Elizabeth Ghilardi Reviews

I was initially recruited to play lacrosse at Skidmore College, which was a significant opportunity for me. Unfortunately, I had to make the difficult decision to quit the team due to several reasons, primarily related to my mental health challenges and the dynamics with the coach, Ghilardi. During my time on the team, I found Coach Ghilardi to be cold and hurtful in her approach to motivating players. Her coaching style often involved pointing out our flaws and weaknesses, with the belief that this would push us to improve. However, instead of motivating us, it created a constant fight or flight mentality within the team. Her tactics seemed to undermine our self-esteem rather than boost our confidence. One of the most concerning aspects of my experience was the high turnover rate on the women's lacrosse team. This suggests that I wasn't the only one who felt this way. It's disheartening to witness Coach Ghilardi seemingly taking advantage of her players' vulnerabilities, which contradicts the importance she preaches about mental health. Although Coach Ghilardi may emphasize mental health, my fellow teammates often reported feelings of stress, unhappiness, and disappointment. It's evident that her coaching style had a detrimental impact on our well-being. She not only failed to support us mentally but also came across as a dream crusher and a bully, making it an unpleasant and unhealthy environment for student-athletes. I hope that the Skidmore College administration can address these issues to create a healthier and more supportive environment for student-athletes, where both physical and mental well-being are taken into consideration.

Coach Ghilardi promotes a toxic environment on the team. Her favoritism puts players against each other causing cattiness and bullying amount the teammates. No one feels secure in their position and thus every player is fighting for their position taking their own teammates down along the way. If you do find yourself in Coach’s good graces, then your fellow teammates will retaliate against you. This creates a toxic environment where the players self esteem is sabotaged. I do not recommend coming to Skidmore to play Women’s lacrosse under any circumstances. She has also cut recruits. Beware!!

Choach Ghilardi ruins lacrosse for people who have grown up loving it and as a result has also negatively impacted entire college experiences. She doesn’t value getting to know her players, their preferred coaching styles and they ways to give and receive feedback that work best for them. She thinks everyone needs to respond well to her style- she once yelled at the team telling us we were all “too soft” in response to one of her players crying after she yelled and tore them apart on the sideline of a game. She doesn’t understand the importance of family conflict or mental health. Death of a family member or school friend is not important nor does she understand why it would affect you- that is until it is within the team. We’ve had captains quit… we’ve had almost entire grades quit and if you try and have a conversation letting her know that the team is going to lose more people for x, y and z reasons, she will turn it on you and say the information you are giving isn’t true and that you’re just upset with how your season is going. Her team has literally had a team counselor before and she refused to adapt to the suggestions that the counselor gave.

Undoubtedly a regrettable experience. Ghilardi only plays favorites (and those whose families donate significantly), runs them into the ground, and doesn't care to give any other players a chance. Dreadful team culture of starters vs. people who never see the field (not because they're bad, but because they aren't on coach's pedestal). An overworked team of bench players with false hopes of playing time when starters will continue to see the field even through injury. Cannot stress enough that no matter how good you are, if you are not a favorite, you won't play and if you ask for reasons, there will be no solid ones in response. During my time, over a dozen people quit (I wish that I was one of them), and the rest of us banded together to commiserate over our poor experience on the team. Skidmore is a great school, but this team and coaching experience ruined the sport for me and many others, in addition to amplifying mental health struggles with little to no support from the coaching staff.

Ghilardi is cold and hurtful. Her idea of motivation is by putting her players down creating a constant fight or flight mentality. She points out flaws and believes that will make her players want to change but it only makes it worse. The women’s lacrosse team has the highest quit rate for a reason. She is unfair and takes advantage of her player’s vulnerabilities. She preaches mental health but if you asked the players how they were doing, you’d find that they’re stressed, unhappy and disappointed- to name a few common symptoms. She’s a dream crusher and a bully.

Great during the recruiting process. Knows and loves the game. Not the most personable.

The so emotionally manipulative it’s crazy. Out of all my recruiting class only one girl actually made it to senior year.. everyone else quit. She has no idea what a healthy team culture is and she fosters an environment of anxiety. The only reason the team “gets along” is to band against her. Do not play for coach ghilardi. It’s a running joke on campus how many women’s lax players will quit.

Highest quit rate of all teams. I think she is rude and makes players feel uncomfortable. Creates a horrible team culture and favors players.

Not in favor of players mental health. Only cares about her athletes as players and not people.

Was a bystander to bullying on and off the field. Created a hierarchy. Treated players with injuries or health issues poorly. Impatient with teaching plays, didn't give players a second try. Put pressure on players to preform instead of encouraging them to succeed. Didn't encourage academics first.

knowledgeable & forgiving

Talks a lot about team culture and community, but fosters an environment of tension and social hierarchy/groups. Doesn't ever reach out to support you as a player unless you're a favorite. Seems very distant and unfriendly compared to other DIII coaches.

Very poor communication skills. Extremely dishonest. Likes to pin teammates against one another. Does not follow her own rule of "keep your issues off the field", often takes out external anger on individuals or team as a whole. Not understanding of external issues student athletes face. Harmful to the mental and physical health of her players.

Coach was not good at dealing with people who had any health issues. Valued starters over bench players and picks favorites. Does not do a good job at keeping promises. Has good intentions and tries to foster a culture of support. Values academic success and supports players off the field as allowed.

Elizabeth is direct, honest, and doesn't sugarcoat things - she will motivate you and push you to be the best version of yourself, on and off the field. Having her as a coach helped accelerate my growth and maturity, and I am grateful for our time together. She has a dry sense of humor, but don't let that fool you, she is a big softy underneath.