Chat Transcript: Katy Mueller

Chat Transcript: Women's Lacrosse, Katy Mueller
Women's History Month: Orangewomen in Sports, Friday, March 23, 2001
Hosted By Total Sports& SUAthletics.com

Chat Moderator Asks: Katy, welcome to SUathletics.com. Do you have any opening comments?

Answer: Hi, it's exciting to be here for my first Internet chat.

Julie McClain Asks: Katy, What is the best part about playing lacrosse at Syracuse? What advice do you have for high school players?

Answer: The best part of playing lacrosse here would have to be the supportive network of teammates and coaches. Not to mention being able to play inside the Dome quite often. As far as high school players are concerned gauge your commitment to the sport. This will help you figure out whether you would want to play Division I or Division III. There is a very different level of commitment in playing on each level. On your visits to schools you should go with what feels right. What you feel most comfortable with, as opposed to what preconceived notions you may have of programs and schools.

Carolyn T. Asks: Hey Katy- Have you beaten Metal Gear Solid yet?? Keep up the good work. Say hi to Jenna and Rachel H. for me!

Answer: Hey Carolyn (Tassini, former SU Field Hockey player). No I haven't beaten it. I wouldn't play it without you, you'll have to come back to the hill for a visit.

mc miggity meg on the mic Asks: Why does your team call you Katy bird??

Answer: Kara Hanover just started calling me that one day in practice and it stuck. I think it is a repeat nickname from a friend she had in high school. As with most teams, you're around each other a lot and silly names like "J-Lo" or even cool ones like "Katy Bird" become nicknames. I got Katy Bird, I guess that's how it goes.

Katrina Asks: Pick three words to describe yourself!!!!

Answer: Optimistic. Competitive. Loyal.

trish martin Asks: The Syracuse men are obviously considered one of the best within the lacrosse world. Based on past performance and the athleticism of your team, the women are well on their way to also joining the ranks of the elite..Is it a goal of the women on your team to be at the same level the men are?...And if it is, when do you think you will achieve that goal?

Answer: Of course it is a goal of our team and program to be the best in the country. Many of us have been playing together for the past four years and we've improved significantly year after year. This year we're a top-10 team and we expect to continue to get better throughout the season and to move up in the rankings. In general our goal is not to compare ourselves with anyone else, but to focus on being better tomorrow than we are today.

Craig W. Turner Asks: With concern to the popularity of your sport, does sex sell Women's Lacrosse as it does with Women's Soccer?

Answer: I don't think sex sells women's soccer and I wouldn't be able to apply that to question to women's lacrosse. Sports are about the game that is being played, not a perspective of the gawker in the stands.

Steve Asks: Talk about playing defense, since you played goalie in high school, what has the coaching staff taught you over your career? How has your game changed during four years?

Answer: You learn fundamentals in high school. Coming into the program here I was running on pure athleticism, with little knowledge of defensive strategy. It has been hard for me to get a feel for the defensive mentality. The coaching staff here is so knowledgeable and encouraging that it has been a slow progression. I feel that I am a completely different player than I was my freshman year. I am more confident, aggressive and secure in the defensive unit as a whole.

Jerry Lynch Asks: What do you think of Orangewomen media coverage? Are you happy with the programs exposure??

Answer: Since the program has started the media coverage has grown more and more. It is really nice in general to see women's sports represented on both the local and national level.

Sam Framley Asks: Katy, love watching you guys play, really seems like you have some unique personalities on the team....Who is the craziest? Who is the loudest?

Answer: The craziest would definitely be Phoebe Burns, because she says what she thinks all the time. The loudest would be Pheobe's counterpart Tegan Leonard, because she is usually yelling at Phoebe.

Tony Luftman Asks: Big fan of the team, but a rough start...what must the Orangewomen do to get things turned around?

Answer: We have to keep playing the way we did against Maryland and Virginia, with the exception of a few glitches. If we get more draw controls and more groundballs as well as just playing hard for all 60 minutes we should be able to avoid the experience we had against Georgetown.

Meehal Harris Asks: Katy, what's your best memory playing for the SU lacrosse team?

Answer: The best memory would have to be during my sophomore year. I was having a rough start to the season and then I had a good game and Fran Amasia gave me this "HotWheels" watch because I had played well. Knowing that support is there for you makes it that much easier to play well.

Lance Ruttige Asks: I've just started following the team, and it seems the players really get along, even more so than the men's lax team. Talk about the team personality.

Answer: I wouldn't say the men's team doesn't get along. I will speak about our team's personality. We are a dynamic bunch. We all have different personalities and we've come to appreciate those differences. Like the last question, we are just there for each other.

Trim Fropley Asks: Katy, I see you played goalie in high school, in a crazy situation say Carla and Tegan were to go down, would you be ready to head into net???

Answer: No, we lost in our high school county finals 11-1 my senior year. I couldn't imagine the beating I would take if I played goalie now.

Mike Robbins Asks: I went to your opening game against Virginia, and listened to the webcast against Georgetown, what happened? What does the team need to do to get rolling?

Answer: We played some quality teams. Like I said earlier, we just need to play like we know we can play. If we could remember that Virginia game and fix a couple things we will be okay.

Craig W. Turner Asks: Katy, what's the connection between the Syracuse Women's Lacrosse Program and Women's History Month?

Answer: I don't know if there is a direct connection. Let's be honest, women in sports today are making history. They are pioneers. I think it is great to have the opportunity to recognize women's in sports and especially Orangewomen.

Dave Kenyon Asks: Coach Miller's strategy has been to play tough opponents in early season and this season the team has already played #1, #2 & # 8, I believe. How has this strategy helped you and your team mates in the long run as you work towards your goal of moving further into this years NCAA tournament?

Answer: Testing yourself early is a good thing. As the season goes you know exactly where your trouble points are. Playing weak opponents in the beginning will cover up some weaker parts of your game that will only hinder your development as a team.

Roxy Bernstein Asks: Hey Katy, haven't been able to make it to a game yet, but have managed to listen to all three on the radio. Those guys sound like a real hoot, does the team interact with them much? Do you guys give them tips on the game?

Answer: They interview us. They get more access when they travel to cover games. They ate dinner with the team when we were in Georgetown. I can confirm your suspicions that they are fun guys.

Laxer Joe Asks: Katy, is it hard for the women's team playing in the shadow of an extremely successful men's lacrosse program?

Answer: I don't think so. Personally, I've never compared us to the men's team. Our sports bear the same name, but there are many fundamental differences. Just as with any successful sports program it is inspiring to have them on campus and to see the enthusiasm that surrounds them.

Dave K Asks: Katy, what is the most difficult transition from the high school game to the college version, is it the speed as many athletes say?

Answer: Yes, the game is much faster at first glance. In reality the biggest difference is dealing with the mental part of the game. Reading plays (as they happen), knowing where to move off ball and learning the habits of your teammates is much more essential on the college level.

Rick Sutter Asks: Katy, I've listened to the two road games on the Internet and went to the one game at the Dome. I plan on being at the dome tomorrow? What does the team need to work on to beat U-Mass?

Answer: We just need to play our type of SU lacrosse.

Rich Miller Asks: Can you talk about the popularity of your star players like Katrina Hable, Carrie Soults, and Lauren Brady?

Answer: All three of those players are crucial components of our team. They certainly attract a great deal of well-deserved media coverage. As a team we focus more on playing together. Once we're on the field popularity is insignificant.

Mike Thomas Asks: Last year you played ahead of Clo Ewing, and then Carla took over. It seems Gigon has been inconsistent this year... what does she need to do to improve, and how important are the defenders to how she plays?

Answer: Carla's play in the net has been nothing but confidence boosting for our defense. I'm sure she wishes she could have a couple shots back, but as defenders we play a part in goals that are scored on us, too. We play as a unit and I wouldn't single-out Carla, we just play together and feed off each other's successes.

Carl Rodriguez Asks: If it comes down to a crucial situation, late in a game, who do you want to have the ball?

Answer: Stacey Brown, without a doubt. We have some other players that could get the job done. Stacey is the most composed and intelligent player that I've ever played with.

Chat Moderator Asks: Thanks for joining us, any final comments?

Answer: Thanks for having me. I enjoyed answering all the questions. It is great to have such an overwhelming amount of questions. I hope people continue to take such interest in our program.

Syracuse University Athletics

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