, making for a positive learning environment for all.
The alum took inspiration from her step-dad, Phil Baczewski, to join the Monty Tech coaching staff. Baczewski serves as a coach in the fall for the freshmen football team, and his input helped Caskins make the decision to step into the role with the lacrosse program. "He loves it and has always coached for years, coaching my brothers as well, I could tell how much he enjoyed it," Caskins said. "He said he thought it was just such a great opportunity."
Now as a coach, Caskins is focused on building the program and keeping the emphasis on having fun and working hard.
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"I've talked to the girls and I told them I honestly don't care if we win or lose, all I care is if they are understanding the concepts of what I have been coaching and teaching them the past few weeks," Caskins said. However, she still recognizes the importance of getting wins to build confidence for the team and pushes them to excel while keeping the progress moving forward. "I want them to have fun, I don't want them to be discouraged."
This article originally appeared on Gardner News: Monty Tech alum starred on lacrosse team, back to coach JV program
