Oct. 23, 2006

Sitting around a conference table in the Greensboro College athletic department, Kristen McGuire was doing her best to look interested. Her coach, Gregg Gebhard was reading off the all-conference selections as the team met for one last team at the conclusion of the 2004 season.

McGuire was happy for the teammates who earned USA South Conference accolades, but spring is a beautiful time in this North Carolina city and other activities were on her mind. Since she would surely not be receiving any mention, her mind wandered.

"I was just kind off in my own world," remembered McGuire.

It wasn't that McGuire, The Pride's starting -- and only -- goalie had a bad season. Actually, all things considered, it was pretty good, especially considering she had never picked up a lacrosse stick in her life.

With a smile on his face, Gebhard read off McGuire's name, bringing his new goalie out of her trance. She glared at her coach.

"Shut up, don't kid around about that. It's not funny," she snapped at her coach, who showed her the paper with her name as a first team all conference pick. "I was caught totally off guard."

It was Gebhard who was caught off guard when he took over the Greensboro program that same year after coaching for five years at his alma mater, Pfeiffer University. He wasn't expecting a roster of All-Americans, but he was at least hoping for a goalie. During the fall season he scrambled to find a keeper and happened to catch a women's soccer game during the fall.

There in net was a freshman who showed poise, athleticism, and a good sense for minding goal. With his office right next door the women's soccer coach, Gebhard was able to coax McGuire into trying out for the team. Gebhard would have to work around McGuire's spring break schedule, which was dedicated to the soccer team, but he could manage that. He really had no choice.

In order to ease the transition, the coach and newfound player participated in verbal training sessions before the spring.

"I would stop by his office and ask him how do you play and what do you do in certain situations," said McGuire. "I tried to learn as much as I could before the start of the season."

Understandably the first couple of practices were tough, especially for a soccer goalie trained to use her hands. In the beginning, the crosse was more of an unwanted extension of her arms than as a defensive tool.

"They would make fun of me because I would use my body instead the stick," laughed McGuire, who is called `K-Mac' on campus, even by the school president. "It's a smaller net and a smaller ball, but the game has some of the same aspects as soccer -- cutting down the angles, positioning. I had a goal of making it through that first season."

McGuire made it through that inaugural campaign unscathed, and even held an all-conference plaque to prove it. She followed that up with a second team honor her sophomore year, and then first team again as a junior. For a player used to being a softball catcher in the spring, she exceeded all expectations.

"She has worked extremely hard to be one of the best goalies in our conference," said Gebhard. "She sees plays develop very well and sacrifices her entire body to make a save. At least one time a game I ask myself, `How did she make that save?' Many people that watch her play are amazed that she has been playing lacrosse for less then three years."

"I worked hard to get where I'm at. I've been successful because I don't like not being good at anything." Kristen McGuire, Greensboro Goalie

One of the fans who have witnessed her maturation has been her father, Eddie, who travels down from New Jersey every year for the early-season scrimmage held at nearby Guilford College. He makes his observations at the conclusion of each of the scrimmages, and has given K-Mac running feedback on her improvement.

"The first year he watched me he said, `This is a crazy game,'" said McGuire. "The second year he said, `It looks like you know what you are doing.' Last year he said, `It looks like you are getting good at using your stick.' I'm kind of interested what he'll say this year."

Eddie might comment on the leadership role his daughter has earned among her teammates. In addition to the support she gives her teammates, she has also given the other players, especially the younger ones, a model to follow.

"I worked hard to get where I'm at," she said. "I've been successful because I don't like not being good at anything. I think they look up to me because they've seen where I was and where I am now."

"K-Mac is a great leader for us, running the defense effectively and making sure that the entire team is ready to play," said Gebhard. "She puts the team before herself and is often the first person to congratulate her teammates for their successes. I honestly believe that she is one of the main reasons for our team's success these past three seasons."

The success has included two USA South regular season titles and a conference championship, but The Pride is still stinging from last year's outcome. Greensboro cruised through the conference during the season, including a 17-9 victory over Christopher Newport. However, The Pride was stunned in the conference championship game by the same CNU team, 10-9, in overtime and was denied the automatic bid to the NCAAs.

With a strong senior class returning in '07, anchored by McGuire and including attackers Jenna Gast and Amanda McGlaughlin along with defenders Jenni Duncan and Megan Barbieri, The Pride will certainly be in the hunt for a postseason bid again. And again McGuire will likely be the recipient of all-conference goalie recognition.

This time she'll be paying attention when the announcement comes.