It is often said there is always calm before a storm. This statement can be accurately said when describing GA’s 2024 Spring Sports Season. The preparation brought by each team: baseball, softball, track and field, rowing and lacrosse, since mid-January calmly cycled players, or our own Upper School students into a monsoon of a season with many successful games and remarkable growth.
The ladies of the spring, or GA girls softball team, have been among the teams with a successful season. Starting the season on April 5, they beat Lawrenceville on field 11 14- 2.
This game prepared them for the season and served as a preview of their team dynamic. On April 22, they drove 40 minutes to Westtown School where they won 26-4. Whether from Aubrey Daniel’s ‘26 superstitions or their astounding athletic ability the girl’s efforts paid off.
“I think it is lucky to put on your right shoe, then your left,” Daniel said.
Another highlight of their season was Liv Reynolds ‘25 scoring her 100th career strikeout, and bringing home a win against Notre Dame, 23-9. They take pride in these moments and are glad they showed off their skills, proving themselves in the Inter-Ac.
On the other side of the field, or more so the river, GA boys and girls crew row, row, rowed their boats mightily down the lane.
“The team has gotten closer as well as stronger,” Jack Wescott ‘25 said.
One of these moments that shone through, was when the quad, with Andrew Wells ‘25 seated in the bow, Maloy Lafferty ‘25, Jack Wescott ‘25, and Utsav Mittal ‘25 seated in stroke, beat Havervord’s quad, with a record time of 5.00.07, in the first race of the City Championships.
Along with the success of the season itself, the rowing season has been memorable for more reasons than one. The team’s emotional connection was emphasized by girls Captain, Gertie Lafferty ‘24.
“I come back to Crew every single day because of the people and the family that we create within the group,” Lafferty said. “I think this year we had a really strong group of girls and we all pushed each other to get better and encouraged each other. I think our team got a lot stronger physically and mentally as the season went along and I think we grew really close as we spent more time together.”
Although the oars are made out of carbon fiber, it could be questioned that our GA team was made of gold: the team has grown and is continuing to develop, and their hard work has been proven.
Both the GA boys and girls track and field teams have shown their abilities in hard work. As a display of these skills, the boys and girls track team traveled to the University of Pennsylvania from April 25 to April 27, to run, hurdle, and vault on Franklin Field. These athletes ran well, finishing fourth in the boys 4×400. Following this, the boys placed 2nd and the girls placed 3rd as Inter-Ac champs.
Apart from team success, athletes of this team have found individual pride in setting personal records and continuously improving their mindsets.
“My mindset has grown by looking at workouts in a way to enhance my athletic abilities,” Walter Mulroy ‘26 said.
The team has shown that success comes from more than believing in yourself, rather believing in your impact on peers is the key to accomplishing each other’s goals.
Many on the boys lacrosse team agrees they have gotten better.
“A game I am proud of was the Haverford game, where I scored a varsity career goal,” Jack Dillon ‘26 said.
Their practice and ambition have been uncanny this season, and with the end of Spring ‘24 wrapping up, they are getting hungrier and hungrier in upcoming years.
Later in the season, they won against their rival, Gwynedd Mercy 16-3. The girls lost against Springside Chestnut Hill Academy on April 30, 10 to 11. Refusing to let their guards down, in the first round of the Pennsylvania Independent Schools Athletic Association Championships, the girls won by two against Springside Chestnut Hill Academy, with more points than their earlier competition.
Throughout a 3-month season, the GA girls lacrosse team has shown tremendous growth and has become more than acquaintances with the goal.
Each athlete has found their place on the team and learned to thrive. Seen in both the boys and girls lacrosse teams and the softball team, they have played the games using both strength and method. In both the GA rowing and track teams, they have set their grounds on the race courses, and at this point have a handshake with the finish line. The ‘24 monsoon has wrapped up, yet GA’s spring athletes have only begun their missions to both physical and mental success in sports.