Congratulations to Alana Jeronimo (Edge U19) on her recent commitment to attend Lindenwood University!  Jeronimo has been with the Edge program for less then a year and has proven in a short amount of time that she is ready for the NCAA. "Alana brings a level of consistency and reliability to the field that her coaches at Lindenwood will embrace.  She gets open and makes good decisions with the ball.  When Alana uses her size and strength attacking the goal, she is a tough attacker to stop - Barb Boyes.  We would like to wish Alana the best of luck at Lindenwood and have no doubt that she will be a key contributor to their program!

We had a chance to catch up with Alana

Where did you first begin playing lacrosse? Where are you currently enrolled/playing? 

I first began playing box lacrosse with the Whitby Warriors when I was 9 years old.  I started with the Lady Blue Knights when I was 10 in the under 15 HL program and joined the U15 Rep team 2 years later.  My most recent teams were the Lady Blue Knights U19 Elite team, Maxwell Heights Varsity team and the Edge U19 Lacrosse team.

Why did you choose Lindenwood?  

I chose Lindenwood because the size of the school and what they offer academically, the success of their lacrosse program and the team itself, both coaching staff and teammates, it immediately felt like home.

What are you looking forward to most at Lindenwood?  

I am mostly looking forward to being part of the Lindenwood Lions family.  I look forward to be a contributing member to an already successful program with a great group of coaches and players.

Future ambitions and goals beyond NCAA lax? 

I'm not entirely sure what field of study I will be taking, but would like to something in Health Studies.  After I graduate, I would love to stay involved with possibly coaching girls field lacrosse and passing on my love of the game.

When did you join Edge? Can you tell us about your experience in the program? 

Due to an unfortunate injury in 2013, I wasn't able to join the Edge program until the fall of 2014.  I really enjoyed playing with girls from other organizations, having different coaching perspectives and playing teams from all over North America.

Any future advice for Edge members? 

Follow your dreams!  The one thing every coach with the Edge program has said over and over, is that there's a school out there for everyone, you just need to find the right fit for you.  I had already looked at Lindenwood prior to traveling with the Edge program, and after contact with other schools following that exposure, it really confirmed I was making the right decision.

Favorite memory with Edge? 

My favourite memory has to be playing at the ESPN Sports Centre in Orlando. I have never been at such a large event with 30 fields going on at the same time.  The buzz of excitement was contagious!

Who did you look up to growing up?  

Growing up I have looked up to Janaye Dzikewich.  Having known her family, I was able to follow her success with the Lady Blue Knights, Louisville Cardinals and also Team Canada.  She is an extremely dedicated athlete that has worked hard to achieve her dreams. She always has time to give back to the sport, and I think that's what makes her special.

Any shoutouts, special thanks?  

I would like to thank all my coaches, but the one that really stands out would be Taylor Smith.  She coached me in U15 Elite and U19 Competitive with the Lady Blue Knights.  It was through her that I really found my love of the game.  Also, Barb Boyes (Lady Blue Knights and Edge) has been extremely supportive and helpful, always being there with some words of encouragement or much needed advise.