WENDY
PINTA GALLAPOO
has been involved in coaching and playing high school lacrosse
for over 20 years. Coach Gallapoo starting playing lacrosse
in 1983 on Thomas Worthington High School's team as a defender.
In 1985 she helped Worthington to a title when they won
the Midwest Schoolgirl's Lacrosse Association Championship.
She continued to play lacrosse at The Ohio State University
from 1987-1992. Additionally, she was selected to the Collegiate
Midwest Team #1 that competed at the National Tournament
in 1989. Between 1987 and 1990 she coached the junior varsity
team at Thomas Worthington under the direction of John Galipault.
In 1991
Coach Gallapoo began her coaching career at Upper Arlington
High School at the junior varsity level. In 1992 she assumed
the head coaching position. Under her direction, the varsity
squad made eight appearances in the Midwest Tournament.
The Golden Bears went on to win state titles in 2002, 2004,
and 2005 and were ranked nationally by US Lacrosse for the
same years under Coach Gallapoo's leadership. She ended
her high school coaching career with a record of 213-78-12
having earned the first-ever OCC Coach of the Year Award
in lacrosse for the 2007 season. That same year she was
also honored by the Ohio
Schoolgirls Lacrosse Association for her 16+ years of
service. Additionally, she coached 19 All-Americans and
transitioned over 60 players to the collegiate level.
In addition
to her high school coaching, Coach Gallapoo also was instrumental
in founding and organizing both the Jones and Hastings middle
school lacrosse programs as well as the
Upper Arlington Lacrosse Association, which provides
youth lacrosse programs and clinics for elementary students.
She also co-founded the Ohio Middle School Girls Lacrosse
Association with Laurie Johnson in 1994. During her tenure
as head coach she served on the National Scholastic All-American
and Academic All-American Selection Committees and was a
board member of the Ohio Schoolgirl's Lacrosse Association.
In 2009 Coach Gallapoo was inducted into US Lacrosse's "Century
Club" which was established to recognize high school
coaches of girls lacrosse who have achieved significant
levels of varsity wins in their coaching careers. Most recently,
Coach Gallapoo accepted the head coaching position at Hastings
Middle School where she hopes to add to UA's winning streak!
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