Lacrosse America

Girls Coaching Staff

Our senior staff members have a minimum of 15 years each of lacrosse experience. We strive to give your daughter a positive experience while in our programs. Whether your daughter wants to become an All-American or just wants to run around, the Lacrosse America staff will challenge, educate, and instill the joy of being a part of the Lacrosse America experience.

Program Directors

Brooker, Amanda - Program Director - Illinois & Wisconsin
Amanda Brooker has been the coach of the Bay Port High School boy's lacrosse team since 2000. She and her husband Joe established and grew lacrosse in Green Bay, starting with an indoor high school program, and turned the business over to Lacrosse America because of the quality of the Lacrosse America program. Previous to moving to Green Bay, Coach Brooker helped with the first high school boys lacrosse team in Minnesota 13 years ago.

A graduate of West Genesee High School in Camillus, NY, Coach Brooker was a team manager/statistician for the boys lacrosse team under Coaches Kevin Donahue, Tom Donahue, and Mike Messere; and was one of the founding members of the girls lacrosse team. She went on to manage the mens lacrosse team at the University of Maryland - College Park for four years under Coaches Dick Edell and Dave Slafkosky.

Stein, Julie - Program Director - Illinois
Born and raised in Baltimore, Maryland she started playing lacrosse in the 5th grade for Lutherville Timonium Lacrosse League and continued to play lacrosse at Pikesville High School. While at Pikesville High School she varsity lettered 12 times in soccer, basketball and lacrosse. In her junior and senior year Julie was selected for the All–County and All-State in lacrosse.

From 1996-1997 she played on the USA U-19 team where she captained the team and won the gold medal in Tokyo, Japan.

In college she played for the Division I University of New Hampshire from 1997-2001 and earned a B.S. with a major in Recreation, Management and Policy. After college Julie interned at US Lacrosse in Baltimore where she was responsible for marketing lacrosse events for NCAA Men’s Lacrosse and Youth Tournaments in New York. She also edited and assisted with writing the Women’s Lacrosse Rules booklet that was sent to coaches.

After college she coached numerous lacrosse camps including Nike, Adrenaline, and STX camps. While living in Portland, Oregon she was the head coach at St. Mary’s Academy and this past 2006 season Julie coached girl’s varsity lacrosse at The Park School in Baltimore, where they were conference B champions.

Julie is still actively playing for Team Toyota and is also a certified women’s lacrosse referee.

Lacrosse America Coaches

Backus, Shalanah - Illinois Coach
Shalanah began her lacrosse career late, she has however played soccer since she was five years old. It was not until she went to Bethel University, in St. Paul Minnesota, that some of her soccer buddies urged her to pick up the sport, and she was really glad she did! She took to the sport quickly but also put in a lot of hard work and started by end of the first season. Taking naturally to defense, Shalanah played Point for Bethel in the UMWLL (Upper Midwest Lacrosse League). By her junior year she was voted MVP in defense by the conference and both junior and senior years was voted onto "First Team Defense" which takes the top three defenders from the league. She also during this time was a trainer for Andover High School club lacrosse team. In December, Shalanah finished her Bachelor of Arts in Math Education 5-12 and Art Education K-12 and is a Chicagoland native.

Boyle, Maribeth - Illinois Coach
Maribeth played her first competitive lacrosse game in 1996 right here at Lacrosse America. She lettered in lacrosse at Libertyville High School from 1998-2001, earning a spot on the All -Scholastic team, the Coaches Award and the role of captain.

Maribeth carried her love of the sport to Truman State University where she was a player, co-captain and coach. As a player, she ranked on the All-League First Team in 2003 and 2004 and as a coach led her team to a perfect 13-0 season and the team's first win at the Regional tournament.

Maribeth is also proud of her efforts to push the sport in the Mid-West as she was a co-founder of the Central Plains Women's Lacrosse League.

In her 5th year with Lacrosse America, Maribeth looks forward to sharing her experience and enthusiasm to develop a stronger prominence of lacrosse in girls' ahtletics.

Engstrom, Jessie - Illinois Coach
Jessie began her lacrosse career at Libertyville High School, playing from 1998-2001. During college, she continued to pursue her love of the game at Florida State University, as a player, coach, and team captain. She earned the honor of being selected to play on the All Conference All Star Team for the Southeastern Womens Lacrosse League.

Jessie has coached for Lacrosse America since 2001, teaching youth camps, competative leagues, and Team Illinois. She looks forward to sharing her experience and passion for lacrosse with the girls this upcoming season!

Evans, Cathleen - Illinois Coach
Cathleen started her lacrosse career at Suffield Academy in Conneticut. She was a 3 year varsity player in field and 4 year varsity player in lacrosse. She then continued her lacrosse carrer where she attended the University of Vermont where she graduated in 2004. While attending/playing at UVM she was awarded "MIP" 2002-2003.

Glenn, Jaime - Illinois Coach
Jaime graduated from Indiana University and joined our team in the fall of 2006. She grew up in Indiana where she played varsity lacrosse in high school and was captain of her team senior year. Jaime then went on to play at IU for 3 years. She was captain and co-coach her junior year. Jaime coaches beginners as well as our competitve teams. She also plays in the Lacrosse America womens league, officiates, and is the defensive varsity coach for Deerfield High School.

Lesch, Annie - Illinois Coach
Annie is currently in her second year as the Head Coach at Glenbrook South High School, where in her inaugural year she earned “Rookie Coach of the Year” from the IHSWLA. She came to GBS after a year of coaching at Lower Merion High School outside of Philadelphia. Her coaching career began as an Assistant Coach at Williams College in 2000-01 where her team won the ECAC tournament, she then served as the Head Coach at Connecticut College for four years (2001-2005), where her team competed in the NESCAC conference which is the most competitive Division III conference for women’s lacrosse. Lesch’s playing career was spent at Kenyon College, a Division III school in Ohio where she was honored to be her team’s captain, 2nd team All-Conference, and a Regional All-American during her senior year. She is excited to be back in the Chicagoland area where she grew up to help the sport of lacrosse continue to grow.

Lyon, Janenne - Illinois Coach
Janenne started playing lacrosse at Worthington High School in Columbus,Ohio. In 1988 she started the 7th and 8th Grade Lacrosse program in Worthington.

While in college she ran the summer league in Columbus, Ohio from 1989 to 2006. From 1990-1993 Janenne coached the Worthington High School JV squad.

In 1994 she coached at The Ohio State University and assisted at Upper Arlington High School. In 1995 Janenne was the Head Coach at Worthington High School, her team placed 2nd for Midwest High School Girls.

Besides her extensive coaching experienced she is an accomplished player as well. Janenne has played at the 1997 & 1999 Vail Shoot Outs in Denver, Colorado, has been on the National Midwest Lacrosse Teams 1,2, & 3 from 189 to 1992 and also played locally for the Chicago Womens Lacrosse Club from 1996 to 2000.

Mizerek, Jill - Wisconsin Coach
After going to college to pursue a soccer dream, Coach Mizerek picked up the sport in the spring of her freshman year. Four year starter for the Minnesota State University Moorhead Women's lacrosse team. Instrumental in acquiring funds and getting the program off the ground. Received honors of hardest worker and most intense, voted on by the team. Senior year named captain, second all tournament team, also a member of the all-star team.

Nabb, Therese - Illinois Coach
Therese started playing lacrosse in 7th grade and attended Randor High School in PA from 1992-1996. While in high school. She was All Area Soccer 1994, 1995, All Area Lacrosse 1994, 1995, 1996, All American Lacrosse 1996 and National Schoolgirls Philly I 1994, 1995, 1996 where she played Midfield/Defense.

She then continued to play at Loyola College in Baltimore, Maryland. She was coached by late Diane Aikens, one of the greatest coaches to coach women’s lacrosse. While at Loyola College her team went to the NCAA Division I Tournament four times from 1997-2000 and was a member of a Final Four team in 1997, 2000. Therese was All CAA 2000.

After college she continued to coach for the Skywalkers Team from 2001, 2002 and the Lady Panthers Lacrosse in Dallas, Texas from 2005-2006. She currently works for American Express in a sales role.

Piehl, Helene-Illinois Coach
Helene grew up playing soccer until her best friend convinced her to switch to lacrosse during her sophomore year at Brighton High School in Brighton, Michigan. She was instantly glad she did and continued to play until graduation.In 2002, her coaching career began when her former high school coach offered her the position of coach for the newly formed Freshman Team. The following year she was then promoted to Junior Varsity coach. In 2004, she left Michigan to attend the University of Arizona where she played defense until she was sidelined early on with a non-lacrosse related foot injury. In 2007, she moved to Illinois and is very excited to be working with Lacrosse America.

Seeger, Jenna - Illinois Coach
Jenna began her lacrosse career during her freshman year at Lake Forest High School while playing in Lacrosse America's Indoor League. She went on to play lacrosse all 4 years at LFHS from 1999-2002 under head varsity coach Stephen Dunn, where she was the starting JV goalie her sophomore year and the starting Varsity goalie her junior and senior
year. During her senior year, she was an All-State Goalie for the Scouts as they won the 2002 ISHWLA State Championship over Loyola Academy. She was also selected to play in the ISHWLA All-Star Game and for Team Illinois.

After graduating from high school, Jenna played on the women's club lacrosse team at the University of Kansas. While on the team, she played both offense and goalie for the Jayhawks. She graduated from Kansas in 2006 and now works as a recruiter in the medical field, as well as being a part-time coach for Lacrosse America.

Simok, Katie - Illinois Coach
Katie is the head coach for Oak Park River Forest High School. She grew up playing lacrosse in Philadelphia. Katie took her game to the next level and played for the Division 1 Northwestern Wildcats where she graduated in 2002. Katie currently works for Baxter as a molecular biologist.

Sproul, Catherine - Illinois Coach
Catherine has been playing lacrosse since the 7th grade. She grew up in Maryland and played for the National Cathedral School where she was a high-school all-American. She also played soccer, and captained that team her senior year.

In college she played for Division I Harvard University. Catherine started for Harvard all 4 years and captained the team her senior year.

She was on the all south team and played in the all-american all-star game for the South Region. Catherine also did the all-star Washington, DC tournament, played for the Mid-Atlantic in the National Tournament, and was female athlete of the week in spring of 2001.

Catherine graduated from Harvard with a degree in psychology and now works in marketing at Discover Financial Services.

Ventrelle, Jennifer - Illinois Coach
Jennifer is the first Varsity Coach to be at Lake Zurich High School for their varsity program starting this spring. She played tennis in high school. She found her love for lacrosse and has countinued to share. She has 8 years of coaching lacrosse experience. She has previously coached for Evanston and Stevenson and is currently a high school math teacher at LZ.