Blue Wave Pride Fuels Calby’s Lax Success
NEIRAD enilno edition
Liz Calby has been a powerhouse on the lax team her four years at DHS. The foundation for her stick prowess began long before she hit the high school turf. Calby was introduced to the sport at a young age. Her mother was a former player and soon got her daughter involved.
“When I was kid we would go out in the backyard and throw around. When I got tired of my mom, I got my best friend (senior) Ann Fucigna into playing, and since then the two of us have always played together,” Calby said.
An excellent player herself, Fucigna credits Calby for getting her involved in the lacrosse. “She taught me to play and since we’ve been playing together for so long we’re able to have great chemistry on the field and it makes for a really fun experience,” Fucigna said.
Calby’s passion for the sport pushed her to continue playing at the high school level, an experience she says has been incredible. While coaches may push their athletes to the limit, Calby says she can always count on her teammates for support. “It is the only team I have ever been on that has been so incredibly competitive in terms of starting/playing time, but at the same time everyone wanting their teammates to excel,” Calby said.
To play lacrosse at the varsity level in Darien requires speed, agility and skill with a lacrosse stick, all of which Calby has in excess. What sets her apart from her teammates is her dedication. Junior laxer Trisha Vossler said, “Calby is an awesome player because she really cares about the team and about the sport. She’s super passionate about lacrosse and the DHS team which makes her a great player.”
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Yet for Calby, lacrosse is about something more than camaraderie, sportsmanship and while winning FCIAC and state titles, Calby’s fondest memories of her DHS lacrosse experience stem from something deeper. “As weird as it sounds, my fondest memories of playing lacrosse are small things like wearing the Darien jersey and participating in the annual youth day...whenever I put on my jersey, I'm not just playing for myself, but instead I'm playing for my coaches, my teammates, everyone who came before me, and everyone who will come after me.”
However, more tangible memories have come from winning. Calby says there is no feeling in the world that can be compared to winning a state championship and hopes to do so again.
Junior neighbor Eleanor Palmer says, “Liz is almost like family, I grew up watching her play and my entire family loves to see her excel. It would be so great if she could win another state title her senior year.” It’s been a tough season for the varsity team, but they continue to practice hard and progress as a team despite their heartbreaking loss in the FCIAC semifinal.
At the end of the season Calby’s journey with DHS lacrosse will come to a close, but she will continue to play on the Dartmouth team, where she will be attending next year. After that Calby isn’t sure about what the future holds, all she knows is that she’s excited and can’t wait to start the next chapter of her life. But one thing’s for sure, Darien Lacrosse will lose another outstanding player who will leave us here at the high school with a longstanding record of athletic excellence as she carries the DHS winning tradition with her into the Ivy League.
