DC LAX
SILVER ELITE COACHES
Valerie Gibbons
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Founding Member, Valerie Gibbons assisted with the creation of DC LAX in 2013. Coach Gibbons has served as Marshall High Schools Head Varsity womens lacrosse coach since 2016. She made her mark in her first season as head coach leading the statesmen to a first ever State Championship Appearance. Her lady statesmen finished as the VHSL 5A State Champion Runners Up, Regional Runners Up, and Conference Champions. In 2017, her second season as head coach, Coach Gibbons again led the lady statements back to the State Championship, finishing as the VHSL 5A State Champion Runners Up, at a game that was tied at halftime and a one goal differential for most of the game. Coach Gibbons also was honored as the 5A Northern Region Coach of the Year, Marshall's first at this level for boys or girls lacrosse for her work in leading the team in their win against the 5A state Champion, Potomac Falls, at the Northern Region Tournament.
In 2008 Valerie Gibbons became the first walk on in 10 years to make the George Mason University Women's Lacrosse Program, which was ranked 14th in the nation at that time. Although her time as a patriot was short, in her very first career start against Vanderbilt University she scored her very first collegiate goal. Valerie transferred after her freshman year and is currently completing her undergraduate degree.
Coach Gibbons is a native of the Northern Virginia Area, while playing at Falls Church High School, Coach Gibbons started all four years on Varsity at Center. She was honored three of her four years at Falls Church with All National District and All Northern Region honors ranging from Honorable Mention to First Team.
Sophie Lex
​Sophie Lex is a recent graduate at James Madison University. Coach Lex graduated from George C. Marshall High School in 2015 as VHSL 5A State Player of the Year and as Most Outstanding Player for GCM. She played for DC LAX and Supernova Select Lacrosse Club Teams in her high school years. Coach Lex continued her lacrosse career at James Madison University where she played on the Women's Club Lacrosse team. She has gone to the regional tournament and national tournament twice and has served various leadership roles on the team.
BLUE TEAM COACHES
Jessica Pereira
​Jessica Pereira has been playing with the DC Lax family since 2016 on the summer women’s league and joined the George C Marshall’s Lacrosse coaching staff in the Spring of 2019.
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She broke the schools all-time record for most JV wins in a single season with 10, finishing the season 10-1 for the lady statesmen.
Coach Jess started playing Lacrosse her freshman year of high school making the Varsity Team at Freedom in South Riding (2018 and 2019 Back to Back VA 4A State Champions). She naturally fit in on the field as a defender and earned captain roles her Junior and Senior year. She went on to play on the George Mason University Club Team all four years. Starting her sophomore year she was team captain and secretary continuing on to different leadership roles for the team until she graduated.
Coach Jess looks forward to sharing her love of lacrosse with the players!
GOALIE COACH
Matthew Hia
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Matthew Hia has been with the DC LAX family since 2014. Coach Hia has been the Varsity Goalie Coach at Marshall High School since the 2016 season. Coach Hia played goalie at George C. Marshall High school for 4 years as a student there. In the summer of 2009 he played for the NoVa Crusaders. During the winters he played in the Capital Box Lacrosse League (CBLL) as goalie. He continued his lacrosse career at Virginia Tech. After he graduated he continues to play on the Red Line Lacrosse team in the DC/MD/VA area.
DIRECTOR
Nicholle Depaz Clinton
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Director and Founder, Nicholle Depaz Clinton created DC LAX in 2013. Coach Clinton served as the Varsity Head Coach for the George C. Marshall Statesmen for six years (2010-2015). In her first year at Marshall (2010), Coach Clinton took the Lady Statesmen to their first regional appearance since 2005, and their first winning season since 1996. In her second year, the 2011 Statesmen advanced to the VHSL Regional Quarterfinals for the first time in school history and defeated the Woodson Cavaliers (2010 AAA State Champion Runners-Up). In 2012 the Lady Statemens finished their season with the best record in program history 11-5, and a #9 Ranking in the statepolls. In 2014 the Lady Statesmen yet again made school history by winning the schools first Conference Championship in Lacrosse, and finished the season with a another best record of 13-5, and #4 in the State Rankings for the 5A division. Coach Clinton again took the Conference Championship Banner in 2015 and Regional-Semifinal finish. Coach Clinton received Liberty District/Conference 13 Coach of the Year honors in 3 of her 6 years at Marshall (2010, 2014, and 2015) . In 2012 & 2011 Coach Clinton received Marshall High School’s Women in Sports Coach of the Year Award. In 2010 her team received the Northern Virginia Sportsmanship Award. Coach Clinton was selected by U.S. Lacrosse to speak at the 2009 U.S. Lacrosse Convention, her presentation was entitled: "5 Ways to Quickly Develop New Players to Lacrosse.” In 2009 she was also the recipient of the 2009 Champion of Character - Coaches Award for the Providence District in Fairfax County.
After graduation from Marshall High School, Nicholle went on to play Div. 1 Lacrosse for the Lady Monarchs in the CAA at Old Dominion under Sue Stahl (former U.S. Women’s World Cup Lacrosse Coach). In 2005 Nicholle transferred and competed in the ACC for the Hokies at Virginia Tech under Tami Riley. In 2006 Nicholle was selected in the STX draft and spent the summer playing for the Burnside Lacrosse Club in Adelaide, Australia. In 2007 Nicholle played a year of Club Lacrosse for Virginia Tech and was honored with team MVP.
Varsity Coaching Record (Marshall High School): 56-37-2
Coach Clinton received a plaque from Marshall High School in 2015 for becoming the Winnest Coach in Program History. In Marshall Girls Lacrosse (established 1992) there have been 6 coaches. The cumulative win-loss record of the 5 coaches that preceded Coach Clinton stood at 53-116.
Marshall HS NCAA Signees/Commitments:
Lauren Deaver - Midfield - Gardner Webb (Class of 2017) - Div 1
Hannah Smith - Midfield - Gardner Webb (Class of 2017) - Div 1
Rachel - Piche - Coast Guard Academy (Class of 2017) - Div 3
Sarah Smith - Attack - Asbury University (Class of 2016) - Div 2
Mary Hagopian - Attack - Virginia Commonwealth University (Class of 2015) - Div 1
Kelly Brown - Middie - University of Southern California (Class of 2014) - Div 1
Nuria Nuñez - Attack - University of the District of Columbia (Signed in 2013) - Div 2
Meredith Crizer - Goalie- William & Mary (Class of 2012) - Div 1
Rachel Waldron - Defense - Coastal Carolina (Class of 2012) - Div 1
April Reinhart - Defense - Campbell University (Class of 2012) - Div 1