Michelle Maxwell-Gold
Championship head coach of Centreville High School, northern Virginia regional coach of the year, generous participant in instructional outreach efforts in area, selector and coach of regional high school teams at USL national tournament, Syracuse University graduate, admired leader of area coaches’ association, Potomac Chapter board member, valuable volunteer for the sport of lacrosse.
The expansion of lacrosse in Northern Virginia accounts for a significant portion of the exponential growth of the sport in the greater DC metropolitan area over the past 20 years. This pattern of development consisted of simultaneous progress for both girls’ and boys’ programs. One difference-making catalyst for this balanced growth was a girls’ coach named Michelle Maxwell-Gold.
Michelle began her lacrosse career as a player/coach on a fledgling club team at Syracuse University. The experience prepared her well for her future role as a fire-starter in the sport. With this lacrosse management background and a degree in education, Michelle transitioned to teaching and coaching lacrosse in public school. What she found in northern Virginia were a handful of girls’ lacrosse teams all playing at the club level. Michelle soon joined with fellow coaches and boosters in building the foundation - brick by brick - for developing the sport throughout the region. She began coaching in the Fairfax County public schools in 1990. Michelle spent four years at the junior level pioneering at Robinson High School. There, a no-cut policy prevailed and they sponsored the seminal annual clinic at South Run rec center that welcomed all aspiring players from throughout the entire northern region.
When varsity status was approved throughout the county for the 1994 season, Michelle took the reins of the year-old Centreville High School program. There, she spent the next 11 seasons as head coach. Incorporating the traditional kilt in her program, she began by teaching the basics. Before long, Michelle’s teams were among the top teams in the northern region. Michelle earned back-to-back coach of the year honors in 1999 and 2000 from the northern region and Concorde district respectively. During the 2000 and 2001 seasons, she coached Centreville to the district, regional, and state championships.
During her coaching career, Michelle has worked hard for the common good, serving in myriad capacities to help grow the game. She worked countless hours at summer and fall camps and clinics. Michelle served on selection committees for the Commonwealth Games, various all-star teams, and national tournament teams. She volunteered as president of the northern Virginia coaches’ association, and served on the academic All-America regional selection panel and the board of the Potomac Chapter of U.S. Lacrosse.
Michelle made a decision to step away from her full-time lacrosse commitments in 2004 in order to enjoy her responsibilities with her family. She and husband David reside in Springfield, VA with Nicholas, Anthony, and Jessica. When her children are all old enough to be playing lacrosse, watch out. Michelle Maxwell-Gold will be back.