SALEM — The Salem girls lacrosse team has a lot of fresh faces this year, and that doesn’t stop at just the kids on the team, as they also have a brand-new head coach in Jillian Robinson.
Robinson, who used to coach in Swampscott, took the opportunity to return to her old stomping grounds when she realized the program was starting to dwindle away.
“Last year, the girls lacrosse program only had nine players total, which is sad,” said Robinson, a Salem native. “This year, we’ve got 33 girls on our roster, which is incredibly exciting.”
A jump in player numbers like that doesn’t just bring a certain excitement for the future of the program; it also brings new and exciting players to watch out for.
“The players you’re going to want to watch for this year are Breanna Stead, Sierra Clawson and Grace Milano,” said Robinson. “These girls have such raw talent. Being able to come to practice under a new coach with a new system and just excel and ease their way in is something special. I can’t wait to see how this translates in an actual game.”
Salem’s captains — Stead, Mei-Li Hannig and Molly Mercier — also bring a special impact to this team. According to Robinson, the way these girls present themselves on and off the field is something to behold.
“In the short time I’ve been getting to know these girls, I’ve seen how they carry themselves,” said Robinson. “They’re able to motivate the girls around them and demonstrate their leadership just when addressing the team.”
For most teams, winning a state title is what would be considered a successful season. However, Robinson and her team don’t feel that way. Their definition of success is making sure that they carve Salem’s name back into the topic of conversation for one of the best teams in the Northeastern Conference.
“I want them to put respect on our name,” said Robinson. “I want people to include us in the conversations as one of the top teams this year. That’s what we feel like makes for a successful season ― earning that respect.”
The confidence that Robinson and her girls have in their skills this year is something that shines through. They’re not afraid of the competition because in their minds, they’re just as good as the best teams in the NEC.
“We’re just excited to get out there and really show what we’ve got,” said Robinson. “The girls are very excited to get out there. New coach, new system, they feel like they can do anything right now, and I believe they can.”
