Senior Kelsey Murray, a captain of New Trier girls lacrosse, is beginning her last season at New Trier.
Having already experienced success at a young age, Murray has been a hardworking, extremely talented and dedicated player her whole life.
Making the All-American team three consecutive years, she has set a tone for herself and has achieved other accomplishments including playing for the Regional National Team three years in a row, and in the Under Amour Tournament. Heading to Stanford University in the fall to continue with success in lacrosse, Murray is looking forward to new experiences and new challenges.
Kelsey began her lacrosse career at the age of seven, but started with the sport long before that. Her mother, Kristen Murray, the assistant coach for girls lacrosse, and grew up playing the sport in Baltimore and at Brown University.
Having a strong family influence, Kelsey gravitated towards the sport as a young child and developed a passion for it.
“If it’s played right, lacrosse looks pretty,” said Murray.
“It’s a pretty game when it’s organized and the team is playing for each other and making good plays. I get more out of assisting a goal and being the person that makes a great pass than just driving one on one.”
It’s no wonder why Kelsey has been named one of the captains for this year’s season. Her head coach, Peter Collins views Kelsey as a motivated and enthusiastic player as well as a passionate and humble person, on and off the field.
“She wants the team to win first and knows when to be serious and relaxed,” said Collins.
“She’s determined and doesn’t back down, always working hard on the fundamentals, she is driven and learns from her mistakes. Kelsey has a presence on the field and strives to be the most complete player. Even though she is such an excellent player, she listens to her teammates and is approachable. She knows the game and leads with tremendous commitment.”
Like her coach, Kelsey understands what it takes to be a captain. Leading by example and knowing when to have fun and when to be focused, Murray feels that in order to be a successful captain, you need to not get hung up on mistakes, but to learn from them.
“I tell myself and the other girls, that the person who cares the most about the mistakes you make is yourself. If I make a mistake, I care the most,” said Murray.
“A lot of the time, new players have the issue of not letting things go. If you get hung up on a mistake, you’re never going to be ready to continue. Collins always says to ‘flush it.’”
Kelsey’s teammates and friends, Katy Weeks and Sarah Kennedy, have played with Kelsey for most of their high school careers and both see Murray as the ideal lacrosse player.
“She always makes herself a threat to the goal,” said Kennedy.
“Kelsey is not a selfish player which makes her more talented, she’s a role model for the whole team and always tries to improve herself and others.”
Like Kennedy, Katy Weeks, concerns that Murray plays for the love of the game and for her teammates.
“Kelsey is always thinking of ways to make our team better,” said Weeks.
“I think two of Kelsey’s biggest strengths is resilience and hustle. If anyone on the team makes a mistake and/or loses the ball, Kelsey is always the first person to turn around and counter attack to regain possession. She has a relaxed intensity, and never lets her emotions take over her action.”
Kelsey has always felt that her achievements as a player have come from others.
When asked what makes her such a talented player, she attributed her success to her family, her teammates, and even her competitors.
But someone who was a big influence, not only in lacrosse but also in her life, was Molly Quirke, a junior at Duke who played lacrosse at New Trier Kelsey’s freshman year.
“Molly was a senior and captain when I was a freshman, she’s a humble person, and has a great style of play,” said Murray.
“Playing with her and seeing her play has made me a better player.”
With tremendous support, and courageous ability, it’s easy to see why Kelsey is so accomplished. Going to Stanford University in the fall, Murray is excited for the new experiences and to continue to pursue on her path of greatness.