Congratulations, Sharon Sarsen.
Sharon Sarsen is a previously featured Section 1 Coach of the Week, recognized for a 45-season legacy of leadership, mentorship, and commitment to student-athletes and the Lakeland community.
Great coaching is about more than wins and losses. It is about teaching discipline, building confidence, developing character, and leaving a lasting impact that reaches far beyond the field.
Recognizing coaches who make a difference.
Section 1 Coach of the Week celebrates the people behind the players, the programs, and the memories that last a lifetime. Each spotlight honors leadership, dedication, sportsmanship, and the kind of mentorship that shapes young people far beyond the scoreboard.
— Coach Vin Savastano
Sharon Sarsen
Head Coach | Lakeland Field Hockey
Coach Sarsen is being recognized for an extraordinary coaching career, her longstanding service to Lakeland athletics, and the profound impact she has had on generations of athletes through field hockey, lacrosse, and community leadership.
A SUNY Cortland field hockey and lacrosse alumna, she began coaching Lakeland Varsity Field Hockey immediately after graduating and is now in her 45th season. In 1985, she also founded the Lakeland-Panas Girls Lacrosse Program and served as a varsity coach until 2016.
Her influence extends well beyond wins. Former players continue to give back as high school, youth, club, and college coaches, and Lakeland student-athletes continue to grow through the values she teaches: character, discipline, confidence, teamwork, and a lifelong love of sport.
A Legacy of Leadership
“After 45 years, what matters most to me is the impact I have had on the young women I have coached. I want to be remembered not simply as a coach, but as a mentor who helped each player develop character, discipline, confidence, and a lifelong love of sport.”
Coach Sarsen shared that one of her greatest points of pride is seeing former players give back to the sport and to the Lakeland community. She continues to mentor athletes and coaches while helping grow the game through SOAC, the Hudson Valley Field Hockey Club, and broader Section 1 and national involvement.
As the 2026 season continues, she remains energized by the opportunity to lead a talented, motivated, and determined Lakeland team, while helping her players become the best versions of themselves both on and off the field.
Words from Coach Sarsen
I have had the privilege of coaching numerous sports throughout my career, including basketball, softball, boys’ and girls’ lacrosse, and, of course, field hockey. I played both field hockey and lacrosse at SUNY Cortland and began coaching Lakeland Varsity Field Hockey the summer after I graduated. I am now in my 45th season, and I feel incredibly blessed to have had the opportunity to coach for so many years.
In 1985, I also started the Lakeland-Panas Girls Lacrosse Program, where I remained a varsity coach until 2016.
One of the things I am most proud of is seeing former players give back to the sport and the Lakeland community. Many are now coaching at the high school, youth, or club levels. Currently, Andi Geraghty, Leah DiSisto—both former Lakeland players—and Alyssa Marino coach with Lakeland Field Hockey. I truly could not do what I do without them.
I am equally fortunate to have such dedicated players and families within our Lakeland Field Hockey family. Each fall, our varsity players give up their Sundays to coach first- through eighth-grade players in the SOAC Fall Program and also help with the LCSD Girls in Sports Program, which Rebecca DiSisto-Leslie and I initiated in 2017.
Although I retired from teaching in 2021, I have remained active in all areas of the sport. I chair numerous national and Section 1 committees, run the Hudson Valley Field Hockey Club, which travels to top-level events during the offseason, and oversee the field hockey training component of the SOAC program alongside Mr. Vin Collins. Two of Vin’s daughters, Courtney Castaldo (Colgate University) and Caitlin Collins (University of Louisville), also went on to play collegiate field hockey after Lakeland.
As I enter the 2026 fall season, I am as excited as ever to lead Lakeland Varsity. We have some challenging games ahead, but we also have a talented, motivated, and determined group of players who are committed to becoming the best versions of themselves and our team. Our five captains—Meaghan Heyde, Aditi Parambath, Olivia O’Connor, Gianna Santini, and Riley Waters—are outstanding players, role models, and leaders.
I am especially proud that so many Lakeland players continue their education while competing collegiately. Currently, twelve Lakeland alumni are playing college field hockey, while many others are giving back as coaches—twelve at the high school level, four at the college level, and three through their own club programs.
One of the most notable Lakeland alumni is Melissa Gonzalez, currently the head coach at Yale University and a two-time Olympian. I was fortunate enough to travel to London and watch Melissa compete in the Olympics—an unforgettable experience and one of the many special memories this sport has given me.
After 45 years, what matters most to me is the impact I have had on the young women I have coached. I want to be remembered not simply as a coach, but as a mentor who helped each player develop character, discipline, confidence, and a lifelong love of sport.
I hope field hockey continues to thrive within the Lakeland community and beyond, and that the legacy we have built together continues for generations to come.
Nominate a coach who deserves to be recognized.
Tell us about a Section 1 coach who leads with purpose, shows up for their players, builds character, and creates a lasting impact.
Coaches from any sport in Section 1 are welcome.
Great coaching is about More Than Wins. It’s about the impact you leave behind.