Rebecca Clay of Queen Anne's County is a standout lacrosse player. Instead of playing in college, however, she is choosing to focus on her dream of becoming a pediatrician.
Courtesy photo
Most high school athletes are quick to jump on a Division I sports scholarship and the opportunity to play at the next level.
Rebecca Clay has higher aspirations, however, and is looking beyond college. She doesn't want to let lacrosse interfere with her dream of becoming a pediatrician.
The three-sport athlete at
Queen Anne's County (Centreville, Md.) politely said thanks but no thanks to George Mason University's lacrosse scholarship offer. Instead, the senior will head to the University of Tampa to go through its pre-med program.
"I want to do internships and start building up my resume instead of just focusing on lacrosse," Clay said. "You can't make that into a career, per say. I just felt that education was more important than playing all the time."
Clay is a defensive leader for Queen Anne's.
Courtesy photo
Clay is a dedicated athlete, but an even more dedicated student.
The 18-year-old has become a pretty solid lacrosse player since picking up the sport when she was 5.
"I was just a really energetic kid, so my parents tried to put me in a lot of different sports that had to do with running," Clay said. "I played soccer and they asked me if I wanted to play lacrosse. I did do gymnastics for a while, and I decided I just wanted to focus on lacrosse. So, I just decided to play lacrosse because I thought it was fun. I liked to run around when I was younger."
She found her niche as a defenseman, directing traffic and dictating what's happening on that side of the field. Players usually boast about scoring goals and making fancy offensive plays, but Clay is happy when she can make a defensive stop.
Learn more about the MaxPreps US Marines program at www.maxpreps.com/marines"Defense doesn't get a whole lot of highlights, as shooters would, but it's really nice to be like the ground," Clay said. "You stop the goals; you make sure that the other team does not get in, that's what I like. I'm usually the controller of defense. I usually tell people where to go and what to do. If they're making mistakes, I try to talk to my players, get them situated."
Clay and her team are looking to take another step this season toward a state title.
Courtesy photo
Clay, a three-year lacrosse starter, loves to be a defensive team leader and rack up ground balls. Last year, as a junior, she led her team in that unsung category.
"I think that a lot of players who play defense who are really good tend to play other sports," Queen Anne's lacrosse coach Penelope Santos-Bates said. "She plays volleyball and also basketball where she learns the footwork and skill. Playing lacrosse is a bonus as well. She comes off of two seasons playing for our high school in other sports and comes in and has basically just led our defense. She's the center of focus that everyone listens to; she's very vocal. With her senior leadership and personality, people really look up to her."
Santos-Bates has known Clay since fourth grade and has coached her for three years on the varsity squad. The coach loves Clay's aggressive nature on the field.
Clay does a lot of volunteer work
in addition to sports and academics.
Courtesy photo
"She is a very, very tenacious player," Santos-Bates said. "She's very composed. She's a utility player where she not only plays a low defensive position, but she also learned how to be very active on the draw controls beyond the circle and come up with draw controls."
Clay has improved her game every season, and one area where she's gotten stronger is in her footwork.
"When I was a sophomore I was just like, I have to push them out – you have to like force," Clay said. "Now, I'm more about footwork, like staying in front of them and I've become extremely good at that."
This season, Clay has been a strong all-around player for Queen Anne's. She has racked up 11 draw controls, 19 ground ball controls, two interceptions and one assist.
Clay has big expectations for her team this year. As a sophomore, the Lions made it to the state quarterfinals and advanced to the 2A/1A semifinals last season. Clay would like to make it one step closer this season and play for a state championship.
"It definitely pushes me to work harder and make sure we're staying on track, because this is my last year and if we don't get this I don't have a second chance," Clay said. "I really, truly, honestly think with this group of girls we can do it. We're strong and we've been playing together for three years now."
Not only does Clay excel at lacrosse,
she's also played basketball and volleyball.
Courtesy photo
After Clay's sophomore season, she tried out against 200 players for the Under Armour Underclass Tournament and was selected to the Maryland team. She was able to play in a game against other top lacrosse players in the country.
"It was just amazing," Clay said of the honor. "Getting to meet all the different girls from all around, it was so nice."
Clay also played volleyball and basketball for Queen Anne's – she was a three-year varsity player, two-year starter and captain in volleyball, playing nearly every position except for setter and was a two-year starter at shooting guard for the basketball team.
A cerebral athlete, Clay carried that mentality to the classroom where she has built a 4.16 GPA during high school. She ranks in the top 5 percent of her class, but wants to graduate in the top 10 overall. However, she knows her class is stacked with bright students who boast high GPAs.
"I'm kind of a perfectionist and I always want to strive to do my best," said Clay, who is taking four advanced placement and honors courses this semester. "My parents never put that pressure on me, but I put that pressure on myself to do better because I really want to be the best."
Clay is in her third year on the National Honor Society and takes part in Future Business Leaders of America. Through both organizations, she puts in plenty of volunteer work. Her volunteer fundraisers include canned food drives, a water walk to raise money for people in other countries, Locks of Love, a polar bear plunge, an epilepsy walk, Special Olympics and Build-A-Bear, where they send gifts to children that need help in other countries.
Clay plans on attending
the University of Tampa next year.
Courtesy photo
"I love volunteer work, because I feel like I've been really lucky in my situation that I have great parents, great education (and a) great home life," Clay said. "I just love giving back to people that need it, because it's just a good feeling helping people out that need it the most."
Last summer, being a teacher's aide working with less fortunate students at Gunston Day School, was an eye-opening experience for Clay. Working daily with kids really drove Clay's desire to become a pediatrician for her career.
"I've always loved kids, but that really like connected me to them and made me really want to do it," Clay said.
Know an incredible student-athlete who stands out in sports and in life away from competition? Click here to nominate them for a chance to be featured on MaxPreps.
