Before leading his lacrosse team into the 2025 season, Daniel Lavallee made a mark on the hockey rink with a great season. After being named an all-conference hockey player, he jumped right into the lacrosse season.
Coming into the season with high hopes, the Milford Mariners finished the hockey season with an outstanding 13-6-1 record. The team had managed to make an appearance in the SCC/SWC Division 3 playoffs and made the state Division 3 playoffs for the first time in over a decade.
Mariners head coach JP Shimko has given the team an impressive turnaround in performance in his first couple of seasons as the head coach.
Shimko had named Lavallee one of his captains for the season and credits his impact as a captain “far from on the ice.”
Shimko remarks, “Dan, along with many others, had a big role in turning around the hockey program. His leadership on and off the ice is a major reason we had success this past year.”
When choosing his captains for the season, Shimko noticed something that made Lavallee different from the rest.
“Dan has many qualities, but the one that sticks out to me is his confidence. Dan’s confidence, not arrogance, shines through as he knows all the hard work he puts in,” says Shimko, “Dan is a player who puts in the work to be prepared day in and day out and knows it. He is a great example of what a true leader should be.”
Now transitioning into the spring season, Lavallee is looking forward to carrying the same energy into the upcoming lacrosse season.
“One of my main goals that I have is to win a state championship for the program,” Lavallee says.
Brian Adkins, head coach of the Foran Lacrosse team, credits Lavallee not only as a player, but a strong leader.
Adkins states, “Dan is an amazing leader not only for the way he plays both lacrosse and hockey, but how he carries himself on and off the field/rink.”
One of the few traits that stood out to Adkins was Lavallee’s “desire to win” and “have his teammates work to their best ability.”
Using his athleticism from the ice, he is a shifty scorer and a threat to every team. Dan looks to lead his Lions to a playoff appearance, along with his four other co-captains.
