Phillylacrosse.com, Posted 10/19/24 – Staff Report
Sam Swart chooses to call her recent misfortune “just the beginning.”
The former Archbishop Carroll and Syracuse great has decided to cherish the experience of being a World Box Champion member of Team USA, rather than lament the fact she missed all but the first two games of the recent World Lacrosse Women’s Box Championship in Utica, N.Y. after tearing her ACL.
Today on Instagram, she refused to wallow.
“Came home with GOLD and left without an ACL, but WE ARE WORLD CHAMPIONS!!! This post took me a while to put together because of the amount of emotions I have experienced these past 3 weeks.
“Team one, we did it and I’m still at a loss of words of how grateful I was for my experience with this family. Through the highs and lows I knew no matter what direction I would look, I was surrounded by such an amazing group of people who genuinely cared about me as a player and person, I can’t thank you all enough.”
Swart, the Phillylacrosse.com Player of the Year who led Carroll to its first PIAA title in 2017 and helped Syracuse achieve two Final Four appearances.
“To the coaches, @capfinancialmanagement @crystiellenn @the_aloe_barber @ryanwheeler99 Thank you for allowing me to be part of YOUR team that you built and sacrificed everything for us to become world champions,” Swart said in her Instagram post.
“The feeling still doesn’t feel real, the younger Sammy Swart is still screaming inside saying “we did it, we did it!” Thank you for pushing me and allowing me to achieve this lifetime goal. To our amazing athletic trainers and doctors who supported me and stuck by my side through this whole journey, saying thank you doesn’t feel like enough. @usa_wlax @marcriccio21 you did it again…. another life changing experience, we made history, thank you. Box lacrosse is in!!!”
Swart had 2 goals and 3 assists in the USA’s 32-3 opening-game win over the Netherlands on Sept. 19. She suffered her injury 2 days later against the Haudenosaunee. Team USA downed Canada, 10-7, to win the gold.
“My journey with lacrosse is far from being over, this is just the beginning,” she posted. “As I start my recovery process I am ready to work hard for myself, teammates, coaches, staff, doctors, family, friends, God, etc.
“Will it be easy? No… Will the work get done? HELL YEAH IT WILL… This experience will soon be a memory and I’m ready to get after it! I am thankful to be surrounded by such a phenomenal support system. Thank you mom and dad for being there for me every step of the way, couldn’t do it without you both. I made a promise to myself at the beginning of this whole process and it was to remain grateful everyday. Everything happens for a reason and God has a plan for me. He has blessed me in so many ways, and I know he gives his toughest battles to his toughest soldiers. The game of lacrosse has brought me to places in my life that I would never imagine and I can’t wait to get back on that field….BRB. Love you TEAM ONE🇺🇸🥇 we did it. Let’s run it back soon???”
