West Ottawa's Lily Montes earns Holland Sentinel Girls Lacrosse Player of the Year

Playing goalie is hazardous in any sport, but in lacrosse, that extremely dense ball - plus the traffic in front of the goal - can be a concussion waiting to happen.

Or, three concussions.

West Ottawa goalie Lily Montes saw three consecutive seasons shortened by concussions.

It didn't deter the senior. In fact, it made her determined to finish her career with at least one healthy season.

"What a way to go out, being able to play all season," Montes said.

Just the joy of playing - that is the kind of leader she was for the Panthers.

"Lily is such a positive light and leader for us," West Ottawa coach Samantha DeBoer said. "She kept us strong this year and was instrumental in defensive communication, saves and clears for us."

Montes said when DeBoer came on board, things in the program changed.

"This season was awesome, we may not have won every game but we as a team improved together," she said. "Our program has had to start from rock bottom. Not being able to hold a coach and all of them having different styles of coaching effect us, but when coach DeBoer stepped in everything changed. She really valued me and saw me as a human and not just one of her players."

That had a direct affect in the value Montes saw in her teammates.

"I think one of my strengths is my attitude and my ability to keep a positive mind set," she said. "In order to play the game, you have to be in the right mindset or nothing will turn out the way you expect it. Being goalie is a really mentally challenging position as well and if you consistently beat yourself up, you'll never be able to have fun."

Montes became the goalie as a sophomore and had to learn fast.

"My sophomore year, they did not have a goalie and I willingly stepped up and took the place, but I was also very at a loss for what was happening," she said. "From my first year to last, I think I really improved at everything, from understanding the game to making clears, there wasn't anything this year I wasn't working on."

Contact sports editor Dan D’Addona at Dan.D’Addona@hollandsentinel.com. Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter @DanDAddona or Facebook @HollandSentinelSports.