by By Dan Ninham (Oneida)
One of the trailblazers of developing a girls’ lacrosse program at Gowanda High School in New York is preparing to graduate and move on to juco lacrosse next season.
Hannah John is a member of the Seneca Nation and Turtle Clan. She is a senior lacrosse goalie at Gowanda HS, NY. Her parent’s are Heidi and David John and the family lives in Perrysburg, NY on the Cattaraugus Seneca Reservation.
She will be playing lacrosse for the Genesee Community College Cougars next fall of 2020.
“In 2017, I received Most Valuable Player and 2019 was chosen for Western New York Second Team All-Stars,” said Hannah.
“My core values involves my family, they play a huge role in who I am as an athlete,” said Hannah. “My parents push me to be my best and never give up. My mom always told me ‘there is no off season’. I push myself to be the best I can be on and off the field.”
“My Aunt Vanessa plays lacrosse with me and pushes me to be better on the field,” said Hannah.
“Charlie and Lauren Scanlan are my coaches,” said Hannah.
“Hannah is our goalie, she works hard and tries at her position,” said coach Charlie Scanlan. “Not many girls want to be the tender. She is going to be missed that’s for sure.”
“She is the bravest on our team to want to step between the pipes. When you have girls on the team that can rip the twine at 80 plus miles an hour, she stands strong between the pipes and gives it all she has.”
The preparation to play at the next level of college lacrosse started yesterday. “I need to develop my muscle memory movement in the net and running,” said Hannah. “There is always room for mental improvement. I have to be in a positive mindset and I do that by being with my family before the game they help me prepare for a game. I try to stay level-headed during stressful situations and help boost my teammates up so they do better.”
“I played lacrosse since I was five years old and when I transferred to Gowanda HS they just allowed a lacrosse program for girls,” said Hannah. “My teammates and I built the lacrosse program from nothing and made it into a great program.”
Photo Credit: Hannah John
