CAPTAIN CATHERINE SWEENEY is one of seven seniors on the LHS girls’ lacrosse team helping lead the way for recently appointed new head coach Christina Serra. (Courtesy Photo)

 

 

By STEPHEN MARTELLUCCI

LYNNFIELD — March was a busy month for Christina Serra.

Early in the month, she applied for the job as the head coach of the Lynnfield High girls’ lacrosse team after head coach Ethan Blanchette stepped down. After getting the job, she met her team just one time before their official first practice back on March 21.

Serra has been involved in the girls’ town youth program for six years and she is also part of the youth field hockey program for the past three seasons.

“I started the youth lacrosse program when my daughter was in kindergarten,” recalled Serra. “She is now 11 and in fifth grade.”

Serra also has two boys who are nine and seven years old.

Serra grew up in Maryland where she played lacrosse and field hockey in high school. She then went to the University of Maryland and graduated in 2002. She played on a club field hockey team for the Terps.

After receiving her degree in communications, she moved to the greater Boston area and then moved with her family to Lynnfield seven years ago.

Learning her new players on the fly, Serra gives a lot of credit to the senior captains, Anna Kaminski and Catherine Sweeney.

“They have been awesome,” she stated. “They have guided me.”

Last spring was a tough one as the Pioneers went 1-11 in a pandemic-shortened season. Serra is working on the team’s offense to increase its scoring and, on defense, she is staying with the zone that the team used last year.

After four games, the team is 1-3 as they beat Malden Catholic, 13-12, back on Apr. 8 for their first win.

“It was very exciting,” said Serra, about her first-ever varsity win. “I was really happy for the girls.”

During school vacation week this week, with no games scheduled, the team will focus on stick work skills and other fundamentals that they have not been able to work on due to the heavy schedule at the start.

Lynnfield, who is 0-2 in the Cape Ann League, will return to action on Apr. 25 at 4 p.m. as they host a non-league game against Wilmington.