At 5:45 a.m., most of Springfield College is still snug asleep in their beds. Those awake under the lights of Stagg Field tell a much different story.
Laughter and chatter fill the cool morning air as Springfield’s women’s lacrosse team begins another early morning practice. There are zero signs of grogginess. Instead, players whip yellow lacrosse balls at each other, their sticks moving quickly as the balls fly through the pitch-black morning sky.
Along the fence, sweatshirts, sweatpants, and equipment bags are littered as the players prepare for another demanding morning ahead of classes.
For head coach Jennifer Thomas, the early mornings are what make this team special. She believes the team’s energy starts with its abundance of leadership.
“A team will be as successful as their leadership is, and I think our leadership is really, really strong this year,” Thomas said.
Cones, agility ladders, hurdles, medicine balls, bikes, and clusters of lacrosse balls scatter the turf. Midfielders sprint along the sidelines, weaving between cones. Players move through ladders whilst carrying their sticks, simulating the precise footwork needed for the upcoming season. A sharp whistle cuts through the air, causing players to rotate to the next drill.
Players yell instructions to one another, reminding each other what direction is needed to attack their defender. The communication is consistent.
But even in the cold morning air, the energy never wavers.
You can see the breath of players while they run. Heavy breathing mixes with the sounds of sticks clashing into each other and cleats stomping the turf.
Junior midfielder Izzy Lalancette understands just how important this work is early in the mornings, not just for the upcoming season, but also for team chemistry.
“I think early morning practice together really helps our team chemistry,” Lalancette said. “ we have to consistently hype each other up and remind ourselves that we love the sport and being together so much that we will continue to do hard things even if it means waking up at 4:45am for practice.”
Players sprint towards one another, firing passes across the field, ranging from 15 yard throws, to 30 yard hucks. When the whistle blows, they shout which arm to switch to, forcing themselves to use their non-dominant and dominant hands to stay prepared for situations that might call for it in games.
For injured players, the work looks a tad bit different, but the effort endures. On the sidelines, players use bands, medicine balls, bikes, and do sprints to work their way back up to full health in order to play again. They may not be participating in the grueling drills Coach Thomas has prepared, but they remain a part of practice and continue to support their teammates.
For sophomores Sophie Adams and Oliva Naughton, that connection extends beyond the field. The two emphasized the importance of hanging out, not just at practice but outside of their time with the team.
That chemistry becomes especially important when the alarm sounds off in the early hours of the morning while everyone else is asleep.
“No one wants to get up at four in the morning and go run around and condition and do lacrosse,” Naughton said. “And in fact, we all do it together and push ourselves and each other, and it creates a bond that you can’t really beat.”
By 6:40 a.m., Stagg Field is anything but quiet.
Cheers and encouraging shouts echo across Stagg Field as the team moves into more intense drills.
At one end, players work hard on their footwork before driving towards the crease of the goal to fire off a shot. At the other end, defenders participate in a swarming drill, designed to snatch the ball away from the attacker and prevent a scoring opportunity.
Players battle for position. A whistle blows, signaling the end of the drills.
The team moves into intense one-on-one scrimmages, emphasizing footwork and positioning. Players work on boxing opponents out, fighting for space while defenders attempt to shut the play down and create a stop. For Thomas, that willingness to cheer each other on, and be competitive with one another is what makes these early morning practice sessions worthwhile.
“As a group our dynamic is awesome,” Thomas stated. “They work hard and want to come and get after it for two hours.”
And that work starts long before the rest of campus is awake.
At Springfield, the early morning practices are not simply about finding a time to get a practice in, or condition. They are about fostering an environment that is willing to struggle to wake up together, struggle on the field together, and in turn push each other to their absolute best abilities as they set their eyes on a championship this spring.
“Thats the Springfield standard, to get back to that championship and to be as competitive in division three” Thomas said.
The field may be quiet towards the start of practice, but by sunrise, the Pride have already caused a roar.