The town of Ipswich is known for a lot of things, but one especially, lacrosse. The sport of lacrosse has been played widely throughout the town for many many years now. Starting at only 1st grade, kids start to fall in love with the game on the mile lane youth fields. Fast forward 8 years, is where the taken truly shines. Ipswich High School girls lacrosse holds a legacy like no other town, a legacy that has been ongoing for almost 10 years. 

It all starts with the youth program. Ipswich has a youth program that is a picture perfect feeder for the highschool level. The teams start at first grade, and build up  through elementary school and middle school, up until high school. “I loved youth, we were a strong team and had great chemistry and we rolled over almost every other town. I made friends that have lasted me all the way till today and I learned so much about the sport” said Sarah Lombard. The youth lacrosse program at Ipswich is so much more than young kids learning to play lacrosse. It’s making memories and friendships that will last them for a lifetime. From grades 1-5 it is mostly just about learning the game, having fun, and sharing the wealth. As middle school rolls around, the sport starts to get serious. There are select teams, good competition, tournaments, and championships, all in preparation for high school. 

The Ipswich High School girls lacrosse team is known throughout the league as a strong powerhouse. For almost 10 years, the team has consecutively made the tournament and had gone deep into the playoffs. The squad has been led by Kerry O’Connor for longer than most can remember, up until this year in 2021 where the team welcomes Allison Tivnan as the new varsity head coach. The team had lost 10 seniors in 2017 but recovered to go all the way into the semifinals of the playoffs in 2018. Then, again, the team suffered a massive loss when their season was canceled due to COVID-19. The team had only lost one senior prior to the season being canceled, so it was basically the same unit returning. Unfortunately, that team did not get one last ride together as the pandemic became very serious very quickly. The 2021 team has adjusted wonderfully.  “The season has been great so far with a 3-0 lead into the season. It is great to be back on the field with all the girls after quarantine,” Said Sarah Lombard. Even after big devastating losses, Ipswich has bounced back. 

One of the most unique, and amazing things about the Ipswich girls lacrosse team is the number of players that play post-high school. For the past 10 years, almost every single consecutive year that Ipswich lacrosse has existed, there has been at least one, but usually multiple, college commits. Kelsey Daly, who has played Ipswich lacrosse since the 1st grade, who is now playing lacrosse at division one Merrimack college says, “I believe that Ipswich lacrosse shaped my character to be able to compete at the college level and based on history, many girls and boys have gone on to play successfully at the collegiate level. So yes I believe that Ipswich lacrosse is a good feeder program for college lacrosse.”  To become a college athlete, especially at high divisions, takes a lot of hard work and dedication. It takes talent and skill, but it also takes support. The lacrosse team at Ipswich is nothing but support. From the coaching staff to the players, everybody wants everybody to succeed, and that is what drives this program to be one of the bests in the whole league. 

The level of college lacrosse is without a doubt drastically different from high school. But, unquestionably, Ipswich High School does more than most to help prepare their lacrosse players for the next level. Through endless successful seasons, dozens of college commits, and hundreds of unforgettable memories, Ipswich Lacrosse puts a stamp on all those lives who decide to pick up a stick in the first grade.