Women’s lacrosse has now made an official mark on Diablo Valley College, courtesy of current student and player, 19-year-old Calen O’Neill.

DVC has tried in the past to create a women’s lacrosse team, but attempts were never accepted until this year, when O’Neill created an organizational meeting and booth in the quad to encourage women to sign up.

“What changed was the amount of girls we got to become interested in the program. On Viking’s Day we got around 50 girls to sign up, and enough of them stuck around to prove that there was a big enough interest in lacrosse,” said O’Neill.

According to O’Neill, the lacrosse program will have an experimental class on how to play the sport, which will begin in the spring. The class is currently providing stick work and conditioning practices a few times a week, and on weekends to prepare for the upcoming season.

Friend and fellow teammate Michelle Ravazza, 20, said, “Calen is a very strong-willed and motivated person that can convince anyone to join while still having fun with it at the same time. Even though she doesn’t think of herself as a leader I know a lot of the girls look up to her, including me.”

Susan O’Neill, Calen’s mother, said, “I am so proud of Calen for deciding to take action and make a difference. When she found out there was no Women’s Lacrosse program at DVC, she was both disappointed and incensed. That combo has turned out to be a good one.”

O’Neill showed interest in lacrosse when she was a freshman in high school, and played Defense and Defensive-Wing. Sophomore year she was brought up to varsity after only playing for one year prior.

However, beginning of the season her junior year, O’Neill sprained her left knee. She was out for the entire season, unable to return until the finals in North Coast Section, when she unfortunately injured the same knee again with an ACL tear.

She was out for most of her senior year as well due to this injury. Even with all these obstacles, she still decided to stay by her teams’ side and support them.

“I am amazed at how much initiative and maturity she has shown during her journey with this sport up until now to bring Women’s Lacrosse to DVC. She has been the driving force behind all of it and I am just blown away,” said O’Neill’s mother.

O’Neill’s future definitely looks bright, and whatever she decides to do, she will do it with determination, passion, and strength.