200 Days in the Life of the College

Thursday, March 31

They play pranks like they play lax: Hard work,
no mercy

By Alexandra Orlov ’13

It’s the night before April Fool’s Day — and something is afoot.

Giggles echo down the second-floor hallway of the Blood Fitness and Dance Center near the adjacent offices of women’s lacrosse Coach Patty Kloidt and women’s soccer Coach Colette Gilligan.

Known for its tradition of outstanding play in the NCAA tournament, the women’s lacrosse team also has established another, albeit goofier, ritual. For the past four years, the team has played a prank on Kloidt in celebration of her April 1st birthday.

Last year the team papered Kloidt’s car with 1,000-plus Post-It notes. This year’s prank is no less diabolical. While Gilligan usually assists with the annual trickery, this year her office suffers collateral damage. The brainchild of Hannah Hoar ’13, the idea is to swap the contents — all the contents — of the Gilligan and Kloidt offices, and then disguise the deed by threading colored yarn throughout that of the beloved lacrosse coach.

Game faces are on. The team is a lean, mean prank machine. In an orderly fashion, armloads of picture frames and office supplies are shuttled to and from the two offices. The girls give and take directions and work together to move the fragile and large items. Though seriously committed to their mischief, teammates chat and joke throughout, using their roguery to unwind from afternoon practice. One removes her shoes and everyone loudly complains at the stench of sweaty feet. Apart from that smell, there is undeniable camaraderie in the air.

For more than an hour each player makes sure that every object transported has been strategically placed. The results are surveyed: mission accomplished. With prideful prescience, Nicole Nietlesbach ’13 declares, “I am not looking forward to practice tomorrow!”

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