The Big Lake Hornet Girls Lacrosse team started their 2022 season April 4. Currently they have approximately 15 student athletes registered, and are expecting to have around 25 players total once season progresses.

Lindsey Hartfiel returns to the helm of the team and she is assisted by Zach Barzee (Asst. Coach), Katie Bondhus (Volunteer Coach) and Mackenzie Cypull (Volunteer Coach).

Hartfiel has been the coach of Big Lake girls lacrosse since the spring of 2020.

“We did not have a season in 2020 due to COVID-19 and state guidelines and this past 2021 season was my first official season,” she said. “As the girls head coach working with this group of girls — some that had played previously — but the majority were new to the sport.” 

Hartfiel says her girls showed up day-in and day-out last year, not having “scoreboard” success. 

“Did we get a win last season? No,” Hartfiel said. “But the amount of growth each player made by the end of the season was tenfold.” 

Hartfiel says one of the coolest moments was seeing her girls get the first goal in program history and having the whole sideline of girls go wild!  

“I enjoy coaching this lacrosse team as they bring a lot of energy and positivity to the game,” she says. “I know they are going to see more and more success as we grow as a program.”

Hartfiel spends most of the year coaching youth and high school student athletes. During the fall and winter, she coaches youth hockey and she’s been coaching lacrosse in the spring. 

“One thing I try to maintain in all sports that I have the privilege of coaching is teaching these players accountability, respect, love for the game, and at the end of the day trying to mold our student athletes to be good people,” she says. “By encouraging and raising these players to have those qualities they are able to succeed not only on the field, but in life and their futures in the community.”

Hartfiel’s 2022 team captains are seniors Janelle Gerdts, Hailey Schuller and Kaitlyn Smith.

“Each of these girls demonstrated positive attitudes, strong work ethics, and the leadership qualities that our coaching staff feels would help bring our young team together and have the most success this season,” Hartfiel said. “We also have a large group of senior players that are not captains, but are just as important and a part of our leadership core as well.”

Hartfiel points out that the lacrosse season is very short, so hitting the ground running from day one is essential for her team. 

“The more conditioned and basic skills players have to start the season the better,” she says. “Our focus generally has been on basic skill, but this season as we have many returning players we will spend some more time on team systems as well.”

“As we are a young program, the most important thing to me (in reference to success) would be growing the interest and love for lacrosse in our community,” said Hartfiel. “As a coach of this program, winning is important, but growing this program is more important than wins on a score sheet. With that said I believe this season has high potential for gaining our programs first win under the guidance of our upperclassman and returning players.”

“I am a young coach and am always learning from my fellow coaches and navigating each team,” Hartfiel says. “I don’t have a specific coach that I have patterned my coaching style on yet, but know I have learned more and more each season I coach.”

Hartfiel says being able to yield both a varsity and junior varsity squad is important for player development. And she knows that with hard work comes great gains.

“The more girls that put in extra work to improve their lacrosse skills are the players that will achieve more success,” she says. “Many other programs in Minnesota have developed some collegian level talent, which shows girls can continue their lacrosse career in college.”

One of the biggest tasks for Big Lake’s Head Coach is realizing you have a group of players that may not have played lacrosse before — so one of the tougher parts is teaching the girls the rules of the game. 

“There is some overlap from other sports, but there are certainly lacrosse specific rules that can take some time for players to learn,” Hartfiel says. “Once they get it and it clicks the players are able to play multiple positions on the field more easily.”