With her older brother and sister as well as her cousins playing lacrosse, Aly O’Neil’s mother thought it would be good for her youngest to get out onto the field as well. So, when she was in the first grade, O’Neil was signed up to play Norwood Youth Lacrosse, a sport she liked for its fast pace and ability and to learn and build her skills.

Four years later, it was her mother who once again saw something in her daughter’s lacrosse skills that triggered an idea. Mrs. O’Neil had her daughter try out for Laxachusetts, a club lacrosse team. Over the next few years, O’Neil also realized that she had a special dexterity to play the game. 

“I had raw athleticism, but in the seventh grade I was playing with the top girls on the club team, and it occurred to me that I could really do something with this,” the Norwood athlete said. “That year, I found myself watching a lot of college lacrosse and wanted to be on that stage and play at that level.”

Although still relatively early in her career, O’Neil was thinking far into the future and believed that it didn’t matter where she went to college, she’d be grateful to play anywhere. To be able to play lacrosse on the collegiate level would be a dream come true.

As her ability on the field continued to grow, so did her ambition. 

“As I got closer to entering high school, I remember I felt I could do so much more if I had the opportunity,” O’Neil recalled. “I really wanted to make the varsity team, but overall, I knew that I would get to play on one of the high school teams.”

O’Neil was definitely nervous of the high school tryouts as you never know when you can get cut. Putting her nervousness behind her, she went out and played her game hoping that it would be enough, but when the older girls got her to relax she knew that she had things locked up. 

During her first high school varsity scrimmage, it was raining and the field was muddy and gross. Once there, she just wanted to figure out her role with the Norwood team.

The freshman was playing midfield for the Mustangs where she got to roam basically the entire field playing defense at one end and offense at the other. On her club team she was an attacker, where she got to create offense and make plays for her team.

As she entered her freshman campaign, O’Neil went in with an open mind and set a different goal for herself each game depending who Norwood was playing and what the opposition was giving her.

In addition to being named to the Tri-Valley League All Star team, the young freshman found herself amongst the top players in league. She notched a total of 62 goals (Norwood’s perennial lacrosse player Shea Larkee had 58). She also added 43 draw controls, 27 groundballs, and 10 caused turnovers during her first varsity season.

“Being named to the TVL All-Star was a big honor as it is usually given to upper classmen who have worked hard over the years,” O’Neil said. 

Norwood Lacrosse Coach Krissy Pessa recalls seeing the freshman for the first time at tryouts and thought to herself, ‘who is this girl?’

“As a freshman, Aly was not afraid to be herself out on the field,” Pessa said. “She continued to build her confidence with her stick skills and really believed in herself.” 

As she enters her sophomore season, O’Neil’s number one goal is to help the team improve its overall record from a year ago. Norwood finished 9-7 earning a number 26 seed last spring in the Division 2 State Tournament where they unfortunately fell in the round of 32 to East Longmeadow. 

“While I want to improve upon our nine wins from last year, I also want to get into the tournament and get as far as the Round of 16,” O’Neil said. “For myself, I want to grow and continuing to learn while getting my teammates more involved. My defense needs to improve, and I need to channel it like I do with my offense.”

Although the Norwood Coach will be looking to her sophomore midfielder to lead the team, she wants the entire team to go out and have the chance to score.

“I would like the team to be able to spread the scoring around so we don’t have to fully rely on her [O’Neil],” Pessa said. “It would also keep the opposing team from getting the advantage by shutting down the only scorer.”

O’Neil may only be entering her sophomore season on the lacrosse field with the Mustangs, but she definitely has playing for a college team her future goal.

“Each year, I want to continue to level up my play and improve my overall game,” the sophomore said. “If I can do that, then I’ll be ready when its time to go to college and I will be mentally and physically prepared.”