Time for change

By Brad D. Bates
C & G Staff Writer

Photo by Edward Osinski Erin Stewart took over the four-time defending state champion Grosse Pointe South girls lacrosse team after former coach Debbe Pavle stepped down following the 2006 season.

South girls lacrosse changes coach, not goals

The Grosse Pointe South girls lacrosse team lost more in its recent offseason than it did during the entire 2006 season.

Following the squad’s fourth consecutive Division 1 state championship, the Blue Devils said goodbye to 10 seniors, including standout Pearce Pavle.

What made her so notable wasn’t just her status as an All-State player, the Blue Devils had four of those, it was the fact she was the last of South coach Debbe Pavle’s three daughters to play lacrosse at South.

And with Pearce’s graduation, Coach Pavle decided it was also time for her to move on.

“I finally had the chance to take a full time job,” Pavle said. “After raising four kids, to only have one in the house, I finally had the time.”

Pavle took over as the athletic director at the Academy of the Sacred Heart, home of the two-time defending D-2 girls lacrosse state champions.

Any doubts about her departure were eased when she finally found the right person to fill her spot with the Blue Devils, Erin Stewart.

“She has a great rapport with kids,” Pavle said of Stewart. “She’s been on my radar for awhile, playing with the my daughter and coaching with me in club. For how young she is, she is a very good coach.”

After graduating from Birmingham Seaholm in 2002, Stewart graduated from the University of Michigan in December of 2006, where she played lacrosse with Pavle’s middle daughter, Alexis.

When asked about the challenge of coaching a defending four-time state champion, Stewart referred to her 2001 D-1 title with Birmingham United as a helpful tool in relating to her current seniors, some of whom have as many as three titles to their credit.

“The team has been great, and the transition has been really smooth,” Stewart said. “I don’t think it was that big of a change (from Pavle to herself). The biggest thing has been taking over such a great legacy.”

You can reach C & G Staff Writer Brad D. Bates at bbates@candgnews.com or at (586)498-1029.