If you were to tell a 16-year-old athletic in high school that they were going to walk with a limp for the rest of their life the farthest thing from their mind would probably be playing a sport. That didn’t stop junior women’s lacrosse captain Sarah Means from playing the sport she loved.
Means was diagnosed with nerve damage in her right leg when she was just a sophomore in high school.
“I didn’t even really notice the change until my grandmother asked if I was limping after one of my games,” Means said.
She has been an athlete her whole life starting with soccer at age five and than picking up the love for lacrosse when she became a freshman in high school.
Throughout high school Means dealt with doctor after doctor and test after test to try and find the solution to her nerve damage.
Finally after getting surgery in her leg her senior year, the doctors did all that could do, but the damage with still going to affect the way she walked the rest of her life.
“I didn’t really see it as a negative thing,” Means said. “I could still play and that’s all that mattered to me.”
“She has always been a great athletic, very independent and tries very hard,” Means’ grandmother, Cass Hanson, said.
Nerve damage never stopped Means from doing what she loved. Her determination and drive shined through when she was recruited to play lacrosse at Cabrini during her junior year.
“I wasn’t going to let my injury effect my future,” Means said.
She quickly shined on the field when she was name to All-CSAC Second Team in the 2012 season. She also totaled 42 points on 31 goals and 11 assists.
“She gives me a lot of enjoy and a lot of love. I am so proud of her,” Hanson said.
Means lives with her grandmother and grew up in Philadelphia where she attended Archbishop Ryan High School. She is also majoring in psychology at Cabrini, which hits home growing up with a mother who has schizophrenia.
“Means has always been very humble,” sophomore teammate Tori Canelli said. “She is one of the strongest people I know. She always rolls with the punches.”
Playing sports has always been Means’ escape.
During her time at Cabrini, Means has played both soccer and lacrosse since her freshman year. As a freshman, she showed her talented stick work and speed to became one of the few freshmen to start. Her leadership skills and play on the field was no surprise when her teammates made her captain as a sophomore.
“The team pick her as captain and I think that speaks volumes about her as a leader both on and off the field,” head coach Jackie Neary said.
Means’ favorite moment while being a Cavalier is being a part of two winning CSAC teams in the same year back to back.
“It was cool to win in soccer and even better in lacrosse,” Means said.
She loved getting the experience of going to two NCAA tournaments and really values the time spent together with her teams.
“She is a very no nonsense player who takes coaches comments good and bad in stride,” Neary said. “We are hoping she has another successful year on and off the field.”
