Coach Bonaccorsi to Lead Girls’ Lacrosse

Among exciting new changes in Fenwick’s Athletic Department this year is the addition of Tracy Bonaccorsi, whose contributions will include serving as the girls’ head lacrosse coach. 

Bonaccorsi said that she wanted to take this job at Fenwick to “fulfill not only the void of organization behind the scenes, but also the need for a female voice in athletics.” Bonaccorsi also mentioned the close family ties she has with the Friars as her grandfather, dad, all six of her brothers, and even her cousin Emmett who is a current senior, have all worn the shield. So far, she has enjoyed her time at Fenwick, commenting that her favorite thing she has been able to do this year so far is to go to the Fenwick-OPRF basketball game at Wintrust. Friars can look forward to Bonaccorsi’s contributions to Fenwick athletics in the year ahead.

While spring sports’ outlook is dependent on IHSA decisions, Bonaccorsi had been gearing up to split her time between the athletic office and the lacrosse field. This will be Bonaccorsi’s fifth year coaching. She has previously coached in California and most recently at Fenwick’s former sister school, Trinity. 

When asked if she always wanted to coach, Bonaccorsi said, “I always knew in whatever sport it would be that I wanted to help teach younger kids and spread athletics and teach the foundations of begin a teammate and responsibility.” 

This season, Coach Bonaccorsi is looking to focus more on the mental aspect of the game—helping players to always have a positive mindset and to recognize how that will transfer onto the field and into play. Looking forward, Bonaccorsi speaks about wanting to build a better culture within the lacrosse community at Fenwick. Bonaccorsi and boys’ coach Dan Applebaum are already planning to do more to connect the boys’ and girls’ teams in the future, such supporting each other at games. The coaches are looking to do more double headers and run more youth co-ed clinics together. Within the girls’ team, Bonaccorsi is hoping to implement more team bonding and to build a better culture on the field by “just letting the team play rather than saying run the exact play and then screaming.” It all goes back to the positive mental attitude Bonaccorsi is working so hard to establish. 

While Coach Bonaccorsi is still getting to know the team, and the coronavirus school closures have limited the season’s possibilities for 2020, Bonaccorsi is certainly prepared to take this team to the top in the future with her long-term goal of coaching the team to a state championship. 

Coach Bonaccorsi is working hard on and off the field to take Friar athletics to the next level and to provide the help the athletic department needs to ensure that everything runs smoothly. With Bonaccorsi at the head of the lacrosse program, Friar nation can expect to see the team take off in the next few years under the leadership of a coach not afraid to implement the changes the Friars need.