Female Student-Athlete: Pennsbury’s Welch and Falcons are in perfect harmony this year

By Bridget Algeo
Phillylacrosse.com, Posted 5/15/08

To play the viola, the musician must glide her bow across the strings of her instrument with graceful ease and confident timing.

With that same swiftness, senior defender and violist Alexandra Welch effortlessly draws a comparison to being a member of a musical chamber group to being part of her varsity lacrosse team.

“A big comparison between the two is learning to sacrifice a little bit of individuality to fit, for the good of one body,” Welch said. “While there needs to be strong individuals to lead, the whole group cannot rely on just a few people.”

This season, Welch has been one of those leaders for a Falcons lacrosse team hoping to make the District One playoff for the first time in school history.

“We’ll find out this Sunday,” says Welch, who maintains a 4.5 GPA and is heading to the University of Pennsylvania next fall. Pennsbury coach Andrea Garberina sings the praises of Welch, the Laxzilla/Phillylacrosse.com Female Student Athlete of the Week.

“Alexandra is the cornerstone of our defense,” says Garberina, whose squad recently finished their regular season at 10-8.

Welch is also an integral part of the Pennsbury Falconnaires, a select musical group invited to play at Lincoln Center last year. On June 2, Welch will once again join them to play at Carnegie Hall.

“It’s a real honor,” says Welch, who is grateful for her mother’s gentle encouragement to begin playing the viola in the fourth grade.

“She used to play the piano,” Welch says of her mother. “She never pressured me. She just has been very supportive, even when she dealt with me practicing horribly.”

No doubt enduring the early years of imperfect play has paid off.

“She is really happy for me,” declares Welch.

A well-rounded student who – besides music and sports – enjoys art, history, English, and French, Welch is open to trying new things in the future.

“I’m undecided about my career path,” she explains. “I just know I want to study something I really love.”

Right now, she loves being part of what she describes as an “amazing” experience with her fellow lacrosse team members.

“We’re very cooperative,” said Welch, who has 48 groundballs and 33 draw controls this year. “We get along great. I will miss them.”

Perhaps Sunday will bring news of a playoff bid for the Lady Falcons. If so, it’s sure to be music to the ears of Alexandra Welch.