The switch from underclassmen to upper as a junior is a benchmark moment in the hearts and minds of several high school student-athletes. For Lucy Resinsky, she made all sorts of shifts from both a leadership and position aspect to rave reviews by her coaches and peers.

The Valley Regional athlete began playing both field hockey and lacrosse during her freshman year and left basketball behind as she grew older. This past spring for lax, after previously being a defender, Lucy decided to slide back a bit defensively for the betterment of her team and carved out a sound niche at goalkeeper to help command the Warriors’ defensive unit. She will additionally serve as a senior captain for the field hockey squad this upcoming fall after being a junior captain on the lacrosse turf in 2024.

“I wanted to try something new with lacrosse, and I always liked the team dynamic and wanted to keep busy. I also love the relationships and friendships that have come from it,” says Lucy. “For me, I always like to get to practice early and stay later afterwards. I work on my skills on my own, and I also watch YouTube videos and teach myself new things. My teammates and coaches have also been great and helped me along the way.”

Moving from a field assignment to between the pipes, Lucy has the ringing endorsement of all of her colleagues and coaches. It proved crucial, as that backing helped her get over the initial and inevitable growing pains, fears, and anxieties.

“I gave up my defensive position because it was something that was for the best interest of the team,” Lucy says. “[Valley girls’ lax Head Coach] Alex Rose really encouraged me to try it. It was hard in the beginning, but I certainly grew to love it. My team encouraged me and helped me become more confident. I got through it by looking at how I got through tough spots in the past and realized I was still in a learning position.”

The switch to netminder just further showcased why Lucy earned the “C” on her jersey a year earlier than most other contemporaries in her sport. She explains the sibling connection she had on the squad was just a microcosm of what truly drove the Warriors’ spirit this spring.

“I was so honored to receive the captain role on the team,” says Lucy. “I was nervous to lead as a junior, but now with the experience behind me, it has become something more natural to me. My sister who is a freshman just started with the team this year, and I enjoyed helping her and playing with her. Creating bonds with all of the younger girls was important because the closer we are, the better we will play together.”

Short-term memory actually proved to be a beneficial trait for Lucy this year, as she learned the ropes in net. But still, unwavering optimism that never faded or left her side helped her make great headway at the position.

“My coach told me to have a goldfish mindset and have a 10 second memory,” Lucy says. “Sometimes during games, he would yell ‘Goldfish’ to me. I just tried to stay positive throughout the game no matter what happened, and I also had my teammates to help me. We did everything together, including both winning and losing.”

Rose was certainly proved correct in letting Lucy assume a captainship with her complete and utter selflessness on a daily basis. She showed great courage by taking on not only one but two new roles in on and off the field capacities this spring with great class.

“Lucy has truly exemplified what it means to be an outstanding teammate this year. Her dedication, positive attitude, and unwavering support for her fellow players have made a significant impact on the team’s dynamic. Lucy’s encouragement and willingness to help others, whether through giving tips during practice or cheering from the sidelines, have fostered a sense of unity and camaraderie among her teammates,” says Rose. “Watching Lucy take on the goalie position and truly own it this year has been nothing short of inspiring. Despite initially being new to the role, she approached it with determination and a relentless work ethic. Her growth and improvement over the season have been remarkable, turning her into a formidable presence in the goal. Lucy’s fearless attitude and ability to remain calm under pressure have been crucial in many of our games. We are lucky to have Lucy for another year, and we are excited to see how much she improves over this coming offseason.”

Valley may have carried a rebuilding tag when it comes to penning the title on its 2024 campaign. Yet it is certainly a good thing in the eyes of Lucy and her teammates–showing it forms the foundation for making greater strides in 2025.

“It was definitely a learning year for us; we had a lot of freshmen and a new head coach after losing only one senior,” Lucy says. “We have so much talent here, and we have a team bond that is very special. We are so genuinely close, and it really helped us in games. We rebuilt this year, and we will apply what we learned from our mistakes next year and build off of that and go from there. I am very much looking forward to it.”