"Every girl playing for Gail is truly at a personal risk, which is why she was asked to leave her former program. This is not an issue of a coaching style, which might not be compatible with some players. Gail is a truly unhappy and unhealthy person, who is a risk to her players and to the university. The fact that girls were upset that a member of the staff was leaving, because they felt "safer" when he was around, is just hard to think about as a parent. We have not had direct communication from the AD, but I can only hope they are taking these things seriously. Gail is not a "tough coach". She is an abusive adult who uses her authority to hurt people she thinks cannot or will not fight back. She finds happy young women who have been given an incredible opportunity to be a student athlete at an amazing university and tries to take all of that away from them. The administration should be addressing this very real problem and liability."

"As a parent of a highly ranked motivated and respectful athlete, I have serious concerns about the coaching environment under Gail after our experiences. Unfortunately, her leadership has resulted in significant damages physically and emotionally to many of her former players. She acts one way to some and is completely bi-polar with others. Many talented players have been alienated, their confidence eroded rather than nurtured and her approach to team management has been inconsistent and unpredictable. While discipline and structure are essential to a successful team - this is what they all signed up for - there have been instances of complete chaos then imposed rigid ridiculous controls that are not even enforced, but we have heard recorded team sessions where she was screaming and acted completely unprofessional and ranting like a banshee...again never addressing the root problems and allowing her favorites off from serious ream rule violations. She absolutely has inappropriate relationships with certain 'favorite' students - discussing other players confidential information and approaching situations as if she is a wannabe teenager still, looking to bully others and retain her queen bee status. She is the queen of Relational Aggression and encouraging her favorite athletes to do the same. There are dozens of instances of this we have now heard of and experienced. She is known to engage in gossip regarding players' personal lives, fostering a culture of distrust and negativity, again she justifies this to herself and others I am sure as some form of weeding out those unworthy, but it's far more divisive than that underneath the 'coaching' banner. The way she speaks to athletes is crazy to hear from the distance across the field and from the many recordings we have of her interactions, we kept hanging in there hoping it would all pass - you work hard you play hard you earn your way but that never seems to matter once she targets you. From a parent/spectator perspective, Respect toward opposing teams, players, and other coaches should be a fundamental expectation in collegiate sports. However, Gail displays regularly disrespectful behavior, open mockery, and negative interactions with her athletes, and competitors speaking openly badly about other teams' players to her own team and parents. During our time there we watched her mocking and laughing at another team's senior day making fun of an athlete's Asian ancestry and using a mock fake accent to disparage their heritage. It has clearly become her unfortunate norm from reading other the reviews here. Continuous mixed signals in coaching style, lack of knowledge of anything other than attack in the game, constant comparison to her own supposed athletic prowess many years ago, frequent open negativity about athletes she doesn't like or who are not part of the popular clique, and an inability to maintain a professional distance from student athletes, or create any type of supportive environment have contributed to a toxic and narcissistic atmosphere surrounding her. Furthermore, interactions with parents have been dismissive at best, with a troubling pattern of gossip about both athletes and their families. A strong team culture requires leadership rooted in integrity, encouragement, and mutual respect—qualities that, regrettably, have not been consistently demonstrated. She once said that they were better off without those who had left but that fell flat after dozens of solid athletes left the program. She told me once horrible things about a top athlete's parent and about specific students. I could only imagine the lies she has spread about our athlete to others. We can only hope her new program takes these concerns seriously and monitors her actively after reading these reviews, and considers necessary changes to ensure a positive, constructive experience for current and future athletes. Unfortunately, it seems a pattern on repeat with this coach. She absolutely reads these then asks others to put in positive reviews to counteract the negativity. There truly are too many negatives to ignore now. She's already demonstrated again recently why she isn't widely respected or liked as a coach by not communicating or attending recent clinic where she had rsvp'd - showing a complete lack of respect for the club hosting, the athletes attending and the organization planning. These pattens are RED Flags that anyone closely associated in the lacrosse community should see. Regrettably many parents do not have that level of insight to recognize or hear these to see this side of things until their athlete is hurt by her inability to successfully manage a team as a professional coach. "

"As a third year player, I have seen two other coaching staffs along the way at FU and this is how it is supposed to be on a college lacrosse team. Coach Gail knows what it takes to win and I can’t believe the two previous coaching staffs were even hired. Coach Gail and her staff are going to make Furman a threat in the conference in the years to come. "

"As a parent of a player, I want to share my appreciation for Coach Gail and her staff. This season, she stepped into a program that lacked direction the previous year, with no true lacrosse coach in place. Despite the challenges, she led the team to a winning record and brought structure, positivity, and growth to the program. My daughter consistently found the coaches to be approachable, supportive, and encouraging. They were always available to answer questions and provide guidance. We are grateful for the time, energy, and heart the coaching staff has invested in these girls. We’re already looking forward to next season! "

"It is hard to support Furman when Gail is the head coach, playing her manipulative games. The only word to describe her is crazy. The culture that was built previously is so far from what it was. "

"So thankful that coach empowered the entire team and captains to take ownership in the program and gave us the opportunity to improve our game individually and as a team. She was always available to talk to and meet with about anything. Film sessions, individuals, and practices that were fast paced. She puts academics first and we were allowed to miss any time for study sessions, office hours, beyond the classroom events and CLP's. Was practice hard sometimes, yes. But the purpose was clear and we had so much fun along the way. Can't wait for next year!"

"I am very confused on all of these negative comments. I was able to play for Coach Gail on the Furman Women's lacrosse team this past season, and it's safe to say she transformed my year. It was very difficult with past coaching changes, but when Coach Gail came in, our level of play was put on another level. Coach pushed us to get individuals (which any good athlete should want anyway) and do individual film to expand our game knowledge and develop as a player. Some don't understand we are scholarship athletes who are basically being paid to play to our best ability and it is not for the weak. Gail had to establish a culture that kept getting undermined by a few manipulative upperclassmen that were upset with the new and different way of running things. There is no such thing as a perfect coach and there will be things you disagree on, but it is safe to say the future of Furman Women's lacrosse is bright. I love having Gail as a coach and can't wait to see how the rest of my career plays out."

"Gail was the worst. The biggest joke of a lacrosse coach I have ever had and I had many. I don’t even know if I can call her a coach because not once did she coach. She spent all her energy yelling at us about trivial things. Gail sat on the sideline eating her snacks during halftime while the players were coaching one another. Funny she was eating snacks because she first requested donations for snacks from the parents and then proceeded to put a camera in our snack room because we were “stealing the food.” Gail claims she played three sports in college, but I’m not sure she really understands how college sports work. Players were expected to lead the team through the season both in practice and in games. These were the same players that she talked poorly about and degraded within earshot of others. She will not support you and lift you up, but rather scream at you and think you are not worthy of her time. If you were successful despite her not investing energy into your development, she would not dare acknowledge it. According to her, there is no time for feedback and all she cares about is the future. Don’t be fooled by her mental health matters t-shirts, all that matters to her is winning an argument… including things that can be proven wrong with receipts, facts, and eye-witnesses. You will not win against her and she will not help you win on or off the field. If you are considering playing for her think about meals, money, scout, and gear… GOOD LUCK. "

"Gail is a not only a terrible coach, but a terrible person too. She created a TERRIBLE team culture on her team by having groups of favorites that would sit in her office with her for multiple hours before and after practice, these girls would also be allowed special privileges that other ppl didn’t receive.( like getting certain gear, picking her children up from school, special trips with her when we travel, trips to her house, ect) Gail would tell her favorites private information like about an injury or personal information that you had shared with her that you wouldn’t want shared. This created extreme toxicity on our team and eventually lead to it falling apart causing 25+ transfers. She was even like this to her other staff. I will admit she does have a good lax IQ but does that really matter when you’re miserable all the time at practice/lift/games/ and travel? When we traveled she would specifically put groups of girls in rooms close to hers so she could listen to them outside their door ( yes she actually did this.)You will CONSTANTLY catch her giving you dirty looks if you aren’t one of the favorites then turning to her group of girls laughing. She acts like a high school bully to bunch of 18-23 years olds which is really pathetic as a 50+ year old. She does not create a supportive environment and does not care about her players. She will mentally abuse you if you aren’t one of her favorites. Also would only play the people she liked, doesn’t even matter if they should be starting or not, as long as you were on her good side you would be playing. During the recruitment process she sounds great and like she really truly cares for you but it’s all b.s. If I could go back in time I would NEVER commit to play for her knowing the way she treats people. "

"So it looks like a group of unhappy Anderson U players voiced their opinions in May of a "successful" season in which they almost reached D2 NCAAs. Then she leaves and a bunch of parents or friends? leave positive reviews (maybe to ensure new Furman recruits aren't scared away?) I've met Gail briefly and I know former players. As an unbiased outsider I would describe her as a win-at-all-cost type who is knows the sport and is intense. She cares less about developing the individual. She's built two successful D2 programs from scratch and then left them, at their peak. Maybe she has a family and is chasing $. Either way, if you join her program you're likely to have a new head coach in the middle of your college lax career. That's just what the records say."

"Coach is awesome!! She is so passionate, dedicated, and competitive in everything she does. Her contagious energy and attitude has led her career, her family, and her team to a winning record. She deeply cares about her players on and off the field. She not only will coach you to be a better athlete but a better person. She places great emphasis on community by getting the team involved in volunteering, community service events, and fundraisers. This also fosters team bonding and friendships off the field. She expects a lot out of her team, puts a lot of trust into us, and in return she gets results! She gives it her all everyday and she expects the same out of her team. She is very understanding, has open communication, and honest about playing time and where you stand on the rooster. She is approachable and very easy to talk to. She is flexible with practice schedules that may conflict with academics and understands that school will always come first. She is creative when it comes to work-outs, practice drills, and game plans. Team culture was always strong and positive, as she was transparent with athletes and parents. She will teach you a lot about self-discipline, hard work, teamwork, humility, sportsmanship, respect, and the value of practice. She ALWAYS makes the best out of any situation. It's been an honor and privilege to play for coach, and most importantly have the opportunity to see her and her family flourish!"

"Wow! As the parent of a former player, I can't believe all of the negativity on this page. Most of these comments are humorous, borderline libelous, and flat out lies. It really shows the immaturity of some of former "players". My daughter has had nothing but good things to say about Coach! Playing scholarship lacrosse is not for the faint of heart. It's not high school, or club lacrosse. It's paid (scholarship) lacrosse. People's livelihoods are on the line. My guess is these negative reviews are coming from kids who were not good enough to see the field or kids who are so spoiled rotten by their parents, they aren't used to constructive criticism or being told no. Gail is a great coach who not only wants you to succeed on the field but off of it as well. I can't wait to see what she does at Furman! "

"All of these ratings are just like Gail as a recruiter. She looks amazing from the outside and the second you commit and step foot on campus your life is a living hell. Do not be fooled by the charm and the stories you hear. I wouldn't be surprised if the people who are posting on here were ordered to do so by Gail herself. If you play for Gail, get ready for mental games. She one time sat us down and spit on us while yelling "I f*****g hate you all". If you are okay with someone talking to you like that, then this is the place for you. "

"Got to experience coach as she built a program and developed it into a winner by the time she left, thankful for her help developing me both on and off the field. Hate seeing some of these comments, but coach was honest with players about where they stood with regards to playing time and what they could do to develop, but she also emphasized that at the end of the day we’re there to win. Coach is one of the most competitive people I know and that will to win and passion spills over into all aspects of her coaching and career, she was just as excited when I had a good test grade as when I had a goal. She also placed a huge emphasis for us on community service and outreach and helped players postgrad with connections and networking. Thankful for the experience and the lifelong friend it left me with!"

"Coach is a competitor and always held us to a high standard on and off the field, but never expected perfection. She was tough but always fair, she told you the truth even if you didn’t want to hear it and spent time coaching you and getting to know you, no matter if you played or not. But more than that, she cared about us. She comforted us if we had relationship problems, hugged us when we were sad and homesick. She drove us to the airport, doctors appointments, always asked how our day was, and invited us into her home. When we got into some trouble, she forgave us. If we needed her, she was there, no questions asked. She scheduled everything around our schedules and invested in our academics, She constantly advocated for the entire team to be treated fairly and be respected by the university and the athletic department. She led with empowering confidence that made us feel like we could do anything. And there is so much more. Forever grateful!"

"I transferred onto Coach Wallach's team and had nothing but great experiences. She was very welcoming and helped in any way to make sure the transition onto the team went smooth. She is a coach that really cares for her players and will do anything for them. She is very passionate about coaching and is willing to do whatever it takes to have a successful team and if you look back at her records she has been very successful, so I have no doubt she will do the same at Furman. I loved her as a coach and have nothing but great things to say about her! "

"Gail was a wonderful, intense, and very honest coach. She brought my game up exceptionally from the high school level to playing at the college level. She was very up front with her expectations of every player on the team. She was demanding on the court, but also allowed for wonderful friendships and relationships off the court to flourish, both with teammates and our coaching staff. We had a lot of fun and made it to post-season play. I wish she had been able to coach me my entire career. "

"Coach G had an invaluable impact on my life as a player and a person. She helped me grow my game and put me in positions to highlight my strengths. Beyond the court, she has been a mentor and constant shoulder to lean on. "

"My daughter played for Coach Wallach and I have absolutely zero regrets about sending her to play for Coach Gail. From day one, Gail was upfront and truthful about everything (playing time, expectations on and off the field, travel, etc.). I stumbled onto this page and could not believe all of the negative remarks. From both my and my daughter's experiences, we could never say a bad thing about her. She is tough and demands the best out of her players, but is fair when it comes time to put the best lineup on the field. Don't believe the negativity on some of these reviews. Go out and create your own college experience, if you choose to play for Coach Gail it will be one of the better decisions you can make."

"You commit to a program based on trust knowing your child is being taken care of and the coach helps them on and off the field. Can’t say anything positive about the experience as this coach played head games with her players and had girls always stressed and unhappy. All we ask as parents be honest tell your players where they need to work harder and do better. Don’t tell th one thing them do another. You lose all trust and confidence. Not a coach I would have my kid play for … very disappointed in the facade presented to parents. "

"Horrible person all around. Manipulative, Dishonest Mind games, anything horrible you could think about a coach .. she has. Hoped for a career ending injury with her"

"She has genuinely been one of the worst coaches I have ever been coached by. She treated most players horribly and created an environment where teammates couldn’t trust each other. She turned such an amazing school horrible and ruined my first two years of college. She forced over 20 players to either quit or transfer at her previous school because of how terrible of a coach she was. She had favorites, not even her best players. It was players who loved feeding into Gail’s toxicity and betraying their teammates. She not only did this at her last institution but at the one before that one as well. She has not changed in the 10+ years that she has been coaching. I would never recommend her to coach anyone. I feel bad for the girls at her new school. "

"I heard through many people that this coach was toxic. She would make many people cry after games because of her spreading rumors, talking down about players when they had minor slip ups, and overall a disrespectful and manipulative coach. I myself was not on the team, but I have heard enough about this coach to not recommend her to be a coach to anyone. "

"Manipulative, lies, steals. Tells players they need to lose weight. She will be so nice to your face and then turn around and talk bad about you. Results in a poor team culture where everyone talks bad about each other, other teams, and other coaches. "

"I do not recommend playing for this coach. She is dishonest, talks poorly about players to other players, and has no boundaries or moral compass. A great deal of players have removed themselves from her leadership because of the toxicity she creates with her little group of favorites. She has many narcissistic tendencies and very clearly views herself above all others. She cries on the sidelines when her team is losing, and has very little control over her emotions and actions. She hides her true self decently to players, but it was very clear that she had poor relationships with other coaches and staff, which speaks volumes. Unless you want to be lied to on a daily basis and learn how to be a kleptomaniac, I would not play for this woman "