This spring break, Poly Prep’s Girls’ and Boys’ Varsity Lacrosse teams will travel to California and Florida, respectively. These team trips hope to act as a deliberate balance of competition and team bonding to strengthen performance on and off the field.
The Girls’ Varsity Lacrosse team is preparing for a highly anticipated trip to the San Francisco Bay Area, California. Physical Education Faculty and Head Coach Jennifer Nardi has intentionally structured the trip to strike a balance between high-level training and team bonding. In past seasons, she observed that the team’s trip to Orlando, Florida, felt too relaxed and unfocused, while last year’s trip to Naples, Florida, proved overly intense, leaving little room for the team to grow off the field. This year, Nardi aims to combine focused, rigorous preparation with meaningful opportunities for the team to connect.
The California destination holds particular significance to Nardi, who previously coached Women’s Lacrosse at UC Berkeley, according to Brooklyn Crescents Lacrosse. “I coached at UC Berkeley for several years and lived out in the Berkeley area, so I’m excited to have the team go out there and have that experience with them,” says Nardi. Her familiarity with the location not only provides logistical confidence but also the opportunity to explore iconic landmarks and engage in new and unfamiliar settings.
“We want to be focused on lacrosse, but we also want to have the opportunity to have a little bit of an experience outside of lacrosse,” said Nardi, emphasizing the importance of balancing work ethic with exploration. On the field, the competition will be intimidating, as Nardi explains, “we’ll probably play some of the best teams that we’ll see all year out in California.”
Despite the intensity of the lacrosse experience, the team will also visit the Golden Gate Bridge and take college campus tours. This will allow the players to explore UC Berkeley and Stanford. These visits are intended to broaden perspectives without overwhelming players with academic pressure. Nardi states that “we try to make sure that there are not too many pressures on the academic side.”
Louis Candel, Head of Athletics and Boys’ Lacrosse Head Coach since 2017, has made his mark at Poly Prep. Students and colleagues view him as an approachable and reliable coach who shows up to every game with star coaching and productive energy. Since before Candel joined the Poly program, the Boys’ Lacrosse Program has traveled to Universal Studios in Orlando, Florida every spring break for five nights.
This trip has become a recognizable tradition for the Boys’ Lacrosse Team, returning every year as a milestone that everyone looks forward to. It is undeniably exciting for every player on the team, whether they are an underclassman or an upperclassman. For many players, it’s their first time training and spending time together outside the pressure of school. For this reason, the location and substance of the trip have barely shifted over the years and Candel isn’t planning on changing it any time soon. In a time where traditions at Poly are constantly evolving, the Boys’ Lacrosse spring break trip has remained steady.
“For me, it’s less about lacrosse and more about team bonding and chemistry: getting the boys away from Poly for a few days to try to become tied as a group,” Candel explains.
Candel’s coaching philosophy has become crucial to the Boys’ Lacrosse Team’s ability to create a supportive and enjoyable environment. While practices are arguably the most important part of the schedule, Candel emphasizes the moments that happen in between. The team’s privilege of traveling to Florida allows them to mix lacrosse training with tradition and unforgettable memories. Candel notes the “real shift” upon returning to the Poly Prep campus in April. Players are laughing, sharing stories and talking to someone who was perhaps an unfamiliar face before. The distance from campus and substantial time together seem to adjust the team’s comfort zone.
“The best bonding experience is simply hanging out by the pool and getting food with teammates every day. I notice a big difference in the team chemistry after spring break, both on and off the field,” Marcus McIlwain ’27 stated.
For McIlwain, the trip’s impact is evident in both friendly, everyday interactions and the team’s success. His Floridian Topgolf experiences and poolside spike ball games have left him with lasting memories and strong friendships.
