By Chris Goldberg
Phillylacrosse.com, Posted 5/5/08
Dee Cross sounds like a giddy young lacrosse coach who is just getting started on a new career that shows great potential.
In fact, the second-year Upper Dublin coach is now in her second coaching tour after a successful 13-year stint at Abington. But getting to coach two of her daughters now, with possibly her other two on the way, has made this experience even more special for one of the most respected contributor to Philadelphia lacrosse.
Cross, a graduate of Norristown High and Shippensburg University, is a member of the Philadelphia Chapter of the National Lacrosse Hall of Fame. She played on the U.S. National Lacrosse team for nine years and was a member of two World Cup teams in the 1980s.
She had much success as a coach at Abington, but left the post in 1999 to focus on raising her four daughters.
A business teacher at Abington from 1984-94, Cross returned to the classroom as a health and physical education teacher at Upper Dublin three years ago. She was an assistant coach her first year, but last year she took over the reigns and her team went 10-9 and finished second in the Suburban one American Conference.
This year’s team, though, is 10-0 in the league (12-2 overall) and needs just one win to clinch the American Conference championship. What’s more, daughters Ali (senior goalie) and Amy (sophomore midfielder) have been mainstays on the field.
“I really have enjoyed it,” Cross said. “It (coaching her daughters) adds a different flavor. Sometimes Ali forgets, and says, ‘Mom…’ I think everybody is learning as we go. It has been good; there’s only been a couple times where my husband says, ‘Enough, I don’t’ want to hear anymore about lacrosse. He’s been very supportive.”
Last year the Cards had an up-and-down season. They were 10-2 in the Suburban One, losing twice to league champion Cheltenham by one goal. They also suffered a number of key injuries and lost all six of their non-league games.
“Last year we called it adversity ‘07,’” Cross said. “Every time we turned around, someone was getting injured.”
This year’s Cardinals have relied on many newcomers, especially on defense where Kelly Harchut, younger sister Nikki Harchut and Danielle Derr have been solid in front of standout goalie Ali Cross. Amy Cross has been steady at center while Liz Wall (64 goals) and Julianne Speese lead the attack.
This year’s biggest win was an 11-10 win over Cheltenham on April 25, a victory that completed a season sweep of the Panthers.
“This year has shown the character of the team,” Cross said. “We had only one returning defender and coming in we knew we’d have changes. I am really excited, they are learning each game.
“Amy is second on the team in scoring, assists and groundballs and has been steady at midfield, which is what we needed. Liz just decided to play at Davidson and is closing in on 200 career goals.”
Warren reaches 100-goal mark as a freshman
Baldwin School last year graduated All-American Emma Hamm, a prolific scorer who now is starring as a freshman at Duke. This year, freshman Sloan Warren has stepped right in to replace her as a scoring machine.
On Tuesday Warren netted nine goals to lead the Bears to a stunning 17-16 win over league-leading Episcopal Academy in an Inter-Ac League. That put Warren at 104 goals for the season.
She added five more Friday in a 13-11 Inter-Ac loss to Penn Charter. Baldwin (12-3 overall, 5-3 league) has four more Inter-Ac games.
“Sloan is an incredible lacrosse player, especially as a freshman,” said Baldwin coach Kathleen Harte Simone. “She has a very bright future ahead and we’re so pleased to have her on our team. She’s a terrific, team player who gives 100 percent every day at practice and in every game. A coach couldn’t ask more from an athlete.”
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