How I Got Here: Erin Healy ’15

>  I fell in love with lacrosse in gym in sixth grade. After that, I started attending lacrosse camps in the summer and playing in youth leagues during the year. I started field hockey later and didn’t play competitively until freshman year of high school. >  I came to TCNJ because it’s a great school […]

Words by Brandon Gould ’12

>  I fell in love with lacrosse in gym in sixth grade. After that, I started attending lacrosse camps in the summer and playing in youth leagues during the year. I started field hockey later and didn’t play competitively until freshman year of high school.

>  I came to TCNJ because it’s a great school academically and because I’d have the chance to compete for national titles in both sports. The best part about playing lacrosse and field hockey at the college is that I play for the same coach. Sharon Pfluger really knows the ins and outs of both sports, and playing for such an accomplished coach has helped me become a legitimate two-sport athlete.

>  It’s funny: I considered myself a lacrosse player coming out of high school because I learned that sport first and was always more familiar with it. But now, if I absolutely had to choose between the two sports, I’d probably pick field hockey. I love the pace of the game and the all-out effort required to score a goal.

>  My pregame routine is the same regardless of the sport: I drink a cup of coffee on the way to the locker room, and then get pumped up listening to music with teammates.

>  I started competing in triathlons several years ago. Those experiences have helped me when I returned to the field after suffering a severe ankle sprain during my junior year and stress fractures in both shins my senior year. Whenever I hit a rough spot during a game, I think to myself, “You’ve finished triathlons; you can get through this.”

>  Another benefit of competing in triathlons: I raised money for a surf camp that helps children with autism. I’m always ready to lend a hand for a good cause. I helped rebuild my hometown, Manasquan, New Jersey, after Hurricane Sandy, and volunteered in New Orleans post-Katrina.

>  Winning a national championship in field hockey my freshman year was an incredible experience, and it was awesome to watch the seniors on that team lead the rest of us to the title. But to be one of those leaders three years later was unreal. I’ll never forget the feeling I had running toward my teammates as those final seconds ticked off the clock during last fall’s title game. It was the best celebration I’ve ever been a part of.

—as told to Brandon Gould. Photo by Matt Furman.