New Interim Varsity Girls' Lacrosse Head Coach Named

MKA is pleased to announce that Alise Shuart has been appointed Interim Head Varsity Lacrosse Coach for the upcoming 2009 Girls’ Lacrosse season.  Coach Shuart will replace Beth Larkin who recently resigned.  Coach Shuart has first-hand experience of what it takes to compete and succeed at both the high school and Division III college level, and we are excited that she has decided to join the Cougar sidelines. 

Spring 2009 will be Coach Shuart's 15th season coaching lacrosse.  She has coached at almost every level: middle school, junior varsity, varsity and collegiate.  She was Head Coach at Amherst High School in Amherst NY from 1994-1997, and while there, led the team to their first league and sectional championship in 1997.  Coach Shuart was the third coach named to Ohio Wesleyan University's Lacrosse program, where she spent four years in charge of all aspects of the program including recruiting, budgeting and travel.

Throughout her coaching career, Coach Shuart has done an outstanding job of working with athletes to help them reach their potential both on and off the field.  Her enthusiastic approach and knowledge of the sport of lacrosse and her rapport with our current student athletes make her an ideal candidate for the head coaching position.

Coach Shuart will be joined by three new assistants in the upcoming season:
Moonjoo Han (Varsity Assistant Coach) – a Montclair High graduate and Division III All-American and Captain at Williams College
Cionna Almeida, (JV Head Coach) MKA Class of 2003, Boston University  – Captain and member of 2002 MKA NJ Prep Championship Lacrosse Team
Allison Currie, (Assistant JV Coach) MKA Class of 2004, Hamilton College  – Captain and member of 2002 MKA NJ Prep Championship Lacrosse Team

I would like to thank Coach Larkin for everything she has done for MKA and our lacrosse program during the past six years. Her dedication to and enthusiasm for our lacrosse team and our athletes has helped lead the resurgence of Cougar Lacrosse. For more information please contact Todd Smith at tsmith@mka.org or (973)783-8785.  Coach Shuart can be reached at ashuart@mka.org.
 
Todd C. Smith
Director of Athletics

ALISE SHUART's Coaching Resume:
Episcopal School of Dallas (Dallas, Texas)
Head Lacrosse and Field Hockey Coach, Physical Education Instructor – August 2003 to June 2006
•    Directed all phases of the Lacrosse and Field Hockey programs, reporting to the Director of Athletics.
•    Supervised coaches of the junior varsity and two middle school teams.
Ohio Wesleyan University  (Delaware, Ohio)
Head Lacrosse Coach/Physical Education Instructor – November 1999 to June 2003
•    Directed all phases of the Women’s Lacrosse Program, reporting to the Director of Athletics.
•    Planned, designed and executed practice and game schedules for lacrosse team of twenty players.
Related Coaching Experience:
•    Trainer, US Lacrosse Coaches' Education Program, 2005-present
•    US Lacrosse Level 1 Certified Lacrosse Coach 2007- present
•    US Lacrosse Official, District Rated, 1993-Present.
•    Dallas Morning News Lacrosse Coach of the Year, 2005, 2006
•    Director, Episcopal School of Dallas Girls' Lacrosse Camp, 2004, 2005, 2006.
•    President, North Texas Women's Lacrosse Officials, 2004- 2006
•    Lacrosse Coaches Chair, North Coast Athletic Conference, 2001-2003.