Paige Walton is stepping down after 24 seasons leading the Glenelg Country School girls lacrosse program.

During her tenure, Glenelg Country moved up from the Interscholastic Athletic Association of Maryland C Conference to the A Conference. She led the Dragons to five IAAM conference titles during her tenure, winning the C Conference in 2003 and 2004 and the B in 2005, 2015 and 2016. In 2017, the Dragons moved up to the highly competitive A Conference and she was named The Baltimore Sun’s All-Metro co-Coach of the Year.

Chrissy Adair, who joined the Dragons’ staff in the fall as the assistant head coach, will take over the program moving forward. Adair (née Lombard) graduated from Mt. Hebron and went on to play at Boston University, where she was a three-time All-American, a four-time first-team all-conference selection and the only player in America East lacrosse history to be named Player of the Year three times.

The Ellicott City native was an assistant coach at George Washington for three seasons before taking over as head coach in 2005. Adair led the Colonials for three seasons and was twice named the Atlantic 10 Conference Coach of the Year, finishing with a 30-23 record.

“We wanted to make sure we had the right person in place to lead the program forward,” Glenelg Country co-athletic director Jessica Dolan said. “We wanted to have that person in place before the season. We thought it would be best to continue the success we’ve had and continue some of the traditions Paige has had that has made the program successful on and off the field. Having the right person there was very important for us and we are confident that Chrissy is that person.”

Walton teaches in the lower school at Glenelg Country, which helped shape her coaching style. It’s also given her the unique opportunity to build longstanding relationships with players and their families, teaching some of them when they were in first grade.

“I think she has a unique perspective on just the development of students,” Dolan said. “Even a high school senior who might be one of the top, big recruits in her class planning to play Division I, they’re still students at the end of the day. They’re still young athletes who are learning and are going to make mistakes. That’s a huge part of preparing them to go off to college and then their future careers. She really does know the value of taking the time in the moment to not necessarily just make the correction, but how to approach comforting someone who made a mistake.”

Dragons co-athletic director Joseph Sierzega has a unique perspective on Walton’s relationship with her players, having worked with Walton and the student-athletes in several capacities. He spent five years as the school’s athletic trainer before transitioning to his current position.

“I can honestly say Paige is probably the most loved, most endeared coach here at Glenelg Country School,” he said. “I haven’t heard a student say any negative things about her coaching style or decision-making. She is pretty open, honest and transparent with the girls with all of her decisions. She’s always open to talking to the athletes whether it’s about playing time or skill work.

“I know that her caring style is apparent to the student-athletes. I know that they love coming back to see her and love giving her updates and are proud to tell her how things are going at the next level. I think she has a lot to do with that. She knows how to walk the line between friend and firm coach. If a girl is coming off the field frustrated or crying after a mistake or a yellow card, she’s the first one on the sideline that greets them and tries to calm them down.”

Walton’s absence will be felt well beyond the Dragons’ girls lacrosse program.

“She just ties the whole campus together,” Sierzega said. “She has influence in every level of a student’s life. She teaches in the lower school, she attends practices for middle school lacrosse and brings the varsity team to watch games. I think they’re going to miss someone that just fulfills the student at every level here on campus. We’re really going to have to replace three people when she leaves, just her spirit and the way that she is enthusiastic with every student that comes onto campus.

“After a game win or lose there will be lower school kids that come out and watch her and they’re running onto the field to greet her and she is wide-eyed, enthusiastic and smiling, excited to see them. It’s really a testament to the love she has for our student body at every level.”