By Chris Goldberg
Phillylacrosse.com, Posted 2/10/09
Strath Haven senior midfielder Emily Garrity, who has piled up remarkable 
offensive three seasons, has signed a letter of intent to play at North Carolina.
Garrity, a first-team All-American who has amassed 292 goals and 165 assists, said she never considered another school and fell in love with the program from the start.
“When I went down for my visit, I made an immediate connection with the team and the coaches,” said Garrity, a first-team All-Phillylacrosse.com pick last season when she had 110 goals and 66 assists. “I fell in love with the campus,and I loved the team’s level of play.”
Garrity said she is undecided on a major and will keep her options open, but felt the school’s academics are a major plus. She also believes she will be pushed at North Carolina.
“I wanted a place where I could go and be challenged at a level much higher than where I am now,” she said. “I think that will make me a better player.”
Garrity was hardly saying she has not been challenged at Strath Haven. Indeed, she has faced the toughest scrutiny by having such a high-profile reputation while playing for two coaches who also are her parents, head coach Margie Garrity and father Paul.
“It’s definitely been interesting,” Emily said. “Now that it’s my senior year, I have come to appreciate everything they’ve given me. We’ve definitely had our moments – the mother-father-daughter moments.”
Most of the moments have been quite successful. Garrity has helped the Panthers go 52-15 in her three years, but Strath Haven has not won a Central League or District 1 championship, and that weighs heavily on the Garrity family.
Last year the season ended on tough note as Strath Haven fell in the District 1 Class AA semifinals to league rival Springfield-Delco, the same team that defeated the Panthers in the district finals the previous year.
“As a team I think we feel pretty confident in our skills,” Garrity said. “Basically, we are expecting states and we’ll see how that goes. We have these expectations every year, and this year is the year.
“If not, it will disappoint my mom and me a whole lot. It’s very exciting. All the girls have the date (of the state finals) saved. If you ask any of them in school when the state playoff is in Hershey, they know exactly the day.”
Garrity noted that her goal is to make sure her team reaches its potential.
“In my opinion, my job this year is to lead and help the team grow together,” she said. “Instead of having the team recognized for a few players, I want us to be recognized as a team.”
