Holliston June 2020

Page 16 Holliston Local Town Pages www.localtownpages.com June 2020
Sports
Trainor Maintains Perspective After Covid-19 Halts
Vermont Lacrosse
Holliston’s All-time Scoring Leader
By KEN HAMWEY, Staff
Sports Writer
Lily Trainor rewrote the record
book in girls’ lacrosse at
Holliston High, and the way she
began her collegiate career as a
freshman on the University of
Vermont’s varsity was no surprise.
She scored three goals and
registered one assist in the Catamount’s
opener against Merrimack.
For the next seven non-league
games, the 5-foot-2 attacker alternated
as a starter and a reserve
while coach Sarah Dalton-Graddock
strived to build team chemistry
and find the best roles for
a squad that was in rebuilding
mode. After eight games, Vermont
had a 5-3 record and was
preparing to start its America
East Conference matches.
But, just around the corner,
there was some news — sad news
for a team that was stating to
find its groove. The Catamounts
were in their third practice after
completing a productive southern
trip to Georgia where they
played Mercer and Kennesaw
State. At that practice, the players
learned that America East
Conference officials canceled the
circuit’s entire schedule because
of the coronavirus pandemic.
For Trainor, who was recruited
by Vermont and given
partial academic and athletic
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scholarships, her emotions
ranged from disappointment to
acceptance.
“The news was sad and disappointing,’’
she said. “And, it was
bittersweet, especially after coming
off a great victory over highlyregarded
Kennesaw State. Our
team was winning and we were
motivated. But, we have to realize
that the number one priority
for our country is to get the virus
under control. If there were no
restrictions, it could be 10 times
worse. Social distancing is necessary.
Even though sports are a
part of my life, health comes first
and, in reality, this is a piece of
life’s puzzle.’’
What also was difficult for
Trainor was hearing some of her
teammates’ thoughts and feeling
their emotions. “I realized that
our time with senior teammates
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Lily Trainor, a freshman at the University of Vermont, whose lacrosse season got off to a great start in college
before Covid-19 ended the season. She is Holliston High's all-time leading scorer. Submitted photos.
was over, and my heart was heavy
for them,’’ Trainor said. “Their
final season ended abruptly.’’
The NCAA, however, informed
all spring sport athletes
at Vermont that they could still
play an additional season if they
were still enrolled, either as an
undergraduate or in a master’s
program. “That’s the right thing
to do for all spring athletes,’’
Trainor said.
Whether Trainor plays an
additional season remains to be
seen, but she certainly was impressive
in Vermont’s opener.
Trainor scored twice in the
first half against Merrimack and
got her third goal in the final half,
wrapping up a 19-11 victory.
“The three goals came from 7-10
feet out,’’ she recalled. “I was
able to penetrate and maneuver
towards the goal. The three-goal
effort was a confidence-builder
for me. Winning the opener motivated
the team going forward.
I was initially surprised with the
three goals but in the back of my
mind, I felt I could do it.’’
Trainor has played lacrosse
for 13 years — four varsity seasons
at Holliston and nine seasons
at the club level. During her
Holliston career, she scored 204
goals and had 108 assists. Because
she topped the 300-point
mark, a banner will eventually be
displayed in the Panthers’ gymnasium.
Because of the Covid-19
situation, a time has not been set
for a ceremony.
“To be honored with a banner
is very humbling,’’ she said.
“It was a great achievement and
a testament to lots of commitment
and hard work. It brings a
smile, but it also symbolizes the
contributions of my teammates.
A lot of girls made the achievement
possible. A banner shows
how much our program respects
teamwork.’’
Trainor’s strengths as a high
school player included a high lacrosse
IQ, quickness, strong field
awareness and solid technique.
Those assets led to her becoming
a three-time Tri Valley League
all-star and a two-time Eastern
Mass. Coaches all-star. She also
was an all-star choice of The Boston
Globe and Metrowest Daily News.
Those strengths have enabled
the business administration
major to smoothly transition to
college lacrosse. “At the college
level, the pace of the game is
faster, the talent and the competition
are stronger and the game
is more mentally challenging,’’
Trainor emphasized.
While at Holliston, Trainor,
who was a captain, played a
key role in helping the Panthers
snap a 10-year playoff drought.
As a junior, she and her teammates
posted a 10-8 record and
advanced to the second round of
the tourney. Last year, after posting
an 11-9 record, the Panthers
also got to the second round of
the playoffs.
Trainor firmly believes that
valuable life lessons can be
learned from athletics. “I sharpened
my work ethic, learned
about time management, became
mentally tough and understood
how to deal with adversity,’’
she noted.
Citing her college coach (Dalton-Graddock)
as “encouraging
and eager to help her players improve,’’
Trainor is acutely aware
that sharpening her skills this
summer will be a key to excelling.
“I’ll be doing strength and conditioning
drills that will help with
agility and speed, and I’ll also
spend time on weight training,’’
she said. “I’ll also help coaching
my former club team (Laxachusetts).
Trainor hopes the Covid-19
virus that cut her freshman year
of lacrosse short is conquered
quickly. She’s also focused on improving
as an attacker. “I can get
better by working hard, staying
consistent and keeping my morale
up,’’ she said.