Born and raised in Charlottesville, Virginia I never dreamed where lacrosse would take me. In fact, as a kid, I didn't dream about lacrosse. I didn't know what lacrosse was until I went to an "informational meeting" in 8th grade. That was where my fate was sealed.
The first day of pratice our coach asked for a volunteer goalie for the day. Although she promised it was not forever, little did she know, it was. Once I stepped in the crease, I knew I was in the right place. In my first season as a Black Knight we went 0-12. It was rough but with a start like that things can only get better. My senior year we went 12-2 and advanced as far as possible in our division. High school lacrosse taught us all to work hard, rely on each other, and laugh... a lot!
Maisie looking all pretty these days.The recruiting process was a whirlwind and I ended up at Hofstra Univeristy in Long Island, New York. When I went on my recruiting visit I fell in love with the team, the coach, and the chance to be so close to the city. At Hofstra, I was the four-year starting goalie for the Pride. During my career we went to the CAA championship three times, winning the conferenc once, advancing to NCAAs once, and most importantly having fun, lots of fun. All the 6:00am runs, 8-hour bus rides, and late night study halls made us a closer team and a more effective unit on the field. I met some of my best friends at Hofstra and I would not change anything about my experience.
Maisie in between the pipes for the Pride.I enjoyed life off the field, at Hofstra, as well. I majored in legal studies in business and minored in political science and history. I took a bunch of art classes and every opportunity to get in to the city to visit museums, go to street fairs, and experience different cultural events.
The summer after my sophomore year I played in a tournament with a few players from the Welsh National Lacrosse Team. I expressed excitement about the team to them because my grandfather was from Wales. During the tournament, I spoke to the coach and the next month I was flown over to the United Kingdom for a try-out. After a long exhausting weekend, I made the team, and started flying to Great Britain once a month for squad weekends. The team was filled with amazing and ccomplished women who ranged in age, experience, and backgrounds. We had doctors, police officers, and there were a few other students as well.
Maisie in the cage again, this time for the Welsh National Team.After I graduated I moved to England to be closer to the team in the year leading up to the World Cup. I taught sports at the Royal School for Girls in Haslemere, Surrey, UK. At the school I was the head coach for five lacrosse teams with players ranging in age from 11-18. If for any reason I had started to think of lacrosse as a job, this position reminded me exactly why I loved the sport. I had so much fun working and learning with the girls. Also, being in the UK allowed me to substantiate my relationships with my Welsh teammates. We played in a number of tournaments, attended numerous events, and really got to know each other. In June 2009, the World Cup was in Prague, Czech Republic. It was a fantastic experience and although we did not do quite as well as we had hoped, ending in 6th place, we performed very well and confirmed our international position as a strong team.
After I returned from the UK I worked in Charlottesville for two years at both the Legal Aid & Justice Center and a small local defense firm. These experiences, along with some of my previous educational experiences, solidified my desire to go to law school and that, my friends, is how I ended up at Washington and Lee. I am particularly interested in pursuing a career in human rights and public interest law. I did a substantial amount of my undergraduate work in human trafficking prevention and research and, although, I am interested in continuing that research, I realize there is a multitude of valuable work to be done and I am excited to learn more about varying legal opportunities!
I owe a lot to lacrosse. It has afforded me amazing opportunities to travel, access to a great education, and millions of amazing memories playing the sport I love. The most important and rewarding part of my lacrosse career, however, has been the people I have met. My teammates, coaches, fans, and opposiong players are why this journey has been so special. Many of my best friends now are people I once played beside. We know each other so well because we have seen each other at our best and our worst and we have learned the difference.
I am excited to get to know the Washington & Lee lacrosse team better and I look forward to an amazing upcoming season. Go Generals!
Now that you know the coaching staff, check back next week to meet one of our sophomores who wasn't properly introduced on the blog last year!
