This article appears in the January edition of US Lacrosse Magazine, available exclusively to US Lacrosse members. Join or renew today! Thank you for your support.

The U.S. women’s national team player pool includes several stars who double as college lacrosse coaches. We asked them what it’s like to trade in their whistle for a mouth guard on training weekends and how coaching makes them better players.

*Note: This is not an exhaustive list of senior team players who coach in the college ranks.

KATIE O’DONNELL 
Midfielder, Team USA
Assistant Coach, Lehigh

“It is advantageous if you want to continue playing at the national level to be coaching. I know when I was working a desk job, I came home after the first weekend, and I was like, ‘If my job gets in the way of me doing this, I’m quitting.’”

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KRISTEN CARR
Defender, Team USA
Assistant Coach, Johns Hopkins

“As a coach, it has helped me become a better player. When we get to those U.S. weekends, there’s so much expertise. But then we almost have to shift our mindset, because then we’re the players.”

EMILY PARROS 
Midfielder, Team USA
Assistant Coach, North Carolina

“I play midfield, but what I coach in college is offense. That’s grown my game offensively in order to help the team accomplish what we want to accomplish and help me get in the mindset of what Kayla and Tumi need so I can set them up for success.”