Margaret Williams ’19 embodies the qualities of strength, perseverance, and a touch of fun. Williams has been a part of a stellar 11 varsity seasons during her four years at Deerfield. As a captain of the Deerfield Varsity Girls’ Lacrosse team, Williams’ leadership is noticed by her teammates and coaches. Alongside that, she is a proctor serving as a mentor to underclassmen. She is also a four-year Varsity member of the Girls’ Soccer team and was a three-year Varsity member of the Girls’ Hockey team until she decided to take this past winter to concentrate on lacrosse. Williams will be taking her talent to the United States Military Academy next year where she will continue to lead on and off the field.
Williams was a ninth-grader when she first joined the lacrosse team. Assistant coach Amie Creagh believes Williams has grown not only in skill but also character in her four years on the lacrosse team.
Williams (#11) rips a shot on rivals Choate Rosemary Hall.
“As a 9th grader on a varsity team, Margaret used to play tentatively and doubt herself,” Creagh noted. “She now has a confidence that allows her to rarely make a mistake without forgetting the humility thread that she has always had.”
Williams has undoubtedly remained humble and continued to work hard during her time at Deerfield. Head coach Allison DiNardo believes one of Williams’ best qualities is her persistence to always put her team first.
“We graduated three starting defensive specialists last spring, and though Margaret has been an attacker for nearly all of her career, when we asked if she would pitch in defensively this year, she didn’t hesitate for a moment,” DiNardo said. “Margaret’s willingness to take on an entirely new position in her senior season demonstrates her selflessness and willingness to do whatever is necessary for the betterment of the team.”
When asked what makes the Deerfield Girls’ Lacrosse program so special to her, Williams remarked that the friendships she has made are some that she will cherish. “During these past four years, the lacrosse team has been like a family to me. It has definitely taught me that being on a team is more than just the sport.”
One of these close friendships that she has made is that with Hanna Deringer ’20. This past week, during Girls Lacrosse’s first game against St. Mark’s, Deringer felt that she had not performed to her best ability. “I was really in my head the whole game, and the worst part was I felt like I had let my seniors down like Margaret,” Deringer said. “I stayed after the game to shoot, and Margaret stayed the whole time to pass and feed to me. It really showed me what kind of a leader she is and how she takes her role as captain.”
This extra effort is nothing new to Williams. Williams actively pursues her talents during the off season as well. Soccer, hockey, and lacrosse teammate Haley Sundstrom ’21, said, “All throughout winter term, I would be walking back to the dorm from classes, and I would see Margaret going to the gym. I don’t think there was a day she wasn’t. Her confidence and hard work is infectious. As a senior, she’s been such a steady presence to look up to, and she has taught me how to truly love lacrosse and feel good about how I’m playing.”
Looking towards the goals for the team and herself this season, Williams wants to build off of the successes of the Girls’ Lacrosse previous season. “We ended up going 12-0 last year in our last 12 games, and we’d like to do the same again this year. But more importantly, we want to keep a strong team dynamic where everyone’s really supporting each other and working hard.”
These past four years, Williams has consistently been a driving force in the Deerfield Girls’ Lacrosse program, and it will be exciting to see how far she takes the team in her final season.