Since assuming the Marlborough Head Lacrosse Coach position in 2016, Meghan Toomey has led the team to a consistent winning record. On May 11, the team won the Division I CIF-SS lacrosse championship for the first time in school history.
Lacrosse has always been a large part of Toomey’s life. She began playing the sport in high school due to its popularity in her home state of Maryland, but it wasn’t until college that she truly developed a love for the sport. Toomey continued her lacrosse career by walking onto the Salisbury University team in Maryland and saw her first moments of major success by winning multiple National Championships.
“I felt like I was finally getting better and improving as a player,” Toomey said. “As I was looking to graduate college and go on to my next step in life, I really didn’t want to leave.”
After graduating, Toomey moved to Los Angeles and decided to coach lacrosse full-time as a way to stay a part of the sport. While in LA, she received a call from one of her friends from Salisbury University, Eric Krum, who had left the Marlborough head lacrosse coach position and connected her with the school so she could apply.
Toomey joined the Marlborough community as head lacrosse coach and immediately fell in love with the program. She was especially drawn to the character of many of the team members in Marlborough’s lacrosse program.
“Something that I really enjoy about coaching here is that all the athletes come with an inherent work ethic,” Toomey said. “So as a coach, I don’t really have to teach hard work or wanting to succeed, I just have to teach lacrosse.”
With years of athletic experience, Toomey utilized her experience as a former high school and collegiate athlete for Salisbury to create a unique, effective and successful team environment. Toomey strove to connect the team by implementing new traditions like Spirit Sisters, where upperclassmen partner up with the underclassmen and connect individually.
“Having a team feel like a family is the most important element,” Toomey said.
To ensure that the family community is not only established by the coaches but by the team members themselves, Toomey meticulously picks the team captains. The captains set examples for the team by showing dedication, positivity and respect, along with helping initiate team bonding opportunities.
“Family transcends down with great leadership. So, picking the right captains and the people that are gonna push the team along is crucial,” Toomey said.
Toomey’s desire to foster strong connections and bonds has helped lead the lacrosse team to a successful record, and they have won the past four league championship titles. Toomey strives to create a culture where trying out for lacrosse is encouraged, effort is required and success comes as a byproduct. She also values new team members and encourages students to join her in the love of lacrosse.
“If you are someone that comes into the school as an experienced lacrosse player, or you’re someone that is new to the sport, we still want you to be bought into our overall mission of trying to breed and build success and trying to win CIF championship,” Toomey said.
