New LHS Coaches Hold First Practices

The Lexington High School community is welcoming two new coaches to its Athletic Department this fall. Kate Blake is the new head coach of the girls' cross country team and Ellen Vera is the field hockey team's new coach.

On Thursday morning, both new coaches held their teams' first practices of the new fall season. All teams except football – which opened on Monday – got the season started on Thursday.

"I want to make this a memorable season," said Blake, who was previously an assistant coach with the Lexington girls' track and field team. "Day one  has [been great]. This is an outstanding team."

The team's first practice involved sets of lunges, a warm-up loop around Lexington's gazebo at Worthen Road and Lincoln Street, dynamic stretches, another two-and-a-half mile loop around Lexington's gazebo, hill workouts, speed workouts and three seven- or eight-mile runs.

"You can take [the workouts] as hard as you want to that day," said Tara Patel, a senior.

Many of the seniors have been running since they were freshman, sophomores and juniors.

 "We're really like a family," Perrine Haymann said. "A big 50-girl clique. We do really bond."

When the season begins, the girls will continue to connect six days a week from 3 to 5 p.m. during their practices.

Lexington has been undefeated in the Middlesex League for the past three seasons, the girls said, and they're looking to stay undefeated.

Reading Memorial High School has been and continues to be Lexington's biggest rivalry, the girls agreed.

"They give you a run for your money," said Nikki Cohen. "[Reading] has a hard course because of its hill."

The night before a meet, the girls will come together and have a team dinner to they load up on carbohydrates, such as pasta. And practices the day of team meets involve "30 minutes of an easy run, mentally preparing yourself, taking strides," Blake said.

"Winning, that's just gonna come," said Blake.

The girls said they feel they have no excuses to lose because running is their lives.

"I hate taking days off," said Abby Martell.

"You have to force yourself to take a few days off," Julia Brown said.

Blake said that what she's seen in the team's first practice shows her that the girls are ready.

"I'm really excited to be getting this team," said Blake.

Lexington's first meet is at Woburn High School on Sept. 16 at 3:45 p.m.

But the cross country team isn't the only one excited for the new season. The Minutemen's field hockey squad is also looking forward to the new season.

"I'm super excited," said senior Kelsey Fenn.

Seniors Lotte Brunbert and Paige Beaulieu agreed.

"[Coach Vera] did a really good job [today at practice] and using the field hockey budget to get us new equipment," Beaulieu said. "She worked us hard, but she didn't overload us."

The team practiced at Lincoln Field on Thursday morning and a second session in the afternoon. Thursday, Friday and Saturday will all be double-sessions for the Minutemen.

Vera said that she has been coaching lacrosse for 20 years as well as basketball and track, but she's really excited to be back coaching her favorite sport.

"Field hockey's my passion," Vera said. "For me I'm just thrilled to be back to my most favorite sport to coach. I think I bring a lot of enthusiasm and a lot of passion to the game."

Lexington's team is young, Vera said, having many sophomores and returning juniors. And the team has low numbers. She feels that it's a little bit of a disadvantage, but "we've got a core group that wants to do really well and we're very motivated."

Vera continued to say that an advantage for the team is the girls' physical abilities.

"They had a six-week workout and I think most of them really tried to focus on coming in fit," she said.  "So I think that will be an advantage to be a fit and fast team.

"We're introducing a couple of new systems to play. There's a new rule, the self pass rule, so it's not always just a free hit, and my hope is that we can be fast and be a breaking team, that's what I'm looking for," she continued.

Vera is also looking for the team to beat Watertown and Reading, as they're Lexington's best competition, and is excited about the team's coaching staff – who all played in college – and how they'll keep the girls improving.

"We went to a coaching clinic, all of us together, and learned some of the most advanced, cutting edge plays and tricks to the game, so I think that will be an advantage and helpful that all the coaching staff has the same language, same semantics, and we're teaching the kids what they need to know," Vera said.

Lexington's first game is at Weston High School on Sept. 1 at 4:30 p.m.