ule. In October 2008, student Cheyenne Bray, with the help of her parents, Greg and
Celeste Powers, initiated the start of a girls lacrosse team.
Her parents met with the boys booster club to gain its support. A few weeks later,
a new website, colliervillelax.com, went up and then a group met with principal
Tim Setterlund, who approved the start of a girls lacrosse team.  
More than 40 girls joined the team and began training for the spring season. This
season will field a varsity and a junior varsity team and athletes will play a com-
plete schedule.
With only two girls having played on a team before, the team may be short on
game experience, but is not lacking when it comes to athletes.  The players have
worked very hard to make lacrosse a reality. Currently, the team is 0-4 on the sea-
son.
After the initiation of the team, Stickhead Lacrosse Store owner Ron Ansley
arranged a six-week indoor clinic. Each girl that registered spent one night a week
learning basic lacrosse skills and techniques.
Team captains for the varsity squad are Bray, juniors Erica Walden and Sarah
Murray and senior Casey Beck. Freshman Aubrey Ford captains the junior varsity
team.
The team is coached by Jeff Calligandes, a University
of Memphis lacrosse player and student. Jeff is a native
of New Hampshire, where lacrosse is a popular sport.
While in New Hampshire, he helped coach his sister’s
lacrosse team and last year, Jeff also helped coach the
CHS boys lacrosse team.  
The assistant coach is David Blake, also a University
of Memphis student athlete. Blake graduated from
CHS, where he played lacrosse during high school.
Both coaches are excited about the start of this year’s
program and hope to recruit enough incoming freshmen
to keep the sport going. It will be a learning process and
the team will gain valuable experience and try to be
competitive.
The team does not predict a league title this year, but
they will improve and have fun. The girls come to prac-
tice excited and ready to play the sport.