Samantha Shaw '14 Recruiting Profile

Currently I am 5'6" and weigh 145 lbs. I ran the 40-yard dash in 5.8 seconds; bench pressed 85lbs; squat 170lbs; vertical 16" and my jump height is 8'7". As an athlete, I'm willing to continue to improve myself on the field and off the field. While attending King, I was granted the opportunity to play up during my 8th grade year and be the starting varsity goalie. During the summers of 2009 and 2010, I played for the Connecticut Chargers; both years I played up a grade level. I am on the CT Chargers 2014 team scheduled to play this summer.  

There was a minor set back in my freshman year season, as I sustained a concussion, which took me out for a month and a half of play. Because of this injury i decided to sit the summer of 2011 out and take the time to fully let my body recover. Prior to my junior season I had torn my ACL and was forced to sit out the season. Coming off of that injury I realized that I couldn’t take things for granted when I have them, and to appreciate the time I have playing lacrosse. 

In the eleven years I have been playing lacrosse, I have learned a lot about myself and what roles I play on the field. As a goalie I have the natural ability to be the communicator to the team. This is a lot like being the quarterback, I have to think fast on my feet and be able to make that connection with my teammates. Lastly, I see the goalie as being a motivator for the team. I have always tried my hardest to inspire my teammates to give 100%. It's my job as a goalie; the last line of defense, to remain even tempered when my team is down and set the tone for the defense so that we can join forces to do our job. Since my 8th grade year, I have been working with a sports physiologist/goalie coach who is helping me with the physical and the mental aspects of my position.

Looking forward, I would love to play at the collegiate level of lacrosse. It is important to me that I am challenged academically and on the field, therefore I would prefer to play at high level of competition. Up until this point I have been enrolled in a small school and appreciate the benefits that come along with such an environment. However, I am equally open to the possibilities of becoming part of a larger community. My experiences in athletics have led me to want to further my education possibly in fields such as sports psychology and athletic training.