The minute school ends, the girls rugby team begins to make their way to Skyline Park. For the next few hours, assistant coach Eliza Altobelli will use her experience and chemistry with head coach Jenni Laferrier to help prepare the team for the season ahead.

In high school, Altobelli said she loved being a part of a team, and did everything from lacrosse to basketball and soccer. However, Altobelli never played rugby in high school. Her experience comes from playing at the Division I level at Penn State and her current professional rugby team, the Boston Banshees.

Altobelli said when she got to college, she missed being part of a team. Coincidentally, at the Penn State club fair, a member of the rugby team claimed they would go on to win a national championship, which Altobelli said drew her in.

“I went to the meeting, went to tryouts and got selected to be on a pretty competitive team that was the highest level of rugby you could play at the time in the country,” Altobelli said.

Altobelli said she trained hard in the offseason, specifically with Beantown Rugby Club. After a few years, she said she realized she was good and had a shot to play at the next level. She entered the Women’s Elite Rugby draft in 2024 and ended up on the same team as Laferrier.

According to Altobelli, since she and Laferrier now play on the same team, they have not only been able to run the Warriors offense with the same style as the Banshees, but their experience together has given the coaches unparalleled chemistry.

“A lot of times I think we’re just on the same page without even talking,” Altobelli said. “We like to execute the same way, we have the same strategy and a similar game plan.”

Laferrier said that the knowledge Altobelli brings to the forward pack and their differences in coaching styles benefit the team.

“She brings a contrasting energy to my coaching style, which I think is needed in every coaching dynamic,” Laferrier said. “You need to have the yin and yang.”

Altobelli said that she tries to be a huge supporter, but only when players play to their potential. As a player, she always respected the coaches who held her to a higher standard, something she said she tries to bring to her coaching style.

“I like to give a lot of positive encouragement when they’re doing the right thing, but I’m never going to tell somebody they’re doing a great job if I know they can do better,” Altobelli said.

Captain and senior Zaira Johnson said that the way Altobelli coaches is new and refreshing. Johnson said that she seems more like a friend than a coach who only tells them what to do.

“I think she’s definitely been like an outlet for some girls,” Johnson said. “A lot of them have gotten closer with her really fast, which is really good because I’ve already seen people confiding in her.”

Altobelli said the team has great community spirit, which fosters friendships on and off the field. She said they are supportive and want to get the work done.

“It’s always fun to work with a group of kids that have ambition, want to improve, want to win, are competitive, but also can have a fun time doing it and laugh around with it or joke around with it a little bit,” Altobelli said.

Altobelli said she hopes to impact the girls on and off the field.

“I hope to bring love of the sport, to bring a great attitude and positively influence these girls and help them become proud, strong young women,” Altobelli said.