Too often in this era of high school players who become media stars by way of increased prep coverage, we forget why these stars are whatthey are.
The focus is on the player, his accomplishments, his coach and his team, and deservedly so. But I think we occasionally needto spotlight the parents.
In most cases involving an outstanding player headed for college,you will find that the parents played a very important role.
North County's premier goalie, Tim McGeeney -- who signed a letter of intent to attend Loyola College of Baltimore on a lacrosse scholarship yesterday -- is a shining example.
Tim is the fourth in a long lineof McGeeney brothers who excelled in lacrosse and earned a college scholarship. In an age of skyrocketing tuition, parents who encourage athletic participation as a vehicle into college are more than wise.
Not only are they eliminating what can be an extreme financial burden to most families, but they are developing a well-rounded person. And not many families have done so any better than the McGeeneys of Linthicum.
"I owe my parents everything," said the soft-spoken andhandsome Tim after signing with the Greyhounds yesterday atNorth County.
"They got me started in athletics, and my mom and dad always stressed schoolwork first. As a result, I have great study skills andI enjoy coming to school. They told me at a young age that lacrosse could get me a scholarship, and that's true."
McGeeney, who carries a 3.50 grade point average, listened to his parents, George and Patricia, and followed the wonderful example set by his three older brothers and 21-year-old sister, Connie.
The only girl in the McGeeneyclan, Connie is employed by Coca-Cola and will marry a midshipman this June.
"Being the youngest, I don't think I got any special treatment," said Tim, a first-team All-County goalie last year.
"It was good for me, the pressure of fulfilling the McGeeney legacy. That is whathas made me such a competitor and so aggressive out on the field."
And what a legacy this 17-year-old had to follow, not only lacrosse-wise, but academically, as well. His three brothers all graduated from college in four years.
Each brother attended Andover High and played in the Andover Apaches Youth Lacrosse program that their father helped start.
George, the oldest brother at age 30, is one of the greatest defensemen ever to play the game. He didn't start playing the sport until his sophomore year at Andover, the building that now houses the North County High students, but he went on to achieve All-County and All-American honors.
In his final year at UMBC, George not only was named All-American, but NCAA Division I Defenseman of the Year, as well. He went on to play club lacrosse with the Maryland Lax Club and on two All-World Teams in 1986 and 1990 in Australia.
George works as a district manager for Pepsi Cola.
Mike, who is 28 and a senior technical buyer at the University of Maryland, is agraduate of theAir Force Academy, where he was All-Rocky Mountain Conference with the Falcons.
He remained in the Air Force for five years after graduating from the Colorado academy, and serves as an assistant lacrosse coach at UMBC.
John, 27, resides in Philadelphia after an All-American career at UMBC. He plays club lacrosse in the City of Brotherly Love, where he is a district manager for Proctor & Gamble Co.
"And Connie is marrying a midshipman this summer, and shestill coaches for the Andover Apaches," beamed George Sr. "Now Timmyis off to Loyola. We're on a roll."
It wasn't easy for Tim to select Loyola over UMBC, but it was his decision, with no pressure from his parents.
"We always tried to give each one of them an option, counseled them and tried to alleviate the pressure, but it has to be their decision," said George Sr., who is a graduate of Baltimore Polyand Morgan State and who claims to have been "a terrible athlete."
"My wife and I always hoped that the decisions they made would not be swayed by any coach or athletic program and would be what they wanted first. It was difficult for Tim to turn down UMBC, but the graduate program in business at Loyola appealed to him, along with Coach Cottle."
Dave Cottle, who was an All-American at Salisbury State before coaching Severn School, is one of the top coaches in the country.His laid-back style appealed to the McGeeneys.
As a result, Cottle landed arguably the premier goalie in the state over not only UMBC but also top-notch lacrosse and academic institutions like Duke and Johns Hopkins.
"I really liked Coach Cottle's recruiting style. He didn't put a lot of pressure on me," said Tim.
"I first met CoachCottle through my family when I was much younger and I attended his summer camps. He wrote me last summer and called every once in a while, but not all the time. He was lax and I liked that."
After making a visit to Loyola -- the fifth school he visited -- Tim was convinced that was where he wanted to continue his education.
"I liked the school, scenery, the people and the setting, and it's fairly close to home, with the opportunity to get a really good education," he said. "And I could major in business and play lacrosse for one of the best teams in the nation."
Loyola was runner-up to NCAA Division I champion Syracuse University last year.
"Tim will do well in college. He can definitely be an outstanding goalie at that level, just as he has been at the high school level," said North County veteran coach Paul Shea, who has coached all four McGeeneys.
Tim's "a typical McGeeney, a team captain like his brothers, butunfortunately, he's the last of the line," Shea said.
"Timmy is just like his brothers. He plays hard every day, whether it's practice or a game. They're allvery intense and knowledgeable. Each is a coach's dream.
"Any coach would love to have a McGeeney, and without question, Tim is the best goalie we've had. And we've had some good ones."
Shea and his assistant, Jon Appelt, pointed to their goalie's skills and leadershipability.
"It's not only just stopping the ball, but it's leadership on the field and clearing ability," said Shea, whose Knights ran their record to 6-0 Tuesday with a 4-3 victory over South River, as McGeeney rejected 10 enemy shots.
"Tim not only comes up with the little saves all the time, but he comes up with the big saves, and that's the ideal goalie who can do both those things."
"I love the pressure of being a goalie," said McGeeney. "After they (opponents) get by the defense, the game lies on my shoulders, and I thrive on that.
"The pressure keeps me active. I've always wanted to be better than or as good as my brothers. I made my notch as the only goalie."
Playing under his father in the Apache program, Tim played midfield his first four years. But he jumped into the cage shortly before high school, and no one has been able to get him out since.
Shea brought Tim along slowly, but surely, as a sophomore in his first varsity season.
"Mr. Shea and Mr. Appelt didn't put much pressure on me as being the final McGeeney and didn't throw me to the wolves and made it a smooth transition. They brought me along week by week," Tim said.
"They are consummate coaches. They know when it's time to be serious, when to yell, and when it's time to have fun. That's what makes us good."
Next fall, Tim will take what he has learned from his dad -- who he calls "a great coach" -- his brothers and the Shea-Appeltcombination to the next level. He's ready for the challenge, thanks to the foresight of his parents.
"When Pat and I had kids so closein age as ours are, it would have been unrealistic to assume that wecould put them all through college at once," said George Sr. "They knew they had to be very good athletes or very good students. Fortunately, they were great athletes and good students. We could only hope.
"It's been like a dream come true."