[caption id="attachment_559" align="alignright" width="225" caption="Former Waldron high school sports star Sarah Lockwood was recently named Saginaw Valley State University's Club Sports Athlete of the Year."]
Apparently Sarah Lockwood is the kind of girl who isn't afraid to try new things and whose athletic prowess is not confined to the boundaries of a single playing field.
Lockwood has gone from earning varsity letters in basketball, softball, track, cheerleading, and volleyball at Waldron High school to being named Saginaw Valley State University's 2009 Club Sport Athlete of the Year as a senior — for her efforts as a captain of the lacrosse team of all things.
Lockwood had never picked up a lacrosse stick prior to college, but was second on the SVSU squad in goals (20) in her third campaign this season, and against the likes of big-name competition like the University of Michigan, Ball State and Xavier she made a name for herself as one of the most well-rounded individuals on her entire campus.
She received the award at a year-end club sports banquet, and according to SVSU's student life Web site the award is given to the club athlete who best exemplifies 'leadership, initiative and sportsmanship.'
Lockwood, who still has one year of eligibility left because she didn't join the team until her sophomore year, said she had no clue she would even be in the running for such an honor, considering how many fine club athletes the university houses.
"It was a huge honor and surprise to receive this award," she said. "Especially with (our club) hockey team winning nationals and other club sport teams playing well and ranking (high) nationally, such as our rugby and our pom squads."
Had it not been for some due diligence on the part of several lacrosse players a few years ago Lockwood may never have been in position to receive such an award, but the fact she stayed active by playing intramural sports when she went off college helped her cause it seems.
"I've always been in the gym a lot and I was playing intramural basketball and some girls came up to me," she said. "Obviously I never had a chance to play lacrosse in high school, but the lacrosse team looks for all types of athletes who can contribute, and I guess you could say it has worked out great. I loved it right off the bat."
Now she is one of the athletes recruiting other possible hidden gems from all over campus to join the team and she admits that "being in charge like that" is pretty fun, and quite rewarding.
Lockwood started off her lacrosse career playing on defense, which she said is similar to trying to stop the opposition in basketball, and it wasn't until her junior year, when she was moved to a forward position, that she scored her first goal.
The memory of that first goal is one of two moments that are at the top of her list to this point in her career.
"My first game made the biggest impact on me. It was the first lacrosse game I'd played in and actually had ever seen and we were playing U of M who had been the national champions the year before. It really put the game in perspective and is when I first loved the game of lacrosse," she said. "My second memory would be when I scored my first goal...we were playing Hope College when I scored my first goal."
Lockwood is on course to graduate with a degree in chemistry with math and biology minors, with a goal of becoming a college professor one day, but for now she will enjoy one last season of dodging, scooping and hopefully scoring some more goals, all while being recognized as one of SVSU's best.
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© RJ Walters, 2011
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