Ireton alum takes lax to a world stage

: Senior Mia Breheny receives an award at Varsity Awards banquet from princiipal Fr. Matt Hillyard, OSFS, in 2006.

(reprinted from GWU athletic website)

Throughout her career as a lacrosse player, Bishop Ireton High School (’06) and George Washington alumna Mia Breheny (B.B.A.’10, M.T.A. ‘11) has seen the sport she loves provide her with countless opportunities. Despite being challenged with multiple injuries over the past 11 years that Breheny has spent on the lacrosse field, giving up was never an option, and she took her talents overseas to teach young female lacrosse players the same life lessons.

Perseverance has paid off for the Alexandria, Va., native, who is currently coaching girls’ lacrosse in England, as she was recently offered the unique opportunity to compete for The World Team in Super Series Lacrosse’s Great Britain vs. The World lacrosse tournament.

“I have spent almost half of my life playing lacrosse and I will never give it up,” Breheny said of her numerous injuries. “People are always amazed that I continue to play, but every injury I have faced has taught me to never give up.”

Breheny and her teammates competed in a five-game series against GB Lacrosse, which is run by Super Series Lacrosse at the Twickenham Stoop from July 7-12 in London. The World Team is comprised of 18 players from across the globe, including two from Australia, one Canadian, two from the Czech Republic, one from Germany, Ireland, Japan and the Netherlands and six from the United States. Serving as the head coach of the World Team is Sue Sofarnos, who served as an assistant coach of the 2005 Australian World Champion team and was head coach of the 2009 silver medalist team.

“This event has always been to increase international competition for elite lacrosse players and adding a new and exciting event to the international lacrosse scene,” Travis Taylor, manager of Super Series Lacrosse, said. “Mia was selected to play for The World Team because we not only look for players who compete at an elite level, but who also have an interest in promoting lacrosse.”

“The organization of lacrosse in England is completely different from the United States,” said Breheny. “Because lacrosse is generally limited to select private schools, a lot of focus is put on playing in high school and then advancing to the national level. The goal is to increase participation so the level of play doesn’t drop so drastically after high school.”

After earning a bachelor’s degree in business in 2010 and a master’s of tourism administration in 2011, Breheny moved overseas to begin working at the
Godolphin School, a boarding and day school for girls in Salisbury, England, that is highly touted for its championship lacrosse program. In England, girl’s
high school lacrosse is broken up into a first senior team and a second senior team. While also teaching physical education at the school, Breheny serves as
head coach of the school’s second senior lacrosse squad – which ranges from girls ages 15-18 – and the U-12 squad – the youngest girls at Godolphin.
Breheny’s second senior team finished third at this year’s national tournament while the first senior team claimed the National Schools Tournament championship for the second straight year.

“I am really looking forward to playing at Twickenham Stoop and having my girls cheer me on,” Breheny said. “It always feels good to have the players watch
their coach.” Breheny first found an interest in coaching overseas through the English Lacrosse Association (ELA), which serves as the England’s governing body of lacrosse. The ELA recruits NCAA lacrosse players from across the country to travel to England for the purpose of coaching and teaching in boarding schools. Breheny first discovered GB Lacrosse because of its reputation at Godolphin, and she agreed to help manage and organize the Super Series event.

Competing with fellow NCAA Division I athletes Kate Cipolletti (Boston University), Grace Gavin (Loyola), Katie Kirk (Cornell), Brittany Poist (Maryland) and Lacrosse Honda Sports Award national player of the year Taylor Thornton of 2012 NCAA Champion Northwestern, Breheny looks forward to showing her student-athletes that lacrosse can provide them with several unique chances, both scholastically and professionally, down the road.

“Lacrosse has given me countless opportunities throughout my life,” said Breheny. “Earning a master’s from GW, living in England, coaching and continuing to play against really strong competition; I feel like I owe it to the sport to never give up.”