June 26, 2007

Note: This article was excerpted from the April 2007 issue of Lacrosse magazine, a member benefit of US Lacrosse. Become a member today to receive your complimentary subscription.

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by Rebecca Lestner, Special to Lacrosse Magazine Online

There's no other way to put it: when Shannon Smith takes to the lacrosse field, good things happen.

And they've happened fast -- a US Lacrosse National Tournament high-school division championship, a record-breaking season and a spot on the 2007 U.S. Under-19 Team -- all prior to her junior year at West Babylon (N.Y.) High School.

"What drew us to her during tryouts is that she has an unbelievable show and she finishes well," said U-19 team assistant coach Lindsay Mulhern.

Smith, 17, has been finishing well since she first picked up a stick. Smith's first encounter with lacrosse began when her uncle, who played lacrosse in college, bought her a lacrosse stick while she was in the third grade. It didn't take long for her interest in the sport to pique -- by the sixth grade, she had sought out multiple youth recreation and club teams to join.

It was these local experiences that fostered Smith's love for the sport. Smith realized the recreational teams were allowing her to "meet a lot of new people and learn a lot of life experiences and time management."

She found a home up front.

"I love the whole game itself, but I really love looking for people, cutting through the middle and feeding people the ball," she said.

During her sophomore season with the Eagles in 2006, Smith began inching her way toward the New York state record for goals scored in a single season. But she remained focused on her game and her team.

"I had no idea I was going to break the record," Smith said. That is, until one of her teammates pointed it out to her, and she and her dad finally looked up the numbers to be sure.

"My goal for the team was to make the playoffs, and that was my first priority. I put the record into the back of my head. I didn't want to let it affect me."

Nevertheless, Smith did break the record, previously held by current Notre Dame star Jillian Byers. She scored 129 goals.

"My friends and family were there to enjoy the moment with me," Smith said. "It was really a special moment for me."

Smith didn't stop there. She also made headlines at the 2006 US Lacrosse Women's Division National Tournament, when she scored three goals to help lead New York 1 to the championship. Given the collection of talent that typically descends upon the event each year, Smith said her squad's win was one of her greatest achievements.

"It was one of my best times in lacrosse," she said.

Smith added to her accomplishments this spring. She scored her 400th career goal (in just three seasons) May 19 in West Babylon's first-round playoff game against Smithtown East, then made the final 18-player roster that will represent the U.S. in this summer's International Federation of Women's Lacrosse Associations (IFWLA) World Championship, Aug. 4-11 in Petersborough, Ontario.

Smith remembers her tryout experience, just to make the 24-member training team, vividly.

"When I first got there I was nervous, of course, because you're playing with the top girls from across the country," she said. "When the final list was posted and I saw my number, I had to look twice. I was so excited." The experiences that she's had with the U-19 team -- including a weekend of practice in North Carolina in February -- have already made their impact on Smith. "It's so awesome meeting all of the girls and spending time with everyone," Smith said. "It's awesome to see what everyone can do. They are the best players from across the country."

Smith describes herself as a friendly, outgoing person who is always there for her friends. Her performance on the lacrosse field certainly speaks to this trait. In fact, those who coach her are drawn to this quality first and foremost.

"One of the things that has stood out about Shannon is that no matter the situation, she is always scoring a goal," said U-19 coach Wendy Kridel.

"That's a quality not all attackers have."

Since beginning her training with the U-19 team, Smith has found herself in awe of the lessons she's learned and of the experiences she's had.

"We've been learning team styles, running drills and putting it all together," Smith said. "I've been learning new ways to get open, new cuts and I've become more confident as a player."

That confidence is an outgrowth of her work ethic, which made an impression on Mulhern: "When I tell her to go harder, she goes harder."

And, despite the fact that it's Smith's third consecutive year with a new coach at West Babylon, a situation Mulhern says can challenge the performance of any player, she has continued to perform.

"It's unbelievable that she's been able to get as far as she has with no consistency [in coaching] at the high school level," Mulhern says. "It's all a tribute to her own ability."

When she's not out on the lacrosse field, Smith says she can be found hanging out with friends and family, watching movies or checking out the latest drama happening on "24" or "Grey's Anatomy," which happen to be two of her favorite television shows.

Looking ahead, Smith is excited about her future, going to college and continuing to play lacrosse.

"One of my goals is to win a national championship at the school I attend," she said. As of April, she was considering Duke, Georgetown, Northwestern, North Carolina and Notre Dame.

No matter which direction she chooses, Smith has a few simple goals line up. Simply put, she wants to "get a great education, meet new people, enjoy life and have fun."

Not very demanding for an empress.

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For more information on the 2007 U.S. Under-19 team, click here to visit the team's home page.