Get to know Skidmore College women's lacrosse coach Elizabeth Ghilardi

1. You have an M.A. in psychology and a B.A. in human development. Did those degrees come into play when addressing your team regarding COVID-19 and the disruption of your season?
I lean on my education almost daily, as every student-athlete is unique and has different personal needs.  But in regards to COVID-19 and navigating the challenges that it presented and continues to show, I have reflected more on my own experience as a Division III student-athlete.  Last March, when our season came to an abrupt halt, it was empathy and banding together that got us through the most challenging times.  As a result, I believe we are closer as a team, and we all have a greater appreciation for what it means to be a Thoroughbred. Moving forward, I hope we don't lose sight of the lessons we have learned, and we can continue to grow together.

2. When did you know that you wanted to make coaching lacrosse at the collegiate level your career, and what do you enjoy about the profession?
I didn't start playing Lacrosse until I was in the 7^th grade, and it wasn't until college that I knew I wanted to coach at the collegiate level.  Although from a very young age, I knew I wanted to coach, as I was fortunate enough to have many great mentors along the way. I am also a huge sports fan (especially Boston Sports!), and I grew up going to Red Sox games with my father. As one of my very first coaches, he helped instill the values on and off the field, he instructed me on the way home from games, and when we played in the backyard. From day one, it was my father and my older brother who taught me to embrace competition. These experiences and lessons as a child are what led me to ultimately reaching my dream of becoming a collegiate lacrosse coach.

3. Your team had 11 underclassmen on the roster last year, where do you see the growth of the program over the next four years?
We graduated ten seniors in the 2020 class, and as you mentioned, had 11 underclassmen on the roster last year.  For the next couple of years, we will be young, but I am very excited about the talent we have in our sophomore and incoming freshmen class.  Also, despite not being able to travel this summer, our 2021 class is really coming together well.  We are hoping to bring in some great athletes who can add to our speed and athleticism.  We are an up-tempo and offensive-minded team. I fully expect the Thoroughbreds not to skip a beat and be at the top of the Liberty League in 2021.

4. How does the Skidmore Women's Lacrosse team connect with Skidmore and the Saratoga Community?
Community service has been a big part of our culture for the last ten years.  We annually volunteer with the Melanie Foundation and help with the local Palio half-marathon and 5k. In addition, we run youth clinics throughout the winter. Still, one of my favorite Skidmore Lacrosse traditions is our incoming freshman class coming to Saratoga in July to coach at our youth camp!  This experience allows our first years to make an immediate connection with the local community before they officially start their classes.  Year after year, we see the same kids coming back to camp, and just last summer, we had some of our very first campers working as counselors.  It was great to see it all come full circle.
 
5. The accolades accumulated by your team on and off the field have been outstanding. What's the secret to your success?
Culture! From day one, we preach culture is number one above all else.  We ask every member of the team to be a good person, work hard, and keep their heads up.  Athletic ability is important, don't get me wrong, but finding the right person to be part of the program is what drives our recruiting process.  Hardworking students and caring athletes, coaches, and staff, ultimately has led to all of our success along the way.

6. How has the Liberty League and the ability for its member teams to compete changed over your tenure?
The Liberty League has 11 member intuitions who compete in Women's Lacrosse.  Over the past couple of years, we have had three teams, including Skidmore, that have consistently been Nationally Ranked. The competitiveness of the conference has helped to put Skidmore Women's Lacrosse on the map. To improve our chances of qualifying for the NCAA Tournament, we schedule nationally ranked out of conference opponents to strengthen our schedule. Most recently, Skidmore has reached the Liberty League Conference finals, and have been one-possession away from earning that ever-elusive bid.

7. For those who have watched men's and women's lacrosse, what are the most significant differences, and are there any similarities?
Women's Lacrosse is much harder and takes a lot more skill! 

Truthfully, the two sports are completely different.  Significant contrasts include the physicality of the game, the number of players on the field at a single time, and the equipment.  The men's game allows for a lot more contact, and thus they are in helmets and upper body pads. To keep the ball in the men's stick, and given the physicality of the men's game, the stick has a deeper pocket. Also, settled play in the men's game is played six v six, while the women play settled attack and defense is in a seven vs. seven format. The women are only required to wear goggles and a mouth guard as the game is more geared towards speed and finesse. Finally, the women's stick has a very shallow pocket, which makes it more challenging to keep the ball in the stick.

Even the similarities in the game are still not exactly the same. The beginning of each game begins with a one on one battle for possession of the ball. For the women, they stand up and attempt to win the draw in the air, while the men faceoff, and their battle takes place on the ground. Both sports use the same size and weight ball, but the women's use a yellow ball, the men's team plays with a white ball.

8. What advice would you give high school students who want to come and play for your program at Skidmore College?
Academics drive the bus! First and foremost, you must have the grades!  Then it is all about how you advocate for yourself and exposure.  We get several hundred letters of interest for each recruiting class, and setting yourself apart from other prospects is vital. We use large recruiting tournaments to create our initial list. Then we look at smaller clinics and, more specifically, the prospect days that allow us to really get to know prospective student-athletes. This process eventually and ultimately helps us to build our class. 
 
9. Why did you choose to come to Skidmore College, and what about it has enabled you to want to stay for so long?
Eleven years ago, I was looking to return to my roots!  I had left my comfort zone and took a job at a small Division I School out in Pittsburgh. Although I enjoyed and learned a lot from my experience, I was ready to be a head coach, and I knew I wanted to be at a prestigious liberal arts institution. When I heard about the opening, I applied and was immediately impressed with the interview process. 

I have stayed at Skidmore because of the student-athletes.  They are who motivate me every single day, and together we continue to build a program that I am proud of, and we have a lot more to accomplish.

10. What are some of the critical needs to continue to ensure the success of the program?
The sport of Lacrosse is one of the fastest-growing games in the world, and a full-time assistant would allow us to recruit more qualified student-athletes from all over the country.  A full-time assistant would also greatly benefit our current student-athletes.  As the needs and wants of our athletes are ever-changing, another voice, face, and mentor would go a long way in developing each player.

As the game begins to grow at the youth and high school level, more and more college programs are popping up across the country as well.  With more options, student-athletes are looking for the total package – an excellent education, a successful team, and top-notch facilities. As a result, we need to continue to push to get the upgrades and additional space we so desperately need in our athletic center.

Finally, the most elite programs in the country can provide sticks and other necessary equipment to their players at no charge.  Moving forward, we would love to be able to offer these types of benefits to our players to enhance their experience as Thoroughbreds.