One of the most beloved staff members in the Aspen High School has worked here for less than a year. Since starting work at AHS, Athletics Department Administrative Assistant Amanda Trendell has been appreciated and adored by the girls’ lacrosse players, ex-ed students, and colleagues.

She moved to Aspen, Colorado in early March of 2018, at the start of the lacrosse season. She had visited previously the year before in September.

Trendell grew up about 35 minutes outside of New York City in Yorktown Heights, where lacrosse is a dominant part of the local culture.  

“The staple of our high school is our athletic program, whereas every team went to postseason play for lacrosse. For myself in high school, we were sectional champs every year that I was there, and then one year we were state-champs which was really exciting,” Trendell said.

She was very invested in sports and extra-curricular activities during her childhood: she played basketball, soccer, and even danced growing up.

Junior Jaelin Nakagawa, a member of the girls’ lacrosse team, thinks Trendell is an inspiring person and that she provides helpful feedback for her lacrosse improvement.

“She is an amazing coach. She has a lot of experience with her lacrosse skills and she’s a super cool person: very supportive and very motivating,” Nakagawa said.

Although Trendell participated and excelled in many sports, she particularly thrived in lacrosse.

“I wound up moving to Yorktown when I was in 1st grade. My best friend was a massive lacrosse player and she had older siblings that played [lacrosse], so I picked it up in 8th grade and I wound up loving it,” Trendell said.

After going to high school in Yorktown, Trendell was recruited at Rutgers University in New Jersey, which was ranked 14th in the country at the time. From there, she received two degrees, B.S. in Exercise Science and B.A. in Psychology. She also served as the team captain and a 2-times Midfielder of the Year.

Junior Clara Maxwell was on Trendell’s outdoor education. She is inspired by Trendell, saying she was more of a friend figure than a teacher and that she admires her positive energy.

“We talked to her about anything and she helped lighten the mood when things would get tough physically,” Maxwell said.

“I would be able to go talk to Amanda if I had a problem because she’s super supportive and gives good advice,” Nakagawa said.

After college, Trendell moved to New York City and fell in love with the Westside’s massive bike paths and its proximity to Central Park.

“I lived in Hell’s Kitchen, which is on the Westside on the water which is really cool, and the event company that I was running was in Jersey City. I got lucky enough to never have to take the subway, so I would skateboard around New York to get to the ferry, and then go across the water”.

One of the people invested in Trendell’s company offered her a vacation to their Aspen home. She had been on a ten-week lacrosse event-tour, so she decided to stay there.

“I wounded up coming out here by myself, and I absolutely loved it,” Trendell said. “I love the friends that I’ve made and the girls that I coach. It feels more home than home.”

Trendell’s impact on AHS has brought new aspects sports-wise to the athletic department. With bringing conducive skill work to the lacrosse team, she also provides emotional support to each student she interacts with.

Since she played such a variety of sports, she thinks that certain aspects of some sports can be transferable to others.

“I’m so big on our culture of multi-sport athletes, I think that’s so awesome,” Trendell said.