Steinert graduate Paige Meszaros is still wearing the Green & White, but as a Tartan, not a Spartan.
When Stuart Country Day School Athletic Director Frances Lyons was considering Meszaros as her new lacrosse coach, she contacted former Steinert coach Lorraine LaMontagne for input. It was as if Paige’s résumé had sprung to life as a real live person.
“I said I didn’t want to tell them how to do their job, but they should definitely hire her,” LaMontagne said. “Paige is such a dedicated and warm individual who always wanted to learn and be the best she could be for herself and those around her. Her loyalty and pride when it comes to her teammates and school are qualities that are difficult to find in people nowadays. She will certainly be relatable to the players who will play for her.”
Lyons apparently agreed, as the former three-letterwinner and record-setter is the Tartans’ new lacrosse coach. It is the first high school coaching job for the 2016 Steinert graduate, whose only other experience was working at youth camps/clinics and coaching young children while living in Florida.
“This is something I’ve always wanted to do. It was just really hard to find something that worked out with my elementary school hours in Florida,” Meszaros said. “I was never able to get to practice on time. It was one of my life goals, to be able to coach at the high school level.”
Making athletics part of her life was almost like a birthright considering Meszaros’ background. Her dad, Greg “Mooch” Meszaros, played soccer and baseball at McCorristin High (now Trenton Catholic Academy) and played baseball at Rider. Her mom, Kim, is associate director of athletics/staffing and administration at Princeton University. Younger brother Ryan pitched for Steinert and Princeton and was a Carpenter Cup selection.
“Growing up in my household, we always had sports on television or the radio,” Meszaros recalled. “It didn’t matter the time of year, it was always something. Growing up around sports and especially growing up in athletics with my mom on Princeton’s campus has been awesome.”
Her dad coached a lot of her youth teams, and instilled many of her core coaching values. “And I don’t know if I’d have been as good of a player if my brother and I were not beating up on each other and competing with each other at home. All three of them helped mold me into the person I am today, not just athletically but off the field as well. I’m grateful for that.”
Meszaros played soccer, basketball and lacrosse at Steinert, although lax was by far her best sport. She graduated as the Spartans all-time scorer with 121 goals in just three seasons, until former teammate Hannah Hart broke that mark with 166.
Meszaros went to play at McDaniel College in Maryland, but injuries took their toll after two years and she transferred to Florida Gulf Coast University to focus on academics. After graduating, she taught elementary school for three years, but a touch of homesickness brought her back to Hamilton last June.
After landing an ESL position at Lawrence High School and Intermediate School, Meszaros decided to take a shot at the Stuart job. With little experience to boast of other than her volunteer youth coaching in Florida and working the Steinert summer basketball camp and the Jess Gonzalez soccer camp, Meszaros just decided to be herself in her interview.
And with her personality and vision, that’s usually a good game plan.
“I let them know my coaching philosophy was to make sure all the girls would build close relationships on and off the field,” she said. “I will let the girls know I’m there for them not just as a coach but as a person if they need anyone to go to. They will work hard and have positive attitudes.
“I told them I always wanted a position like this. I feel like, as a player, I always saw the field well. That was one of my strengths. Now as a coach, I’ll be able to use that from the sidelines.”
Meszaros’ noted that her passion for leading a program comes from former Steinert coaches such as Mike “Stinger” Hastings, Lisa Pittaro, Jim “Jules” Giglio, LaMontagne, Kristin Jacobs and James Angiolino. “They all had a big influence on me wanting to coach,” she said.
LaMontagne can see her coaching potential as a player. “Paige is a natural teacher and coach,” she said. “If something doesn’t come immediately or naturally, Paige is the type of person who will hunker down and work at it until she succeeds. She was like that both as a student and an athlete.”
After her first week of preseason practice, Meszaros felt things went better than expected. She praised the administration, her assistants and the atmosphere at the all-girls school in Princeton, saying, “this is really a special place to be. It aligns with all my morals and values.”
She inherits a team that went 5-10 last year, but returns junior Allison Lee, who scored an amazing 100 goals as a sophomore. “These girls want to win,” Meszaros said. “They’re not just great people on the field but off it. The experienced players are really helping out the newcomers.”
Even though it’s her first year, Meszaros is not shying away from her goals. “I’m expecting a great season out of them. The freshman class will be really helpful. They’re picking things up quickly.”
The Tartans host Princeton in their Apr. 5 regular-season opener. As monumental as that game will be for Meszaros, the next one will be equally huge as Stuart visits Steinert on April 8. That also happens to be her dad’s birthday.
“I think I’ll have a lot of people there watching that day,” she said with at last laugh.
There will be at least two people on hand.
“I’m certainly going to be bringing my son to watch that game,” LaMontagne said. “Honestly, I could say a million amazing things about Paige. She deserves everything great that comes her way.”
Paige Meszaros is a new lacrosse coach at Stuart Country Day School.,
