Back to Basics: Regina Lacrosse Brings Home Fundamental Wins

The Regina Dominican lacrosse program has seen its greatest success in school history and that success is attributed to new Varsity head coach Colleen Speth.

Speth credits her team’s focus on the fundamentals of lacrosse: fitness and stick work. “We have some experienced players, but I wanted to start at the beginning to make sure we were doing everything with good form and that everyone was on the same page,” said Speth. “The girls have done a great job adjusting to my style of play.” The team went from one win last season to a competitive 8-7 record this year as of May 8.

In addition to the fundamentals, Speth believes the team’s transformation can be credited to a desire to improve. “There is a lot of heart on this team and they push themselves to get better every day,” said Speth.

This improvement isn’t a fluke either, the Panthers will return 11 of their 12 starters and Speth is here to stay. “I love this team and we want our season to continue as long as possible. We are so excited about the future of this program,” said Speth. “I’ve seen how good this team can be and I want to continue to be a part of it.”

Born and raised in Evanston, Speth began playing lacrosse as a freshman at Evanston Township High School. She was a three-year starter in goal for the Wildkits and was voted first team All-State, Goalie of the Year, and All-American Honorable Mention as a junior and senior. Speth went on to play for the University of Massachusetts and started nine games during the 2008 season and received an Atlantic 10 Rookie of the Week Honor. She then transferred to DePaul University where she was captain and a starting defender for the women’s club team. For the past six years, Speth has been coaching various youth, high school and club programs in Illinois including the 2013 US Lacrosse U15 Central Champions, Wildcat Elite Club.