With lacrosse newly entering into the west, many experienced players have migrated alongside the sport to have a hand in the growth of the game. Brooke Mihoces, head coach of the varsity girls lacrosse team at Carlsbad, has been spreading the love of lacrosse throughout the community for nearly six years. This year, Mihoces was brought back to her high school in order to be inducted into the hall of fame for her outstanding athletic and academic achievements.

“My high school, St. Mary’s in Annapolis, Maryland, is known for its intense and high level athletics,” Mihoces said. “It was a huge honor and an amazing experience to be recognized among the athletes who are already in the hall of fame because of the way they affected their teams and the ones who followed in their footsteps.”

After her many achievements (being team captain, first-team all american, all-metro and three time all-county selection), Mihoces graduated and continued to the University of North Carolina where she played division one lacrosse on scholarship. With North Carolina being one of the major powerhouses of lacrosse to this day, Mihoces gathered a lot of information which paved the way for her career in coaching.

“Brooke was always a silent competitor when she played and led by example,” assistant coach Jana Bradley said. “When I coach with her, I feel like I am constantly learning from her. She can really simplify things and help these young athletes learn about lacrosse.”

After tearing her ACL, Mihoces was red-shirted at UNC and decided to play her last year of eligibility at the University of Oregon and became an IWLCA All-American. The next year, she began coaching division one lacrosse at Oregon until she married her husband and moved to San Diego, California.

“I think Brooke has such a passion for this sport especially coming into the area of San Diego, she wants to see the sport grow and wants her players to perform at a higher level,” Bradley said. “She comes from the east coast and she has that knowledge needed to grow great lacrosse players.”

This spring season marks Mihoces’s sixth season at Carlsbad. Under her and her assistant Jana Bradley’s coaching, the lacrosse team has improved from their 3-13 record last season, to a current record of 6-1. The team is currently ranked sixth in the San Diego section, and Mihoces prepares to take her team to the top.

“I love lacrosse so much and I love to instill that in other kids,” Brooke Mihoces said. “I have a passion for finding that spark in players and growing it to be a big part of their life. I wouldn’t coach if I didn’t love it– every time I coach a team, I wish I was the one playing.”