Love of game, team propels Lake Park
By Dave Owen
ROSELLE -- High school soccer, or any prep sport for that matter, is so much more than the final tally of the team record.
The student-athletes who value the camaraderie, friendships, sportsmanship and challenge of competition more than the bottom line and statistics are the ones who will enjoy the experience the most.
Lake Park has that team.
While wins in the rugged DuPage Valley Conference have been elusive, optimism and effort from within, and respect from without, have not been.
“The one thing I’ve noticed is they maintain a positive attitude throughout the lineup and the coaching staff,” Wheaton Warrenville South coach Guy Callipari said.
“That transcends, and that’s what we’re all about in the conference -- to represent yourself and maintain the integrity of the game. Lake Park ... has always put their best foot forward.”
For their love and respect of the game, unending effort and winning attitude, Lake Park is the first recipient of the Chicagoland Soccer Sportsmanship Award.
The Lancer's positive attitude has started with the senior class.
“They’ve helped our program move forward in many ways, not just on the field,” Lake Park coach Sean Crosby said. “They’re such tremendous leaders. They’re even getting the gear, moving the goals.
“The younger girls see that and look up to them. It’s awe inspiring. And a lot of it comes from the kids they are and the type of teammates they are with these younger girls. It sets a culture for you.
“That’s the expectation going forward -- play for each other. Nobody’s above any job, and you stick it out and support each other through the good and bad. Not all the results went our way, but you can be extremely positive about the way the seniors handled it.
“Some are vocal leaders, some just lead with their play on the field. All of them are leaders in their own way as seniors. Each one does it in a different way, and it makes everyone better.”
If staying positive through a tough schedule wasn’t impressive enough, there are literally smile-through-the-pain stories like that of Lancers senior midfielder Liz Guenther.
“I’m injury prone,” she said. “Sophomore year I fractured my hip and was out for half the season, and then junior year I tore my ACL.”
Bearing a heavy knee brace and a positive attitude, Guenther has turned the two years of pain into a senior season she savors.
“Senior year so far has been good, knock on wood. I made it this far,” she said. “My goal last year when I was going through rehab over the summer was make it to Senior Night. And that’s what I accomplished Tuesday (May 1) with a full 80 (minutes played).”
The close-knit nature of the Lake Park squad shined through during her recovery.
“I was very happy (Senior Night),” Guenther said, "and my teammates were crying because they know. I’ve had two teammates (seniors Amber Sedwick and Jaclyn Lamz) come through (injury rehab) with me (in 2017), just pushing me forward every day saying ‘You’ve got it.’ I’m grateful for Amber and Jacks.”
Sedwick (shin) and Lamz (ankle) recovered quickly from their less-serious injuries to be four-year pillars of the Lake Park squad.
For both, sharing the soccer experience with teammates has been their favorite memory.
“Just being with everyone,” Lamz said. “There were Liz, Amber, Bri (McAloon) and Steph (Zachemski) that were with me all four years too, and we’ve become really close. That’s what I’ve liked most about being able to play with them.”
For veteran defender Sedwick, the four-year ride has meant camaraderie and rising responsibilities as highlights.
“Being able to basically play with the same group of girls all four years,” Sedwick said, “and me getting really close to them and being able to have an impact on the younger players is definitely a privilege that the coaches have given us.
“Giving us a lot of room to help them out and also make our own decisions has been a great thing for us, and something I’ll definitely remember forever.”
Along with Lauren Tarchala, senior Gianna Pistorio moved up to varsity as a sophomore, and fit right in.
“I’ve been playing with most of the girls since I was little,” Pistorio said, “so coming onto the team and knowing most of them was kind of a confidence booster as a sophomore.
“And over the years we’ve definitely improved on our attacking and defending. And for our senior year I’m happy with the way that we’re on the right path.”
That path includes one more win than 2017, and a drive to fight to the finish despite the odds. A 1-0 overtime loss to perennial power Naperville Central on Tuesday was the latest impressive battle.
“Being in this program is amazing,” Guenther said. “Freshman year we were really good, and then we did drop off a little bit.
“We had problems with our coaching staff (a midseason coaching change), but just knowing that the girls didn’t use that as a problem like ‘This is why we’re bad.’ We put forth more effort into our play.”
Lake Park joined the DuPage Valley Conference in the 2013-14 school year after 33 years in the Upstate Eight Conference. Moving to what is considered by many to be the top soccer conference in the state made improvements within the Lancers program impossible to measure in the win column.
“The DVC – that’s a lot to sum up,” Guenther said. “Just knowing those (teams) are the big dogs, the ones that go to state each year. We’re playing Division I commits every game. Look at Naperville North – they have an entire starting lineup full of DI’s.
“So it doesn’t really matter what the score is when we go into the DVC,” Guenther added. “I know I shouldn’t say that, you push forward and want to win. But just knowing we’re in the hardest conference in Illinois and going up against those girls, it’s an honor to play with the girls on my team and know we’re trying our hardest and putting forth all the effort we have. And whatever the outcome is, that’s the outcome.”
Those finishes have vastly improved this spring.
“We lost to Naperville North 2-0 this season,” Guenther said, “and that was an accomplishment from last year being blown out 7-0. Just knowing all the girls are putting 100 percent into their play this year is amazing.”
Beyond showcasing positive attitudes and improvement, the Lancers’ seniors have tried to pass the torch to a strong nucleus of freshmen on this year’s squad.
That goal has also been fulfilled.
“The seniors have helped us a lot,” Lancers freshman Ann Marie Ahrens said. “They’re really welcoming when you first get to the team, and you pick right up in the drills, and instantly there’s the connection between the players. And it shows on the field.”
Ahrens has quickly emerged into a major catalyst for the Lancers.
“It’s a nice advantage to have her on the field,” Lake Park coach Sean Crosby said. “She’s very composed and patient on the ball. She doesn’t let the game get ahead of her.
“She takes what’s given to her, and has a really good soccer IQ on how to read plays and move into open space and try to find the ball on her foot.”
Freshman Emma Thorne has similarly become an immediate cornerstone of the Lancers’ defense.
“Emma is our center back every single game,” Crosby said. “As a freshman, we put her in as a center back in our first game against Naperville North, and you’re confident in her, but it’s a tough game. You’re like ‘Oh boy, what can happen here.’
“But from her first game on, she’s been shutting down the best attacking players in our conference and not hesitating to go toe-to-toe with them. Even if she gets knocked down, she gets up and wins the next one. Nothing can slow her down.”
Thorne has complemented her talents by being a fast learner.
“Having an older team with 11 seniors, and a lot of great coaches to help guide us, it’s been great,” Thorne said.
“I came into the season and one of my goals was to learn from all the seniors around me, because they have all the wisdom, and next year they’re all going to be gone. We have to fill their shoes and people are going to have to step up as leaders, so we’ve got to keep learning from them.”
The seniors have savored that teaching role.
“Freshman year the upperclassmen then brought us into the team very well,” Lamz said. “They had a great influence on us, and we’ve realized that we had to do that too.”
Seniors like Sedwick entered 2018 with added desire.
“It’s definitely easy to go in saying ‘This is my last year, I’m going to give it everything I have every single day I’m here,’” Sedwick said.
“I decided not to play in college, so I wanted to come in here, say ‘I have one last chance to make an impact and to help out the other girls' and say ‘You have a lot of spirit in you and a long way to go.’ And they’re doing great. I hope I’ve had that kind of impact on them.”
Guenther has seen the rewards of the seniors' efforts.
“Early in the season I worked with Emma a lot, I used to be center backs with her,” Guenther said. “Knowing that she would look to me for certain stuff, and I could contribute back is great, and knowing that if I’m stepping up she’ll always be a strong back to cover for me.
“And Ann Marie stepped in very well at the central attacking mid position with Bri. We’ve really utilized her going forward into our attack, and Alexis (Morgan, another freshman) is a great holding mid. She’s stepped up a lot for us this season. She didn’t necessarily start all season, but you’ve seen the progress and the work she’s put in just working her way up.”
Said Pistorio: “We have definitely improved (this year). Our defense has gotten quicker, and our center attacking mids have really stepped up even though we did lose a lot of our midfield from last year. Having the freshmen step up this year, especially Ann Marie, I’m happy with how we turned out.”
Senior Ziri Hernandez has enjoyed the positive vibes of Lake Park soccer, and helping lay the foundation for the future.
“We just wanted to help implement the whole thing: family, togetherness,” Hernandez said.
“We’re all in this together whether we win or lose. We all support each other and pick each other up when we fall either physically or emotionally. That ‘Hey, we got this; keep on fighting.’
“I just hope the girls (coming up) continue that,” Hernandez added, “because they’re a very strong group. I can’t wait to see what they can do after we leave.”
The already established chemistry between freshmen leaders Thorne and Ahrens bodes well in that regard.
“We’ve played together since middle school on club, and we used to play center mid together,” Thorne said. “Now we’ve found a good balance where I’m in the back and she’s up front.
“Once I get up a little farther we can start connecting passes, but the formation we’re in now is great so all the holding mids can keep connecting with her. And she’s really good at getting balls up the field.”
Thorne has quickly adopted the Lake Park mantra – whatever the challenge, the glass is half full.
“It’s great to get the good competition so we can keep getting better,” Thorne said, “and it’s important to always stay positive. When we start getting down, if we’re not positive, we can’t win, we can’t come back.”
Even as the Lancers move from the DVC to the equally tough DuKane Conference next season (where they join powers like St. Charles East and North, Batavia and Geneva), more progress likely awaits.
“We like how we've moved forward,” Crosby said of the 2018 season. “Almost every DVC game was a growth from last year. These girls knew they were very tough opponents going into it, but they still outperform the way they played last year. That’s something you have to be happy about as a coach.
“It can’t be done overnight, but they think they’re in every game now because the attitude has shifted a little bit. We can handle it. We can get knocked down and not crack. We can play tough opponents and still get chances and prevent goals.”
Time will tell what happens in future win and loss columns for Lake Park. But thanks to the leadership of its senior class and coaching staff, the program's decorum, spirit and respect for the game should stay at its current championship level.
By Dave Owen
ROSELLE -- High school soccer, or any prep sport for that matter, is so much more than the final tally of the team record.
The student-athletes who value the camaraderie, friendships, sportsmanship and challenge of competition more than the bottom line and statistics are the ones who will enjoy the experience the most.
Lake Park has that team.
While wins in the rugged DuPage Valley Conference have been elusive, optimism and effort from within, and respect from without, have not been.
“The one thing I’ve noticed is they maintain a positive attitude throughout the lineup and the coaching staff,” Wheaton Warrenville South coach Guy Callipari said.
“That transcends, and that’s what we’re all about in the conference -- to represent yourself and maintain the integrity of the game. Lake Park ... has always put their best foot forward.”
For their love and respect of the game, unending effort and winning attitude, Lake Park is the first recipient of the Chicagoland Soccer Sportsmanship Award.
The Lancer's positive attitude has started with the senior class.
“They’ve helped our program move forward in many ways, not just on the field,” Lake Park coach Sean Crosby said. “They’re such tremendous leaders. They’re even getting the gear, moving the goals.
“The younger girls see that and look up to them. It’s awe inspiring. And a lot of it comes from the kids they are and the type of teammates they are with these younger girls. It sets a culture for you.
“That’s the expectation going forward -- play for each other. Nobody’s above any job, and you stick it out and support each other through the good and bad. Not all the results went our way, but you can be extremely positive about the way the seniors handled it.
“Some are vocal leaders, some just lead with their play on the field. All of them are leaders in their own way as seniors. Each one does it in a different way, and it makes everyone better.”
If staying positive through a tough schedule wasn’t impressive enough, there are literally smile-through-the-pain stories like that of Lancers senior midfielder Liz Guenther.
“I’m injury prone,” she said. “Sophomore year I fractured my hip and was out for half the season, and then junior year I tore my ACL.”
Bearing a heavy knee brace and a positive attitude, Guenther has turned the two years of pain into a senior season she savors.
“Senior year so far has been good, knock on wood. I made it this far,” she said. “My goal last year when I was going through rehab over the summer was make it to Senior Night. And that’s what I accomplished Tuesday (May 1) with a full 80 (minutes played).”
The close-knit nature of the Lake Park squad shined through during her recovery.
“I was very happy (Senior Night),” Guenther said, "and my teammates were crying because they know. I’ve had two teammates (seniors Amber Sedwick and Jaclyn Lamz) come through (injury rehab) with me (in 2017), just pushing me forward every day saying ‘You’ve got it.’ I’m grateful for Amber and Jacks.”
Sedwick (shin) and Lamz (ankle) recovered quickly from their less-serious injuries to be four-year pillars of the Lake Park squad.
For both, sharing the soccer experience with teammates has been their favorite memory.
“Just being with everyone,” Lamz said. “There were Liz, Amber, Bri (McAloon) and Steph (Zachemski) that were with me all four years too, and we’ve become really close. That’s what I’ve liked most about being able to play with them.”
For veteran defender Sedwick, the four-year ride has meant camaraderie and rising responsibilities as highlights.
“Being able to basically play with the same group of girls all four years,” Sedwick said, “and me getting really close to them and being able to have an impact on the younger players is definitely a privilege that the coaches have given us.
“Giving us a lot of room to help them out and also make our own decisions has been a great thing for us, and something I’ll definitely remember forever.”
Along with Lauren Tarchala, senior Gianna Pistorio moved up to varsity as a sophomore, and fit right in.
“I’ve been playing with most of the girls since I was little,” Pistorio said, “so coming onto the team and knowing most of them was kind of a confidence booster as a sophomore.
“And over the years we’ve definitely improved on our attacking and defending. And for our senior year I’m happy with the way that we’re on the right path.”
That path includes one more win than 2017, and a drive to fight to the finish despite the odds. A 1-0 overtime loss to perennial power Naperville Central on Tuesday was the latest impressive battle.
“Being in this program is amazing,” Guenther said. “Freshman year we were really good, and then we did drop off a little bit.
“We had problems with our coaching staff (a midseason coaching change), but just knowing that the girls didn’t use that as a problem like ‘This is why we’re bad.’ We put forth more effort into our play.”
Lake Park joined the DuPage Valley Conference in the 2013-14 school year after 33 years in the Upstate Eight Conference. Moving to what is considered by many to be the top soccer conference in the state made improvements within the Lancers program impossible to measure in the win column.
“The DVC – that’s a lot to sum up,” Guenther said. “Just knowing those (teams) are the big dogs, the ones that go to state each year. We’re playing Division I commits every game. Look at Naperville North – they have an entire starting lineup full of DI’s.
“So it doesn’t really matter what the score is when we go into the DVC,” Guenther added. “I know I shouldn’t say that, you push forward and want to win. But just knowing we’re in the hardest conference in Illinois and going up against those girls, it’s an honor to play with the girls on my team and know we’re trying our hardest and putting forth all the effort we have. And whatever the outcome is, that’s the outcome.”
Those finishes have vastly improved this spring.
“We lost to Naperville North 2-0 this season,” Guenther said, “and that was an accomplishment from last year being blown out 7-0. Just knowing all the girls are putting 100 percent into their play this year is amazing.”
Beyond showcasing positive attitudes and improvement, the Lancers’ seniors have tried to pass the torch to a strong nucleus of freshmen on this year’s squad.
That goal has also been fulfilled.
“The seniors have helped us a lot,” Lancers freshman Ann Marie Ahrens said. “They’re really welcoming when you first get to the team, and you pick right up in the drills, and instantly there’s the connection between the players. And it shows on the field.”
Ahrens has quickly emerged into a major catalyst for the Lancers.
“It’s a nice advantage to have her on the field,” Lake Park coach Sean Crosby said. “She’s very composed and patient on the ball. She doesn’t let the game get ahead of her.
“She takes what’s given to her, and has a really good soccer IQ on how to read plays and move into open space and try to find the ball on her foot.”
Freshman Emma Thorne has similarly become an immediate cornerstone of the Lancers’ defense.
“Emma is our center back every single game,” Crosby said. “As a freshman, we put her in as a center back in our first game against Naperville North, and you’re confident in her, but it’s a tough game. You’re like ‘Oh boy, what can happen here.’
“But from her first game on, she’s been shutting down the best attacking players in our conference and not hesitating to go toe-to-toe with them. Even if she gets knocked down, she gets up and wins the next one. Nothing can slow her down.”
Thorne has complemented her talents by being a fast learner.
“Having an older team with 11 seniors, and a lot of great coaches to help guide us, it’s been great,” Thorne said.
“I came into the season and one of my goals was to learn from all the seniors around me, because they have all the wisdom, and next year they’re all going to be gone. We have to fill their shoes and people are going to have to step up as leaders, so we’ve got to keep learning from them.”
The seniors have savored that teaching role.
“Freshman year the upperclassmen then brought us into the team very well,” Lamz said. “They had a great influence on us, and we’ve realized that we had to do that too.”
Seniors like Sedwick entered 2018 with added desire.
“It’s definitely easy to go in saying ‘This is my last year, I’m going to give it everything I have every single day I’m here,’” Sedwick said.
“I decided not to play in college, so I wanted to come in here, say ‘I have one last chance to make an impact and to help out the other girls' and say ‘You have a lot of spirit in you and a long way to go.’ And they’re doing great. I hope I’ve had that kind of impact on them.”
Guenther has seen the rewards of the seniors' efforts.
“Early in the season I worked with Emma a lot, I used to be center backs with her,” Guenther said. “Knowing that she would look to me for certain stuff, and I could contribute back is great, and knowing that if I’m stepping up she’ll always be a strong back to cover for me.
“And Ann Marie stepped in very well at the central attacking mid position with Bri. We’ve really utilized her going forward into our attack, and Alexis (Morgan, another freshman) is a great holding mid. She’s stepped up a lot for us this season. She didn’t necessarily start all season, but you’ve seen the progress and the work she’s put in just working her way up.”
Said Pistorio: “We have definitely improved (this year). Our defense has gotten quicker, and our center attacking mids have really stepped up even though we did lose a lot of our midfield from last year. Having the freshmen step up this year, especially Ann Marie, I’m happy with how we turned out.”
Senior Ziri Hernandez has enjoyed the positive vibes of Lake Park soccer, and helping lay the foundation for the future.
“We just wanted to help implement the whole thing: family, togetherness,” Hernandez said.
“We’re all in this together whether we win or lose. We all support each other and pick each other up when we fall either physically or emotionally. That ‘Hey, we got this; keep on fighting.’
“I just hope the girls (coming up) continue that,” Hernandez added, “because they’re a very strong group. I can’t wait to see what they can do after we leave.”
The already established chemistry between freshmen leaders Thorne and Ahrens bodes well in that regard.
“We’ve played together since middle school on club, and we used to play center mid together,” Thorne said. “Now we’ve found a good balance where I’m in the back and she’s up front.
“Once I get up a little farther we can start connecting passes, but the formation we’re in now is great so all the holding mids can keep connecting with her. And she’s really good at getting balls up the field.”
Thorne has quickly adopted the Lake Park mantra – whatever the challenge, the glass is half full.
“It’s great to get the good competition so we can keep getting better,” Thorne said, “and it’s important to always stay positive. When we start getting down, if we’re not positive, we can’t win, we can’t come back.”
Even as the Lancers move from the DVC to the equally tough DuKane Conference next season (where they join powers like St. Charles East and North, Batavia and Geneva), more progress likely awaits.
“We like how we've moved forward,” Crosby said of the 2018 season. “Almost every DVC game was a growth from last year. These girls knew they were very tough opponents going into it, but they still outperform the way they played last year. That’s something you have to be happy about as a coach.
“It can’t be done overnight, but they think they’re in every game now because the attitude has shifted a little bit. We can handle it. We can get knocked down and not crack. We can play tough opponents and still get chances and prevent goals.”
Time will tell what happens in future win and loss columns for Lake Park. But thanks to the leadership of its senior class and coaching staff, the program's decorum, spirit and respect for the game should stay at its current championship level.