By RICH FISHER
Contributing Editor
In watching Maggie Kerr consistently score goals for Belmar’s St. Rose girls lacrosse team, it looks like she has been doing it all her life.
But that’s not exactly true.
“I grew up as a defender,” the senior midfielder said. “I was never trained as an attacker. Over the years I just picked it up and I’ve gotten more comfortable and confident with the ball over time. It’s kind of crazy how it just switched. I don’t know what happened. I guess working with teammates trying to find the back of the net. I started at midfield in eighth grade and kind of picked it up.”
Her athletic ability helps, as Kerr is a three-letter winner in soccer, basketball and lacrosse. She feels the other two aid in her main sport of lacrosse.
“They keep me in shape and help with my coordination,” Kerr said.
Maggie Kerr puts as much effort into teamwork as scoring goals. Courtesy photo
Coach Molly Warner agreed, saying “basketball and lacrosse are such similar games I think that helps her awareness on the field.”
The Spring Lake resident started playing all three sports at a young age. She began with Shark River Lacrosse in grammar school and played travel for All Lax Select in Tinton Falls before attending Manasquan High in ninth grade.
Kerr transferred to St. Rose as a sophomore and was second to Mackenzie Nerenberg (127 career goals) in scoring her first two seasons. Maggie had 33 goals and 15 assists as a sophomore and 45 goals and 17 assists last year. Through three games this season she leads the team with 10 goals and three assists.
As someone her teammates look up to, Kerr is in her second season as a team captain.
“She’s been a leader from day one,” Warner said. “She always comes ready to play lacrosse. She always has a positive attitude and is one of those kids who’s really hard on herself. If I take her out, after 10 seconds she’s like ‘OK I’m ready to go back in.’ She comes to practice and wants to be there every day, and you can’t say that about a lot of players.
“I have nothing to say but good things about her,” the coach continued. “She’s a great kid, she cares about the sport and about her academics. She comes from a good family and has great personal skills.”
In assessing her ability to score, the coach feels Kerr has a mental advantage to go along with her physical gifts of speed, quickness and strength.
“She’s not looking to always go to goal,” Warner said. “She knows how to make space for other players or use other players to make space to get herself open. She sees the attack in its entirety rather than just what she’s doing as a player. She has really good control of the ball in her stick and can get in close to goal before she shoots, and she’s able to avoid getting checked, which is fantastic.”
Maggie Kerr, senior in St. Rose, Belmar, fights her way past an opponent. Kerr will play lacrosse for Villanova University next year. Courtesy photo.
Kerr credits the cohesion she has with her teammates up front, noting that it’s a veteran unit that includes her sister Maura.
“We have a great connection,” Maggie said.
Equally great is Kerr’s ability to draw on her past when switching to defense, which she does when Warner feels the team is struggling in the back.
“We always have to keep good communication on defense,” she said. “Talking, settling the ball. I honestly think it’s just my experience as a defender that helps me back there.”
With a grade point average of over 99 (out of 100), Kerr is a member of the National Honor Society as well as the Student Council. She will attend Villanova University, Pa., next year and plans on majoring in business and finance while hopefully playing club lacrosse.
It’s no surprise she is attending a Catholic university. Kerr attends both St. Catharine-St. Margaret Parish in Spring Lake and St. Rose Parish in Belmar, and appreciates the Roses’ pre-game prayer.
“I like having my faith with me before I play,” she said. “I enjoy praying before our game and connecting. It motivates me, makes me feel safe.”
Her motivation this season is to score 100 career goals (she needs 12) and for the Roses to win their division and reach the Shore Conference Tournament.
“I think we have a shot at it,” Kerr said. “This is our best team since I’ve been here.”
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