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After last year’s head coach departed, Grosse Pointe South immediately began searching for a replacement to lead the Girls Varsity Lacrosse team. The search produced Shaun Hampton, who has played lacrosse his entire life and decided to focus his coaching abilities on the Girls Varsity Lacrosse Team. It was vital to choose someone with substantial head coaching experience like Hampton. Having coached for multiple high-level teams previously, he has a wealth of expertise in the sport. Hampton has played under two Hall of Fame coaches, coached Grosse Pointe North to a state championship, founded the girls 313 Lacrosse team as it’s head coach and assisted in the formation of a regional travel team, which taught kids who had never held a stick to play at the tier one level.
Hampton described that he wanted to coach this group because the girls on the team require a coach who can help them learn and improve. Hampton understands this and recognizes the challenges that the ladies face and assists them in achieving their goals.
“I started coaching (lacrosse) to give back and grow the game,” Hampton said. “I’m a big fan of identifying the problem and then finding a solution. I believe that the girls can learn to understand how to identify the problem and then work towards a solution versus focusing just solely on that problem.”
Hampton outlined how his analytical coaching approach will help the team improve and become a strong team as a whole. Finding suitable resources that will be able to assist him on his coaching path is of utmost importance.
“I’m a big believer in knowing my resources and treasuring them instead of being the smartest man in the room,” Hampton said. “I try to find people that are smarter and better than me to be on my team.”
Hampton said that having competent coaches on his side is crucial, and he indicated this coming into play with his plans to choose the next assistant coach.
“I’m going to be hiring an assistant coach who played Division One Women’s Lacrosse,” Hampton said. “I try to find people that are as knowledgeable as I am or smarter and bring them to the table so that everybody can learn and grow.”
One of the most essential components of a team sport is the effort put into it, and Hampton said he recognizes this and pushes his players to work hard at all times.
“I have a teamwork-first approach,” Hampton said. “Every day, we strive to improve by one percent—showing up, putting in the effort, listening, concentrating and being coachable. And we realize that if we work together, play as a team and play lacrosse, everything will be just fine. It is not an individual sport. It’s a team sport.”
Hampton said he strives to instill confidence in all players by teaching them how to play correctly. He said he understands that if the girls come prepared to learn, they will grow as a fantastic team.
“I can teach them fundamentals, I can teach them to play the game the right way, I can teach them to enjoy the process and enjoy what a great game it is,” Hampton said. “I think that’ll lead to success on the field. It will also lead to a growing and sustainable program. They’ll be able to look back and feel that this was an awesome time of their lives, in regards to the sport that they play.”
