GHS Student Heading to State Semifinals
photos courtesy Ella Allen
For an athlete headed to the state semifinals lacrosse game in May, Ella Allen doesn’t seem too nervous about it. But almost losing her love for the sport has taught her that friendships and a passion for lacrosse are more important than game wins. “The lesson I’ve learned is probably to make sure that fun comes first. At a young age I was taking it way too seriously and forgot why I was playing. It’s not because I need to win games. It’s because I’m having fun.”
Her lacrosse journey began in second grade when her friend’s mom started a lacrosse team in Georgetown. “I liked how I got to meet a lot of different girls from different schools and form a bunch of friendships I’ve had since then.”
Now a junior at Georgetown High School, Ella has played for many lacrosse teams in the Austin area but her current one, the Cedar Park Girls Lacrosse team, is her favorite. Ella attends GHS but joined the Cedar Park team during her freshman year because GHS does not have a girls lacrosse team, although she hopes that will change one day. “I love it so much. When I was playing for the Outlaws club team [from fifth to ninth grade], I started getting really burned out and was falling out of love with it, but the Cedar Park coaches and girls – they make it why I want to keep playing and why I still do it. They are very upbeat at practice and there’s a lot of energy. It’s just a lot of fun.”
With so much positive feedback, her biggest inspiration has been her teammates. “The seniors and captains on my team push me to learn tips for stick skills and help me improve my speed. They are one of the reasons why I am the player I am today.”
Gearing Up
Her daily routine to prepare for the upcoming semifinals finals is running about 30 minutes a day and practicing catching her ball with her stick around her house, but at the same time trying not to put too much pressure on herself to avoid burnout. “I’m also reminding myself that if we don’t win, it doesn’t justify our whole season. I’m trying to keep myself in good spirits and not get cold feet before the game.”
If the Cedar Park Girls Lacrosse team wins the semifinals game May 11, they will head to the state championship in Houston the following day.
Ella says. “I am nervous because I want us to win but I’m just glad we got to have the opportunity to play.”
Her post-high school plans include attending Texas Tech or Texas State and majoring in early childhood education. She is thinking about playing for one of their club lacrosse teams so she can still enjoy the sport and stay active.
Her advice to younger players just starting out is that making mistakes is okay because they are just part of learning. “You aren’t just going to automatically be the best in one day. Work hard and give 100 percent effort and everything will pay off.”