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03/22/2018 12:00 AMDuring her time as a three-sport at athlete at Guilford High School, Julianna Molloy gained a deep appreciation for the impact that sports can have on students. Now, Julianna is looking to make an impact in the lives of the Indians’ current generation of athletes in her new role as an assistant coach with Guilford girls’ lacrosse.
Julianna was a senior captain for her field hockey, ice hockey, and girls’ lacrosse teams at Guilford, before graduating in 2012. She made the All-SCC Team for both field hockey and ice hockey as a senior and was a two-time All-SCC and All-State honoree in lacrosse. Julianna then continued her lacrosse career at Assumption College in Worcester, Massachusetts.
Last spring, first-year Guilford girls’ lacrosse Head Coach Wendy Epke asked Julianna if she wanted to join the coaching staff, but Julianna was unavailable. Epke sought out Julianna again this year, and those efforts resulted in Julianna coming back home as the Indians’ new varsity assistant.
“I have known Wendy a long time. She reached out to me last year to coach with her, but I was in Alabama at the time,” says Julianna. “Wendy reached out to me again this year about coaching with her and the girls, and I was more than happy to come aboard.”
As a former year-round athlete, Julianna knows that one of the best ways for any athlete to improve is by always giving a maximum effort. That’s something Julianna plans on emphasizing as she steps into her new coaching role at Guilford.
“I want to teach them about hard work and making sure they put in the effort every day. There will be days where it may seem hard to do that, but you have to be dedicated,” Julianna says. “I also hope that my enthusiasm for the game translates well into my coaching.”
It’s always a great feeling for any coach when his or her team puts together a quality regular season and then makes a run at some postseason gold. Julianna feels that the tiny triumphs that occur on the sidelines are what ultimately help a club reach its big-picture objectives.
“I love seeing players succeed as a team. When players can accomplish a goal together, it’s a special thing to watch,” says Julianna. “It’s also important to me for players to celebrate the smaller victories.”
Coach Epke feels confident that Julianna will fit in seamlessly with the Indians given her knowledge of lacrosse and experience playing the sport in Guilford. Epke says that Julianna has even officiated some games that involved their current athletes at the high school.
“Julianna is going to be a wonderful addition to the coaching staff. She is a Guilford alumnus and will bring her lacrosse knowledge and playing experience to the Guilford girls’ lacrosse team,” Epke says. “As a high-school player, she was a referee for youth games and remembers many of our young athletes, and she can see their progress as players. She’s a great role model for the high school players.”
Coming back to a team that won nine games last year, Julianna wants to see Guilford go further during her tenure as a coach. For the moment, though, she’s focused on giving back to her hometown by helping to create an environment that fosters growth among the Indians’ athletes.
“Athletics was such a big part of my high school experience, so hopefully my experiences will be beneficial, because I will be enthusiastic and give the girls a great experience,” Julianna says. “It would be nice to win SCCs, but I just want to establish positive relationships with the girls. I want to be a good and encouraging leader to them.”