Spring Break = Spring Training for These Saints

The Varsity Baseball and Lacrosse teams flew south to sunny Florida for valuable practice and game experience, along with some terrific team bonding.

Baseball had a busy week—they played five games on four fields in three cities. The team started with three contests in the Fort Pierce-Vero Beach area, then headed north toward Orlando for two games at Rollins College and Stetson University. Highlights included Stetson Head Coach Steve Trimper addressing them about grades, baseball, and other topics, followed by a tour of the locker rooms and athletic facilities. The boys also had the opportunity to play against the Rollins JV team (to a 5-5 tie!), hear from Rollins Head Coach Jon Sjogren, and return to Stetson to attend one of their home games.

“The many hours spent on the field practicing and playing games was invaluable,” Head Coach Todd Mathewson said. “It was great to see the strides our returning players made since last year and watch them mesh with our new guys. The entire focus was on baseball. I now have a good sense of where we are as a team.” Assistant Coaches Jim Stone P ’23, ’24 and Brian Shearer accompanied the boys as well.

Both lacrosse teams played at the Paradise Coast Sports Complex in Naples. The boys—led by Head Coach Chris Roberts P ’24 and Assistant Coach Tom Hamilton—scrimmaged two teams from Massachusetts, Groton School and The Winchendon School. “The spring trip gives the boys a great opportunity to spend a week focusing on lacrosse and coming together as a team,” Coach Roberts said. “It is an ideal way to kick off each new season.” During their downtime, they took a trip to Wooten’s Everglades Airboat Tours for some fun on the water and even held a baby alligator! 

Meanwhile, the girls competed against The Taft School and Rye Country Day School, and they also worked with Kristen Carr, a professional women’s lacrosse player who was previously a member of Team USA and a college coach. When they were able to step away from the fields, the girls spent an afternoon at beautiful Naples Beach.  

“We had an incredible five days in the Florida sun,” said Girls’ Lacrosse Assistant Coach Teagan Mockus, who traveled with the team along with Head Coach Casey Lyons. “We saw so much improvement in just one week! We played a ton of lacrosse.”

And that was fine with Kylee Henderson ’25, who was ecstatic to be spending so much time playing the sport she loves. “It was awesome having the week to fine-tune skills that I have been working on all off-season,” she said. “The trip was a perfect time for us to build connections with both returning and new teammates.”