![“I wasn't discouraged by some of the obstacles we faced. I learned a lot from the leadership. I found that different people need different ways of receiving feedback — you can't [just] tell them to do something and expect the best. [Some] people needed more incentive. A large part of my role was to figure out what worked for everyone and to figure out how to lead all these separate individuals as a team,” Suhana Bhandare (’26) said.](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/SuhanaBhandare_JasmineHansra-1-1200x798.jpg)
![“This is actually from Randy Pausch Randy P. Brick: ‘Walls are there for a reason. You have to show how much you want to overcome them.’ You have to show how much you want something. That's what I've always been able to do with tennis, Link Crew and getting that internship [with Kushy Baby]. It’s important pushing through that — getting around that brick wall, climbing over it or clawing through it,” Yash Sachdeva (’26) said.](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/YashSachdeva_RamBatchu-copy-1200x1002.jpg)
![“[Building nerf blasters] became this outlet of creativity for me that hasn't been matched by anything else. The process [of] making a build complete to your desire is such a painstakingly difficult process, but I've had to learn from [the skills needed from] soldering to proper painting. There's so many different options for everything, if you think about it, it exists. The best part is [that] if it doesn't exist, you can build it yourself," Ishaan Parate said.](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/DSC_8149-900x604.jpg)
![“When I came into high school, I was ready to be a follower. But DECA was a game changer for me. It helped me overcome my fear of public speaking, and it's played such a major role in who I've become today. To be able to successfully lead a chapter of 150 students, an officer team and be one of the upperclassmen I once really admired is something I'm [really] proud of,” Anvitha Tummala ('21) said.](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Screen-Shot-2021-07-25-at-9.50.05-AM-900x594.png)
![“I think getting up in the morning and having a sense of purpose [is exciting]. I think without a certain amount of drive, life is kind of obsolete and mundane, and I think having that every single day is what makes each day unique and kind of makes life exciting,” Neymika Jain (12) said.](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/Screen-Shot-2017-06-03-at-4.54.16-PM.png)
![“My slogan is ‘slow feet, don’t eat, and I’m hungry.’ You need to run fast to get where you are–you aren't going to get those championships if you aren't fast,” Angel Cervantes (12) said. “I want to do well in school on my tests and in track and win championships for my team. I live by that, [and] I can do that anywhere: in the classroom or on the field.”](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/DSC5146-900x601.jpg)
![“[Volleyball has] taught me how to fall correctly, and another thing it taught is that you don’t have to be the best at something to be good at it. If you just hit the ball in a smart way, then it still scores points and you’re good at it. You could be a background player and still make a much bigger impact on the team than you would think,” Anya Gert (’20) said.](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/AnnaGert_JinTuan_HoHPhotoEdited-600x900.jpeg)
![“I'm not nearly there yet, but [my confidence has] definitely been getting better since I was pretty shy and timid coming into Harker my freshman year. I know that there's a lot of people that are really confident in what they do, and I really admire them. Everyone's so driven and that has really pushed me to kind of try to find my own place in high school and be more confident,” Alyssa Huang (’20) said.](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/AlyssaHuang_EmilyChen_HoHPhoto-900x749.jpeg)
One year after a season with no games due to low interest in the sport, the girls lacrosse team rebounded with a roster of 16 players, up four compared to last year, enough for six schools to agree to non-league games. Renewed fervor for lacrosse accompanied the team’s return to competitive matches, as they worked to establish a foundation that supports program growth in future years.
Sophomore goalie Samantha Teachworth, who played club lacrosse throughout middle school but quit before high school, decided to join the team last year to continue the sport she loved. She underscored how the small roster encouraged the entire team to become closer through their weekly practices.
“We still had a team last year, and we had a variety of grades,” Samantha said. “We were practicing three days a week. It was really fun to practice and play the game because we’re a really tight-knit group. I really enjoyed getting to know people before playing games this year.”
Going into the current school year, athletic director Dan Molin worked to revive the lacrosse team, sending out a schoolwide email asking for anyone with experience or exposure to lacrosse. Because English teacher Christopher Hurshman had previously taught at a New England boarding school with a lacrosse program and had coaching experience in soccer and basketball, he ultimately stepped up as the team’s head coach.
The school later added two assistant coaches, Sasha Wirchniansky and Camryn Albrecht, who had more experience playing lacrosse, to help identify specific skills for the players to improve. Hurshman continued to decide broader strategies like team positioning and tactics.
On the first day of practice, Hurshman set a clear tone for the season by emphasizing that the main goal was not to win every game the team played but rather to put forward the most effort they could.
“I expressed to our team that we have a set of principles or guidelines for what we want to accomplish, and one of them is we want to get 1% better every day,” Hurshman said. “I spend a lot of time thinking about how our team needs to improve and what skills we’re weak on. It also means I’m doing a lot of studying skills, drills and tactics, making sure I identify things that will help our team make small steps in the right direction.”
During practice, the team focuses mainly on partner-based drills, including defensive slide exercises where players mirror one another’s movements to improve communication and positioning. They also run through game-speed scrimmage drills that mimic fast decision-making, forcing players to react in real time. Through this hands-on approach to coaching, Hurshman highlights growth and sustainability as the driving force for the team.
“The best version of our team is when our players are reminding each other of their priorities and what our points of emphasis are,” Hurshman said. “When things are going well, it’s trying to keep the team level-headed and not caught up too much in their success, and then when we’re struggling, then it’s the same thing as trying to lift them and remind them it’s more about their skills and their habits, and how they respond to the adversity of the situation. Regardless of how high or how low we are in the moment, our goals are longer.”
The team contains varying skill levels, as many seniors joined to play a spring sport in honor of their last year on campus. Three seniors, one junior and two sophomores returned from last year’s team, providing a solid foundation to guide newer members. Early on, the team created a group chat and began bonding over their shared learning curve with lacrosse rules through TikTok videos.
Samantha echoed the importance of camaraderie, as players often rely on one another for assistance.
“The team culture is really good,” Samantha said. “We’re all really supportive. During the games, we’re always shouting at each other, yelling encouragement. I’m in goal yelling at people, and they’re obviously congratulating me whenever I say something, and the dynamic is really good. We fit together, and everybody plays a role in winning or losing in every way.”
The team currently holds a 4-2 record, reflecting their growing chemistry and willingness to adapt. Rather than focusing on the scoreboard, players prioritize executing key plays rehearsed during practice and uplifting one another.
For co-captain Yena Yu (12), who has played lacrosse all four years of high school, these lessons have been some of the most impactful moments of her time on the team.
“Lacrosse has been meaningful to me because it’s trained me to not be daunted by challenges and taught me that working collaboratively is a team’s greatest advantage,” Yena said. “The fast pacing and loud, constant communication are also extremely important aspects that have taught me how to trust the people around me. Beyond just being an engaging sport, lacrosse has created a space where I’ve grown as a leader and teammate.”
While there is still room for improvement for the team, moments where in-practice points of emphasis translate to the field are most gratifying for Hurshman and display the team’s improvement. Though he is unsure whether he will continue to serve as head coach in the coming years due to other on-campus obligations, he remains focused on facilitating the current team’s growth.
“I hope it will continue to improve and maybe over the course of several years, the program will get stronger and stronger,” Hurshman said. “We’ve had some moments that really encapsulated growth and improvement, and I’ve been very pleased with that. I’m very committed to seeing this group of girls thrive. Regardless of whether I end up being their coach long-term or not, I am committed to supporting them.”
