GAME ON The Sideline: Coach Naughton, LaSalle

GAME ON The Sideline: Coach Naughton, LaSalle

GAME ON features interviews with coaches about their team, the successes and their failures. Meet Coach Margaret Naughton.

Q & A with Coach Margaret Naughton, LaSalle Girls' Lacrosse

What is your coaching experience?

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I have been head coach for 4 years at La Salle. I had never coached lacrosse before I took over in 2008. I also work lacrosse clinics for Next Level Lacrosse and will be coaching the 7th and 8th graders for Metacomets club lacrosse this summer.

What are you looking forward to for this season?

I am looking forward to having a bigger division this year. Ten teams and more games make it so much more fun. I'm also looking forward to seeing great lacrosse be played all over RI

What's been your greatest success as a coach?

I guess I am most proud of bringing La Salle lacrosse up to the level of other great programs in the state. When I took over, we were 0-11 and then 6-8, and then winning the division for the first time in school history in 2010. It's taken a lot of hard work on the part of the athletes and I've been very happy with how high we've reached in terms of skills. I am also proud of how few yellow cards we received last year. We only got 4 during the regular season. I was very proud of my team's commitment to sportsmanship.

What is your biggest failure?

I would say losing my cool at the semi-final game with EG last year would be right up there. It's the coach's job to keep it under control and I let how I felt about the officiating dictate my attitude. I didn't get carded or anything but I raised my voice too much. I'm sure people would think it was losing in the state championship game last year, but I was just happy we got there. The outcome was not a win, but the kids never gave up and we learned so much.

Who have been the best players you've coached?

Danielle D'Amico, Jenny Ley, Amy Mulvena, Meg Colitz, Kate DeBlois, Kristen Padilla, Rachel Padilla, Falynn McCartney, Katie Haidemenos

How do you motivate your players?

We laugh a lot. The girls were my first teachers when it came to the game of lacrosse so I always let them be involved in the direction that we've taken on offense and defense. Even now, I take a lot of their feedback and try to tailor our practices and tactics to what they will invest in. If something isn't working, it's most often because they haven't gotten on board. We talk it out so that I hear what they are thinking and they understand what I'm thinking as well. I am also always well prepared. I watch other teams and will map out for our team what their strategies seem to be. By giving my girls a plan, they are more confident with the execution on both offense and defense.