Sailer ensures smooth sailing

It takes a good team to win, but it takes an even better coach to bring out the best in her players. The Tigers have one such coach in Chris Sailer, head coach of the women's lacrosse team.

"Chris' pre-game speeches are some of the most momentous speeches that I have ever heard," sophomore attack Christine Casaceli said. "The one that first comes to mind is the speech she gave before our NCAA Quarterfinal against UVA, a team ranked second. I don't know if I have ever been more inspired. We ended up winning that game, 8-7."

Sophomore midfielder Kristin Schwab also remembered that breathtaking speech, given in the locker room before the match that saw the Tigers come in as underdogs.

"She said something like, 'Today, we will play with the heart and hustle of the underdog and the confidence and poise of a champion.' We ended up playing the best game of our season after that speech and upset Virginia."

Inspiration has been Sailer's specialty. Seated in front of an office TV playing videos of past games and practices, Sailer explained her motivational methods.

"I think I use a lot of different motivational things," said Sailer in her office in Dillon Gym. "I certainly push them and motivate [them] because we want to try and compete like champions all the time. But sometimes you might inject a lot of fire in them, other times, you'll focus on their pride, or calm them down, give them things to change skill-wise or tactic-wise. But I've been known to use the more fiery and tactical methods I guess."

But the shrewd tactician is far from a cold, detached figure. Her killer instinct as a motivator has enabled her to win the confidence and trust of the team.

"Chris is our mother figure here at school," said Casaceli. "She is kind and compassionate, yet is able to firmly set up the expectations for each of us. She has a great sense of humor, and our jokes are always received with a giggle and [a], 'Haha. That's funny, Tigers.' "

Such superior managerial skills have been the driving force that has elevated Princeton from a mediocre team, winning at best two games a season before Sailer's arrival, to the giddy heights of a team that is now a constant contender for NCAA glory. With Sailer at the helm, the Tigers have made 11 appearances in the NCAA Tournament, including two national titles in 1994 and 2002, three straight Final Fours from 2000-02 and six Ivy League Championships.

"Before I came, [Princeton] had a couple of lean years. The confidence wasn't there, and for me it was a matter of building that pride," said Sailer. "We were able to bring in great kids who believed in the possibilities, and I think once they started tasting success, they could feed off the positives of what happens at practice and games. It really builds on itself."

For Sailer, that roadmap to success was one she had experienced as a player for Harvard in her college years. She helped the then-weak Crimson rise to the top after being spurred by a moment of humiliation.

"[In those days.] Westchester College and Ursinus College had the best teams," said Sailer. "And every year for spring break, we'd travel down to Philly to play Westchester, Ursinus, Temple, etc. I remember at one point they were laughing at us. But by senior year we were undefeated in the regular season, 18-0. We won the AIEW national championship."

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The crimson tower that she had built herself, however, was toppled when she led the Orange and Black to victory against its Massachusetts rivals on a frigid March day in 1993, ending an era of Ivy domination by the Cambridge-based outfit.

"Since I'd been here, [Harvard] was the only team we hadn't beaten up until then," said Sailer. "We lost six years in a row [against them], including '89 and '92, when we reached the Final Four and were paired against them. It was nice to get the monkey off my back."

Having accomplished so much both as a player and coach, Sailer credits her geographical roots as a key reason she came to embrace lacrosse.

"I came from the suburbs outside Philly," said Sailer. "That was really a hotbed for women's sports. The top lacrosse schools like Westchester and Ursinus were around there, and many of the players from those schools went on to become PE teachers [in the area]. So we were really lucky to have really good coaches who were great at teaching, at getting us excited and who took us to games. Back in those days, it was really rare for girls to have that opportunity."

Whether consciously or not, Sailer has provided the same opportunity to her players. Her contagious hunger for success has been welcomed by the Tigers, and they will certainly be glad Sailer is again at the helm, as she embarks on her 21st season with the Tigers.