Phillylacrosse.com, Posted 1/1/12
Lacrosse fans that missed special guest Betty Shellenberger can catch the podcast of her appearance on the Lacrosse Radio Network’s “Lax High” show.
The 45-minute show, co-hosted by Phillylacrosse.com Editor Chris Goldberg, featured Philly living lacrosse legend Shellenberger as she spoke Thursday about how lacrosse was first introduced to the girls at Agnes Irwin School in the 1930s. Shellenberger spoke about how the game began to grow at the high school level for schools in the Main Line area and also in the Central League region.
The show can be accessed on blogtalkradio by clicking here. Every other week, Goldberg and Inside Lacrosse writer Ty Xanders co-host “Lax High.” and take calls on high school lacrosse. The previous guests have included Philyl boys’ coaches John Nostrant (Haverford School) and Andy Hayes (Episcopal Academy) and Garnet Valley girls’ coach Kate Henwood.
Future guests include United states U-19 coach Krystin Porcella (also coach at John Carroll in the Baltimore region) and McDonogh girls’ coach Chris Robinson (whose team has been No. 1 the past two season).
Shellenberger, a member of multiple Halls of Fame for lacrosse and field hockey accomplishments, also talked about the sport’s growth after World War II and her experiences as a long-time member of the US National Team. She also was a long-time coach and umpire.
Shellenberger commented at length about many of the changes the women’s game was endured since she first played – when wooden sticks and fields with no boundaries led to more open play and fewer injuries.
After graduating the college prep curriculum at Agnes Irwin in 1939, Shellenberger played for both the U.S. National Teams in lacrosse and field hockey.
In 1942 after the U.S. declared its participation in World War II, she followed her brother and enlisted in the armed services. Her Marine Corps unit was stationed in California, where she worked as an aviation mechanic and played lots of softball, basketball, tennis and badminton.
Returning to the family home in Germantown after four years, Shellenberger resumed playing internationally, teaching and coaching. She started coaching at Friends Select and Friends Central and moved on to establish both field hockey and lacrosse programs at the Stevens School and Chestnut Hill College.
Some of Shellenberger’s major honors:
*Honorary Secretary of the International Federation of Women’s Lacrosse Associations (1983-86)
*Named a Distinguished Daughter of Pennsylvania for her contribution to sports (1987)
*Inducted into the Agnes Irwin School Athletic Hall of Fame (2005)
*Inducted into the Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame (1986)
*Inducted as part of the Inaugural Class of the USA Field Hockey Hall of Fame (1988)
*Inducted into the National Lacrosse Hall of Fame (1994)
*Inducted into Philadelphia Sports Hall of Fame, (2009)
*Inducted into Chestnut Hill College Hall of Fame, 2011
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