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04/19/2018 12:00 AMAllie Ruel is the real deal on the lacrosse field, but she also excels in soccer at Valley Regional. During the winter, she runs for the girls’ indoor track team to keep fit and stay speedy. Allie, a junior midfielder, made the All-Shoreline Conference Second Team last spring and earned Honorable Mention as a freshman for Warriors’ lacrosse. She’s already committed to playing Division I at Central Connecticut State University next year and will also be competing in the Lower New England National Tournament in Long Island during Memorial Day weekend.
On top of all of these accolades, Allie has been selected to play in the Women’s Professional Lacrosse League Futures Program that is designed to foster the growth of up-and-coming lacrosse players. Allie, who was one of 200 candidates who tried out for the program, feels proud that her hard work is paying off and is grateful for all the help she’s received from her family and coaches.
“It was a really big achievement. There were 200 girls who tried out. I was very honored to be selected,” says Allie, an Essex resident. “My coaches and my parents really support me, and they pushed me to do my best. They make so many sacrifices for me, and I’m so honored.”
Allie got an early start in soccer. Her father Greg and mother Christie were both avid soccer players, and Allie was on the field at young age. Allie’s father suggested that she give lacrosse a try, too, and Allie took to it immediately.
“I’ve been playing lacrosse since 1st grade, and I’ve been playing soccer since I could walk,” says Allie. “My dad is a really big soccer player. He played in college, and he’s been coaching since he was a teenager. He introduced me to soccer. He had me try lacrosse in the 1st grade, and I was hooked immediately. I loved it. He coached me up through high school, as well.”
Allie believes that the combination of playing soccer and lacrosse helps her stay sharp during each season. Next fall, Allie will serve as a senior captain for the Valley girls’ soccer squad. Allie is happy about earning that honor, but most of all, she just wants to be out on the field playing the sports she loves.
“Lacrosse and soccer—those are my sports. I think being a midfielder, a lot is fitness related. I have to make sure I’m in shape year-round,” Allie says. “I never take a day off. If I do, it’s because something’s wrong.”
Allie likes making a big difference at the midfielder’s position, because she can relay information to both the offense and defense, while playing either side of the ball.
“I love being a midfielder. I feel like I contribute the biggest there. I love playing defense and attack,” Allie says. “I feel like I give the best of both worlds. I also contribute a lot in verbal communication. My teammates are really great at communicating, as well.”
Cory Needleman has been the head coach of Valley girls’ lacrosse during Allie’s tenure with the high-school squad. Needleman sees the impact that Allie has on opposing squad’s game-plans. Allie draws double teams, and some of the opposition’s players are specifically out there to obstruct her vision the entire game.
“She’s all over the field, whether it’s on the defensive end, getting the ball out of the zone, or in the midfield. The other team always watches her and tries to face guard her and get her out of the play. She fights through it. She’s a phenomenal player,” Needleman says. “She’s such a big presence on the field. Even when she doesn’t score goals, she opens up the field so much for her teammates. I’ve just seen her grow so much. I’m so excited to see what she’s become as a player as an individual and as a leader the next couple of years.”
Allie’s wealth of experience in lacrosse helps her rapidly process what’s happening on the field. As a result, Allie’s teammates often look to her cues for on how to approach any situation.
“Because I’ve been playing for so long, I can recognize things quicker. I always give pointers and advice to look for certain stuff,” says Allie. “Coach Needleman always says, ‘It’s the little things make the big difference.’ And she’s right. My teammates are really good about seeing and picking up on those little things. If a certain play comes up, they know what to do.”
Allie thinks like a coach on the field, and so she’s able to break down complicated plays into simple terms.
“We have a lot of different plays for the offense. We have a simple motion offense that we all try to do. It’s simple pass and cut, and there are lanes to drive to,” she says. “If we draw a double team, we run a draw and dump. Our team has really good chemistry. We always know and we have a lot of trust in each other on the defensive and offensive end.”
Allie has a bright future, but she’s staying focused on what’s happening right now at Valley. Allie feels the Warriors are an up-and-coming team in the Shoreline Conference lacrosse ranks, and she’s excited to see what she and her teammates can do through the rest of this season.
“Our mentality is to go in aggressive and strong and give 110 percent. This year, I knew we could be really good,” says Allie. “I knew we were going to have a lot of talent. I had good feeling going into this season, and that hasn’t changed at all.”