Ask An Athlete: Lillian Gilroy, Women’s Lax

By Justin Rushia

Junior defender Lillian Gilroy has been stellar for the Plattsburgh women’s lacrosse team this season. 

So far this season, Gilroy has broken two school records in single-season draw control controls and career draw controls twice. 

Gilroy leads the team in ground balls with 28, caused turnovers with 14 and draw controls with 62, which is 49 more than anyone else on the team. 

Last season, Gilroy earned All-SUNYAC Third Team honors and was named to the College Sports Communicators Academic All-District Team and the SUNYAC Commissioner’s Academic Honor Roll. 

This question and answer was conducted with Lillian over email April 4.

Question: I heard you’re a big skier. How do you balance skiing and lacrosse?

Answer: Yes, I’m huge into skiing! I’m lucky enough to have a coach who is okay with me skiing during the season. She understands it’s something I wouldn’t be able to live without as long as I don’t get myself hurt before games. It can definitely get hectic once the season starts, but there’s always a way to balance it all. I get in ski days during our off days or after a Saturday practice, sometimes even during the week on days when we have evening practices. Any time on the mountain is a good time, even if it’s only for a few hours.  When balancing both lacrosse and skiing, it’s key to listen to my body and make sure I’m taking care of myself properly, taking off days as needed and giving my legs enough of a break.

Q: You’ve broken three school records so far this season. How many more do you think you can break while playing for Plattsburgh?

A: I think my record-breaking days are going to start to slow down a bit. Draw controls are my strong suit and really the only area of the game where I foresee myself breaking any records. I set myself up for a challenge after having 17 draw controls in a single game during our matchup against Castleton, but next year, I’ll shoot to break my season draw control record again. It’s always motivating for me to have something like that to work towards.

Q: Besides skiing, what other outdoor activities do you enjoy doing in your free time and why?

A: I really enjoy hiking or finding fun swimming spots with my friends. Being at a school so far up north gives me so many opportunities to be outside — and the hiking choices are endless. It’s all very therapeutic for me and I love the adventure of exploring new places, I find it very refreshing. Once the snow clears up a bit more and ski season is officially over, I’m hoping to get some more high peaks under my belt before the semester is over.

Q: Are there skills you’ve learned from doing outdoor activities that have translated to the lax field?

A: Yeah, absolutely! Mental toughness is a big thing and is probably the most notable aspect. Hiking a challenging mountain or skiing difficult terrain for hours on end can get pretty draining and giving up at times is very tempting. I’ve learned a lot about pacing myself and just taking it all moment by moment. This translates onto the field, especially in those close games against tough competitors. It’s really key to stay focused and work through the game, play by play, even when I feel tired. At the end of the day, there’s no better feeling than pushing myself and accomplishing something — whether it’s on or off the field.

Q: I heard you were the only female competitor in this year’s Rail Jam competition. Can you describe your experience at the event?

A: It was definitely a nerve racking, intimidating experience, not necessarily because I was the only girl, but because I was going up against so many other talented skiers and snowboarders. This was my first year learning how to hit rails, and I was lucky enough to have the help of a few of the other competitors throughout the early ski season to get me ready for the event. I got over my initial nerves, and my friends who were also competing were so supportive and pushed me to do my best the entire event. Even my assistant coach and some teammates were able to make it, which was really cool because they got to see the part of my life off the field that’s so important to me. Being able to participate in this year’s Rail Jam was really incredible, and I’m really proud of myself for the way I performed. I had a lot of girls come up to me and tell me how cool they thought it was that I competed, and I can only hope that it can inspire other female skiers and boarders that they can hold their own in a male dominated event like this one. Next year, I might even have a couple of other girls with me to compete!