Maplestix.ca - Lacrosse Player and Coaches Training Clinic

Maplestix Lacrosse Player and Coaches Clinic

Guest Coaches Information

Coaching Background
●  Trent University Women’s Field Lacrosse, Head Coach Two years spent as an assistant coach.
●  Women’s U20 Team Canada, Team Manager Hong Kong World Championships, 2024.
●  Coaching position with Kawartha Women’s Field Lacrosse Association Eight years of volunteer experience coaching both in the U15 and U19 division.
●  Team Canada, Women’s Field Lacrosse Athlete 2019 world champion.
●  Four-year student athlete in the United States. Four year, team captain Southern Conference, Offensive Player of the Year, 2019. First Team All Southern Conference, 2018 and 2019 First Team All Atlantic Sun, 2017 Atlantic Sun, Freshmen Team, 2016.
●  Two-year student athlete at Trent University Completed my bachelor of education at Trent University, receiving a green and white scholarship in lacrosse.
●  Wellness Program Coordinator for Special Olympics, Ontario Providing athletes with exceptionalities the opportunity to engage in an inclusive environment through sport.

Educational Background:
● Trent University, Peterborough, Ontario Bachelor of Education P/J, September 2020-2022 Two-year Women’s Lacrosse student-athlete, 2020/21.
● Central Michigan University, Mount Pleasant, Michigan Bachelor of Science, December 2019 Major: Psychology Minor: Family Studies Four-year D1 Lacrosse Student Athlete, 2015-2019.

Jesse Porter is currently in her sixth year of coaching the Varsity Blues women's lacrosse program at the University of Toronto and is working on her PhD in gender equity & coaching.

The team achieved a Bronze Medal in the 2024 OUA Championship and Jesse was voted coach of the year. Prior to joining the Blues, Jesse coached the National Chinese women's lacrosse team while living abroad, where she guided the team to their first entry at the World Cup in England. Lacrosse has given Jesse the opportunity to coach lacrosse in over seven different countries from Thailand to Argentina.

Back in Toronto, she has coached U13, U17 and U19 teams with the Toronto Beaches Lacrosse Club from 2011-15 and 2021-24, while also serving as an official in the Ontario Women's Field Lacrosse league from 2010-15. As a player, Porter was an OUA-MVP Defender for the four-time OUA champion Western Mustangs from 2011-14. While at Western, she completed her Bachelor of Arts in Kinesiology – Sport Management.

As a coach, Jesse is dedicated to coaching her athletes as people first and empowering them to be leaders who are able to think for themselves, communicate effectively and develop tools to succeed both on and off the field.

Mike Watson's team just won Gold in the OUA's 2024 season! He currently serves as the Technical Director of Lacrosse at Queen's. He oversees both the men's and women's programs, and has been the head coach of the women's team since 2016. He began playing at 9 years of age in London, Ontario, and has played at the Jr. B level, Canadian University level with Western and has played Sr. B. Mike has been involved as a coach for the last 15 years, coaching at the Jr. C level, minor field and box and OUA.

Mike studied Kinesiology at Western, followed by Chiropractic college in New York. He currently runs a collaborative rehab clinic in Kingston, working alongside physiotherapists, chiropractors, massage therapists and trainers.

Since joining Queen's as head coach, the women's lacrosse team has finished with 1 bronze, 3 silver and 3 gold medals. Queen's has been in each OUA final since the 2017 season, winning gold in 2018, 2022 and 2024. Mike feels that an emphasis on strength and conditioning has helped drive Queen's success over the years.

Erica Shortt is a native and resident of Kitchener, ON, where she grew up playing U19 for KW’s field lacrosse team. Erica attended Wilfrid Laurier University and was a key contributor to the Women’s Field Lacrosse team. During her 4 years at Laurier, the team won 4 OUA championships. In her rookie year, she had the honour of being named the Laurier lacrosse rookie of the year, followed by 3 consecutive years of being named the team MVP. In her second year at Laurier, Erica was recognized by the OUA as the League MVP. She was also named an OUA all-star each of her 4 years as a Golden Hawk. Erica had the privilege of being one of only four lacrosse players to be inducted into the Golden Hawk Hall of Fame. She has since returned to Laurier as the Head Coach of the Wilfrid Laurier Women’s Field Lacrosse team.

Tamara Grant is in her second season with the Golden Hawks, as a co-head coach. As a player, she was a starting Goalie with Laurier (and still plays in the KW’s Women’s League). Tamara was a captain who was fortunate to be part of back-to-back OUA titles. In 2017, her 2003 team was inducted into the WLU Hall of Fame.

Tamara currently is part of the KW Kodiaks organization as the Director of Girls Field, and is responsible for overseeing all programming connected with Girls Field lacrosse in Kitchener-Waterloo. The program has seen much success under her leadership, with numerous new, innovative ideas for promoting, growing, and fostering the love of the game within the community.

Tamara has been coaching lacrosse locally since 2018 and has been a part of a variety of age groups from U9-U19. Her teams and staff have found a lot of success over the years. Tamara has been awarded the OWFL Coach of the Year in 2019 for U11 and 2023 for U15. She has had the chance to lead her teams to medal honours at a variety of Divisions and age groups. In 2024, the U15 KW Kodiaks team were crowned Provincial Champions. Tamara was the Head Coach of this superb team and dynamic coaching staff.

Tamara works at PGC Basketball and also volunteers her time with KW Girls Basketball Association Phoenix. She has a lot of energy and drive for making an impact in the basketball community. Tamara has been coaching and mentoring athletes for over 25 years in a variety of sports and has a deep passion for community, collaboration, and connection through sports and competition.

Garrett Loubert is a graduate of Western University with over 25 years of lacrosse experience as both a coach and player. Loubert joined the Women's Lacrosse program as a graduate-assistant coach in 2013.

After two years as an assistant, Loubert worked alongside Kristen Stafford as Co-Head coaches until 2018 capturing two OUA championships (2015, 2017) and a Silver medal (2016)

In 2019 Loubert took over Head Coaching duties and has lead the Mustangs to Bronze medal finishes the last three seasons (2019, 2021 and 2022) compiling a 40-4 record.

Liane grew up in Whitby, and starting playing lacrosse as an Oshawa Lady Blue Knight and continued to play in the OUA with the Wilfrid Laurier Golden Hawks. Liane has coached with the Oshawa Lady Blue Knights, Edge Lacrosse and Donald A. Wilson High School. Liane graduated with a Bachelor of Arts, Kinesiology and Physical Education from Wilfrid Laurier University, and continued her studies at Dalhousie University with a Master of Health Administration. In 2023, Liane graduated with a Master of Business Administration from Wilfrid Laurier University.

Liane works to foster a welcoming and growth-mindset environment where athletes can thrive academically and athletically. Liane is proud of the Ontario Tech varsity lacrosse program which has been built with the passion of past and present student-athletes, coaches, friends and family, and the generous support of the Ontario Tech Athletics department. Recently, the Ridgebacks took home a silver medal in the 2024 OUA Championships.

Laura Tober is going into her third season with the Brock Badgers, and second as the head coach. She has grown up playing St Catharines Athletics lacrosse and continues to coach at the U15 and U19 levels.

Back when she was still actively playing the game, Laura was an OWFL official for 10 years. She also played for the Kitchener Waterloo and Six Nations Sr Women's lacrosse teams. She began her coaching career with the Six Nations Sr Women's team as an assistant coach and has been a practice coach since 2017.

Laura is a high school teacher in the Niagara Region, who is working towards the development of secondary school lacrosse programs. She is incredibly passionate about showing her athletes that there are several pathways that playing high level sports can provide the girls in their lives after collegiate athletics.

Megan Shea recently completed her second season as Head Coach with the University of Guelph Women’s Lacrosse team and her first season assisting the Oakville Lady Hawks JEWL program.

She played for the Mississauga Trilliums U-19 team, switching over to play for Burlington Chiefs and Mimico Mountaineers (Senior). During 2011-2015, Megan played as a Defender for University of Toronto Varsity Blues, earning an OUA Bronze medal and the Leilani Devuono – “Love for Lacrosse” Memorial Award for athletic and academic success.

Megan is a teacher in the Peel District School Board and has been coaching at ROPSSAA and OFSAA level for 13 years. Megan leads three lacrosse teams, all at varying levels of play, at Lorne Park Secondary School. She has a strong passion for the game and has devoted many years to her goal of growing the sport of Lacrosse and its community.

Hannah and Melanie bring lifelong experience and passion for lacrosse to their first year as co-head coaches for the McMaster Women’s Lacrosse team.

Hannah Moore has been immersed in lacrosse from a young age, training with Edge Lacrosse and competing on Team Ontario, which led her to play post-graduation at Grand Valley State University, where she studied Anthropology. A dedicated coach with the Hamilton Bengals, she has made a lasting impact on the community.

Melanie Schleehahn, who fell in love with lacrosse at age 10, pursued her Kinesiology degree at Brock University, where she competed in the OUA. Each summer, she returned to Hamilton to coach alongside Hannah, and this past summer, they led the Bengals to an A Division bronze medal. She is also currently completing her master’s degree as a Registered Massage Therapist (RMT).

Together, Hannah and Melanie stepped into their roles as McMaster co-head coaches this fall, eager to build on the team’s success and foster continued growth in the program for the upcoming years.”

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