In the late 1990s, an army of lacrosse legends came to Skokie Playfield in Winnetka to coach youth clinics. Dozens of players, many of whom had barely ever held a stick, were able to learn from some of the sport's brightest minds and top talent.
It was there that current Northwestern University coach Kelly Amonte Hiller first met the man who would later shape the world of high school lacrosse, Loyola Academy coach John Dwyer III. The two exchanged contact information, but little could have predicted the immense impact it would have on the local game.
“She brought in some of Maryland's star players at the time, one of whom was (current Loyola Maryland coach) Jen Adams. It's amazing that we were able to receive such high quality coaching at such a clinic,” Dwyer said.
A few months after Amonte Hiller's first skills session, rumors began to fly. The Wildcats women's lacrosse program, which was disbanded in 1993, appeared to be back on its feet heading into the varsity tournament.
With his three young daughters obsessed with the game, Dwyer contacted then-university athletic director Rick Taylor to inquire about the progress of a potential program. Rick Taylor confirmed the rumors, but he said the school is far from choosing a coach.
For Dwyer, the perfect candidate who would eventually coach his youngest daughter from 2018 to 2022 was right at his doorstep.
“I said, 'Here's one coach I'd like to at least talk to,'” Dwyer said. “I give him Kelly's contact information and he says, 'Wait a minute, are these the same Amontes from Massachusetts?'”
Less than two months later, the Cats had a new head coach. Amonte Hiller officially assumed the role on July 24, 2000.
Six miles southeast of the clinic's grounds, Amonte Hiller built an eternal powerhouse from the ground up, forever changing the game's local landscape and influencing countless people in the process.
Bridging the gap between universities and local programs
Seeking insight from reigning national champion Hinsdale Central High School coach Matt McNiff sent an email to Amonte Hiller and his staff to assess the possibility of a professional development session before the 2024 spring season. McNiff said he was shaken by Amonte Hiller's quick response.
She immediately put McNiff in touch with Keira Shanley, NU's director of lacrosse operations. After some back-and-forth, the Cats welcomed McNiff and the coaching staff to Ryan Fieldhouse for practice in early February.
“We came to their beautiful facility, watched their practices, and they gave us some advice,” McNiff said. “Our offensive coach met with their offensive coach, our defensive coach met with their defensive coach, and what an experience it was.”
NU staff consulted with McNiff and colleagues during each break, fielding questions from high school staff and implementing concepts.
He said Amonte Hiller and his staff treated the staff equally, even though they are “the best coaching staff in the country.”
“Having this kind of accessibility is remarkable,” McNiff said. “We respect coaches like that. They're heroes for us. She's done a great job with that staff. Very calm, great people, very on the field. A deep teacher, that’s exactly what you want in a coach.”
New Trier High coach Pete Collins said Amonte Hiller has long tried to be accessible to local coaches, even when fewer than a dozen high schools fielded teams. Currently, this number has exceeded the 80 team mark.
Collins said he, Dwyer and several other local coaches have reached out to Amonte Hiller to help improve the program and grow the game. Amonte Hiller was always quick to ask how he could help, he said. She held her own coaching clinics and recruited local coaches to help coach her elite Wildcats. club.
“The opportunity is huge just because Northwestern is here,” Collins said. “We are fortunate to have two alumni in our program, (Colorado coach Ann Elliott Whidden) and Carly Harpel.”
Lewis' coach, Colleen Kincaid, is an Evanston native who played goalie for Amonte Hiller and assistant coach Alexis Venecanos. The NU staff's influence on the Wildcat elite teams of the early 2000s goes far beyond coaching a championship-level group.
Kincaid, a former Illinois High School Association Girls Lacrosse Coach of the Year at Maine South High School, said the Cats' coaches have been consistently open about how they run the program.
“We've always been invited to come to their clinic and learn their training,” Kincaid said. “For us, being able to use them as a resource is really valuable. It's really helpful in growing lacrosse at the lower levels and teaching higher level lacrosse to younger age groups.”
Club Level Expansion – Team 1 and Beyond
While NU won its seventh national championship in 2012 in Stony Brook, N.Y., Glenview-based club Team One expanded its operations into women's lacrosse. In her first season, only 20 players participated in the program.
A few years later, Team 1 merged with Amonte Hiller's Wildcat Elite program.David Ross, Executive Director of Team One Club and former college soccer celebrity He said the decision was easy.
“We all came together and talked about what was best for women’s lacrosse in Illinois,” Ross said. “Rather than having two programs and splitting resources and time, it was in everyone's best interest to say, 'Okay, let's put all our eggs in her one basket.'”
During the 11 years in which the 'Cats won seven and eight national titles, the Team 1 women's program expanded to more than 1,000 players.
All the while, Amonte Hiller's facilities and feedback were readily available to the program, said Kelly Kuback, the club's women's lacrosse director and former Michigan defender.
“We've had the opportunity in the past to train at Ryan Fieldhouse and have the Northwestern coaching staff come to practice,” Kubach said. “Not only have they been able to educate our coaching staff, but they have also had an impact on the development of our players…(Amonte Hiller) has always been a great resource and helped us I look forward to learning from her and making the regional lacrosse game even better.”
Ross estimates that the total number of club players has increased “5 to 10 times” over the past decade, with more club and travel teams continuing to enter the game each year. More programs and players are emerging in the region, and in-game competition is now extending to elementary school students.
This includes East Ave Lacrosse, which started a women's program in 2017 With the help of Tracy Bonaccorsi, girls travel director and current coach at Fenwick High School. When Bonaccorsi started coaching high school lacrosse in Illinois seven years ago, she was one of only two players to play at any level. Currently, Bonaccorsi said 80 to 90 percent of her players join the team with playing experience.
“When you were a kid, it was all or nothing…you either spend thousands of dollars or you don't do anything but play on your high school team,” Bonaccorsi said. “Different clubs can now offer different levels of lacrosse depending on their ability and desire.”
“Why we play”: Inspiring the next generation
On Feb. 19, when NU defeated Marquette, Bonaccorsi's East Avenue players joined the pregame stick line and got a glimpse of the game's most sensational star right before their eyes.
Bonaccorsi said it took many players just one game last season to fall in love with Lake Show.
“Right now, I see girls wearing Northwestern Lacrosse shirts at practice, and it just shows the opportunity in front of them…and the parents are saying, 'You can drive 40 minutes. “Maybe we'll see the best team in the country,'' she says. she said.
The girls saw just that in the Marquette game. Across much of the sold-out Silver Stand, area high school and club players cheered on their former Golden Eagles colleagues and watched sophomore attacker Madison Taylor score six points in a remarkable performance.
The current Big Ten Freshman of the Year said she doesn't take for granted the opportunity to inspire young players.
“We talk about it all the time in practice, and that's why we play, to play for the younger generation,” Madison Taylor said. “It's such an amazing feeling when they come up to you after the game. You think, 'Wow, I really influenced those little girls.'
Many of the Cats serve as volunteer coaches for local youth programs, including Team 1 senior defender Kendall Halpern and graduate student attacker Erin Coykendall. at Lakeshore Lacrosse.
Lakeshore Lacrosse CEO and Veneto Academy Coach Amanda Combs She said these role models are essential for female athletes.
“What motivates young kids, especially young girls, is having a mentor that they look up to,” Kams said. “There are so many leaders of that caliber for our little boys, and having Tewaaraton finalist Erin actually working with them is so great for our girls. It’s precious.”
Kubach, who ended his college career in 2017, said the sport's national growth and media coverage allows players to serve as pioneers of the game in an unparalleled way. .
As competition and equality intensify, athletes like graduate student attacker Izzy Scape are bringing a new wave to the sport, which she said every young athlete in Illinois should be able to witness as much as possible. said.
“We're seeing a version of lacrosse that we've never seen before,” Kubach said. “We are seeing players who are going to be trailblazers.”
endless heritage
Despite the decades between the dynasty's founding and its current reign, one thing is clear to Amonte Hiller. The eight-time national champion established a bona fide winning machine that became a model for programs to emulate.
Embracing the NU Mold philosophy has proven to be of paramount importance at all levels of college lacrosse, club programs and high school teams.
“We've seen success on the field, but they're really great people and great coaches,” Kincaid said of Amonte Hiller's staff. “As a head coach, I try to recreate that experience for my players. If I can, I try to be like a 'cat' every day.” ”
Amonte Hiller adapted and rewrote the way the game was played after the NCAA introduced a 90-second shot clock in 2017, winning its first seven national titles in the pre-shot clock era.
Even after 11 years without a title, Amonte Hiller gave Ross some game-changing advice that changed his entire approach with Team 1. Amonte Hiller has experienced the pressures and pitfalls of back-to-back NCAA Tournament appearances, but he told club executives he's bringing his energy back to the field and advised them to do the same.
Since then, Ross and his colleagues have spent less time in the office and focused more on planning practices and building relationships. Advice from “lacrosse experts” like Amonte Hiller has paid off, he said, both on and off the field.
“Kelly is simply a role model for female athletes and has contributed to the growth of our club,” Ross said. “She's a goat. Scotty (Hiller) It could be the perfect complement to the GOAT. When her children look at her, they feel like a celebrity and she wants to play more. ”
Amonte Hiller aims to add another national title to her resume and break her mentor, Navy coach Cindy Timkal's Division I record in the process, as a champion of the sport's growth. It solidified the tradition.
More than 25 years ago, a chance meeting between the two future legendary coaches, a 15-time high school state champion at Loyola Academy, strengthened their legacies in Evanston. and the conqueror of the university's status quo.
“She is one of the most influential people I know,” Dwyer said. “There are several people who have helped me tremendously over the years, and Kelly would be right at the top of that list.”
Email: [email protected]
twitter: @jakeepste1n
Related article:
— Lacrosse: No. 4 Northwestern defeats Marquette 21-3.
— Lacrosse: Northwestern's No. 4 Samantha Smith strengthens tie against Marquette
— Quick summary: No. 8 Notre Dame 14, No. 1 Northwestern 10
