My name is Beth Larkin and I have been a lacrosse coach in Essex County for about 20 years! In that time, I have served as a youth lacrosse coach, a high school coach at Montclair Kimberley Academy, and for the last few years, at the helm of Glen Ridge High School. During my time at Glen Ridge, we’ve seen a great deal of success including 5 Essex County Championships, 2 State Championships, and multiple Conference Championships, while being consistently ranked as one of New Jersey’s top teams.
While I am proud of those accolades, I am even more proud of the young women athletes who have been a part of my life these past 20 years. I have always felt that as a coach, if we focus on the process and the character of our players and team as a whole, then the successes come in spades, which is not only seen within the win column. I feel successful in the coaching capacity when I see these players grow their confidence, leadership, and enthusiasm.
These attributes are what enticed me to join Centercourt Sports Club and Centercourt Lacrosse Club. Having the opportunity to meet with Kim Christos, Director of CLC, was an amazing experience, where I felt like I was reuniting with an old friend. Kim and I share the same philosophy about the power of the process, player development in both the sport of lacrosse and the overall growth of the athlete with regard to their character and confidence. At CLC, it’s not all about the win, it’s about the player!
At CLC, we are approaching the club scene in a new light and are embracing a forward-thinking approach to the player’s (and family’s) overall experience. By lessening the grind of the summer & fall weekend travel circuit and curating our team’s summer and fall experience to serve their talents and needs, we feel the overall club experience will be more positive, player-focused and development oriented. We understand that for most, the ultimate goal is to be recruited to play at the college level, but the recruiting landscape has since changed over the years and we believe that a better method exists in getting players the necessary exposure.