The craziness of the spring season is here, and the Tenacity staff is somewhere every day of the week coaching at youth practices, high school practices, watching current players in their games, and watching alumni on their college teams! I am often overwhelmed by how much there is to do in a day as we try to prepare for the summer practices, camps, tournaments AND try to be a presence in the girls’ lives during the spring seasons! But the interaction with the girls is the fun part, and while giving our coaches’ jobs context and meaning, I also think it’s the consistent presence- POSITIVE presence- that makes the difference for the players on a daily basis. I have been very inspired recently watching coaches and Tenacity staff members demonstrate PRESENCE in many ways!
As my journey on the east coast continues and I add trains and cars to plane rides across the country, I have been able to watch more college lacrosse, see more Tenacity alumni, and meet with coaches who have given us tons of material to bring back to our programs. Our staff in California, Texas and Oregon are working equally hard, possibly driving almost as much as I have been as they continue working with the youth and high school programs in each of the areas we call “Tenacity Regions.” The next three Tenacity folks I want to highlight today are more members of the amazing team of people we have working with and for the next generation of girl’s lacrosse players…
TAYLOR DONAHUE played for THE Ohio State University where she was a standout defender and Physical Geography Major, which is in the Environmental Studies field. Taylor lives in the San Francisco Bay Area but has been running our Tenacity Sacramento region since she moved here from New Jersey, so her PRESENCE is in many places. Taylor has tenacity and toughness- the things I think coaches are constantly looking for in prospects, and trying to teach their current players on a daily basis. But she’s also figured out how to show care for her players that balances the tough things she demands from them. Coaches and players in Davis, Sacramento, El Dorado Hills, Granite Bay, Pleasanton, and Danville have gotten to work with Taylor in the few short months that she’s been in California- lucky them! Taylor’s FOCUS, and precociousness have enabled her to become a major contributor in the Tenacity business organization and we can’t wait to see what she does next!
We have an Irish lass from upstate New York named… MIKEY MEAGHER. Mikey’s presence has been all positive since she joined Tenacity in January, and that’s significant since she came from a place that is actually warmer than the Bay Area this time of year- Florida! Mikey has been the sunshine for our office and on the field with players amidst all the rain, and the goalies are especially lucky to have a former Final Four goal keeper in their midst. Mikey spent time coaching at the collegiate level as an Assistant Coach for Jacksonville University which gave her an understanding of college athletics on the other side after being a recruit and player herself for the University of Florida. Mikey has had a presence in the East Bay and North Bay this fall, and she’s also doing some appearances in San Francisco- all in all, covering practices and clinics for Novato, Ross Valley, Scorpion, Pride, Skyline, Lamorinda and a number of high schools in each of those areas too!
KRISTIN MARCHESE joined Tenacity Houston as a coach a couple of years ago, and the full time staff this past summer after working at the Village School. Kristin played for the club lacrosse team at the University of South Carolina. She then spent time coaching at NCAA Division II program Newberry College, while also directing the Intramural Sports programs for the whole school. During the spring, she’s the Head Coach of the Lamar High School team in Houston, Texas and she directs our Tenacity Select Team programs, camps, and events in the “off season.” Kristin also has a presence with youth programs SBMSA and HYLAX, so it might start to feel like she is EVERYWHERE in our Houston region! Her power word is INTENSITY, and she brings this to every practice, meeting, and event that she does in a very relatable way for the girls. Kristin’s commitment to fitness and competition outside of her Tenacity job makes her a great role model for every girl who comes through our program, and it has been awesome to see how she demonstrates the “way of Tenacity” 24/7.
Theresa Sherry, CEO & Founder
March 16th, 2017
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