At Madison High School, girls lacrosse is about more than just wins and losses, it’s about teamwork, leadership, and growth. Leading that plan is Coach Jess Plsek, the head coach of the Madison Dodgers varsity girls lacrosse program. Coach Plsek leads a team that represents one of the schools most competitive spring sports and works with dedicated athletes every day. Madison High School has grown a strong sports culture, and girls lacrosse continues to be a part of that tradition.
Coach Plsek is a former Madison High School lacrosse athlete, class of 2005. She played defense for the Dodgers and was noted as a strong and smart player. After Madison, she went on to play Division 1 lacrosse for La Salle University, also playing defense. Graduating from Rutgers University, lacrosse was always in her blood. From 2011-2013, she was an assistant coach for the Madison Dodgers girls varsity. Previously to her current coaching position, she was named head coach for Montclair Kimberly Academy, and coaches with Centercourt lacrosse.
Coach Plsek returned to the Dodgers as an assistant coach, where she served 2 years before taking over as head coach. In her first season, 2025-2026, Madison girls lacrosse had a record of 13-6, and went 4-2 in division play. The team lost a heartbreaker in the North Jersey, Group 1 sectional semifinals to Mountain Lakes, losing 10-9. This shows much promise and hope for this year’s team, as the Dodgers push to reach even further than they did last year.
Madison’s varsity roster holds a strong mix of upperclassmen and younger players, which means leadership and team chemistry are a must for their success. Coach Plsek said “This is a rebuilding year for us, and there’s a real opportunity for players to step up.” She also said “we’ll be relying on a lot of underclassmen-including freshman-to grow quickly.” A coach in this position has to find ways to hold this roster together, while still letting them grow. It will take patience, consistency, and a strong understanding of lacrosse as a whole. Coach Plsek’s leadership helps set the tone for how the Dodgers will compete, and how they will represent Madison High School.
Jess Plsek is a former D1 lacrosse player, and she knows what it takes to make the roster. Madison has always had spirit, endurance, and that gritty edge over opponents. For this team, Coach Plsek says their “roster is more open than usual, so it’s going to come down to who earns it.” In varsity sports, nothing is guaranteed for the player, they have to win the spot. Coach stated that their focus is on “grit, effort, and resilience.” She realizes that this may be a tougher year to win, but she also sees how the strong competition will help the team grow and help the underclassmen understand the game better.
Coach Jess Plsek represents what high school coaches should be. She is kind and helpful, but also tough, committed, and a great leader. Her winning spirit and undying dodger pride will help the program grow for the future. At Madison High School, the girls lacrosse team will not be a team to sleep on, especially with Jess Plsek at the helm.