Give and Go: U.S. Team's Acacia Walker
This article originally appeared in the May issue of Lacrosse Magazine, a US Lacrosse publication. Join today to start your monthly subscription.
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| © Greg Caraccio |
Acacia Walker won a gold medal with the U.S. under-19 team in 1999. Now the former University of Maryland All-American and current University of Massachusetts assistant coach is gearing up for gold in the 2009 World Cup, which begins June 18 in the Czech Republic. Lacrosse Magazine caught up with Walker in our popular Give and Go section.
Who is your favorite athlete?
Rajon Rondo of the Boston Celtics. I never miss a game. I love
watching him set up his teammates.
Have you ever Googled yourself?
No. I’d be afraid of what I’d find.
Who in lacrosse is destined to be a reality TV
star?
Sarah Albrecht, my U.S. teammate. She’s the most
outrageously, creatively funny person I know.
What’s one thing you can’t live
without?
Dresses. Dresses and high heels. I love to get dressed up, and I
get burnt out on lacrosse gear. I must have 60 pairs of high
heels.
Where did you go your last vacation?
Cabo, with my boyfriend and his family.
What does lacrosse really need?
Women’s lacrosse needs more televised games, especially the
World Cup. More people can watch, and find players they like and
follow their teams. And the girls who work so hard in college
should be on TV. The sport deserves it.
It’s 2019 — where are you and what are you
doing?
I’m a Division I head coach with two phenomenal assistants.
Married with kids. I’ll have met Rajon Rondo, have
season tickets to the Celtics behind their bench so I can watch
closer, and I’ll be a ridiculous cook for my
family.
Overtime (from McKenzie Brown, midfielder, Cherry Creek
[Colo.])
What saying or quote sticks in your head before games?
I repeatedly ask myself about my opponents before or during games:
“Did I work harder than you for this exact moment?”
I make sure that every minute leading up to the time I ask
myself that question allows me to confidently say to myself,
“Yes, I worked harder than you.” Right before I step on
the field or start a new play, this puts me in touch with
confidence from my preparation, which is the best kind.
Double Overtime (from Emily May, Sparks, Md.)
What is the most important thing you have learned from
playing lacrosse?
Take care of your teammates, first and foremost. Also, that
lacrosse can take you so many places that you never imagined when
you started playing the game — different people, different
places and so many new friends.
Pose a question for our next subject.
If you could change your first name to anything, what would it
be?
