Make a C-check in a quick motion and snap it back. Hit the upper right tip of the head instead of the whole head. Hitting the center of the head takes too much energy, and the ball doesn’t necessarily come out more.
Ripe for the Taking
‘Banana cut’ bears fruit for Cortland’s Maria Di Fato, LM’s NCAA Division III preseason player of the year
>> WHAT I DO MAKE MISTAKES
In the beginning of the 2012 season, I was in a slump. I put a lot of pressure on myself. I went home and talked to my family, coaches and captains, and they said, “Just play.” The first time we played TCNJ, I could not catch the ball, and I could not shoot. Something was just not clicking. So I got the ground balls, I did the checking, got the turnovers, the takeaways. Everyone makes mistakes. If you don’t make mistakes, you don’t get better. Who cares if you mess up? No one’s perfect. Don’t let that get in your head.
CHECK IT OUT
FALL WITH GRACE
MY OFFSEASON
In January, I went to England to visit my brother John and my sister Sam, who are both in the Air Force. I went for 10 days. I’d never been to Europe before. My passport photo, oh my god, awful. It’s so bad. I just can’t. Oh well. It doesn’t even look like me.
I like checking more than scoring, to be honest. (Di Fato led Cortland in both goals and caused turnovers in 2012.) That pumps me up more. And it pumps the whole team up. And it intimidates the other team a little, and gets them frustrated. If they’re frustrated, they’re not going to play well. It looks cool when you get a clean check.
I was into cheerleading and gymnastics, and those sports definitely contribute to my lacrosse style. I land gracefully. And I fall a lot. When I go for something, I go all out. And from gymnastics, I know how to land. Falling gracefully, it definitely helps.
MY HERO
Shannon Burke. She played at West Genesee (N.Y.), my high school, and at UConn. She was my idol. She was a very petite, tiny girl, and she had these moves that could go through big girls. I’m not very tall, and I’m not very intimidating. She proved you don’t have to be this strong, intimidating athlete to be good. She fought her way through. I’m 5-foot-2. Being short tricks the other team, because they think, “Oh she doesn’t look good.” It has its benefits.
Once she turns, she’ll hang her stick out. Go for the back check.
A Publication of US Lacrosse
>> MY GEAR MIX
I have an Amonte head and a Mikey Powell shaft. In sixth grade, my dad bought me a boys’ stick because he didn’t know the difference. I’ve always played with a guys’ shaft. I don’t know if it’s because of that first stick, but I just don’t like the thin shaft. I feel like I don’t have a good grip on the stick, like I have no control.
February 2013 >> LACROSSE MAGAZINE 89
©UCONN (SB)
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