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Mahopac High School's Kim Harker Named To U.S. Women's Lacrosse Team

MAHOPAC, N.Y. -- Kim Harker, who keeps piling up Mahopac High School girls lacrosse records and achieving local and state honors, has been named to the 25-player roster for the U.S. Women’s National Under-19 Team.

Mahopac girls lacrosse star Kim Harker has already set several school scoring records and will be a senior this fall.

Mahopac girls lacrosse star Kim Harker has already set several school scoring records and will be a senior this fall.

Photo Credit: Contributed/Kim Harker
Kim Harker has been named to the U.S. National Under-19 Lacrosse team as a senior at Mahopac High School.

Kim Harker has been named to the U.S. National Under-19 Lacrosse team as a senior at Mahopac High School.

Photo Credit: Contributed/Kim Harker

"I am so happy and proud to have the opportunity to wear the USA on my jersey," Harker said after the announcement was made on Thursday, July 31. "Growing up every kid imagines playing for their country and to be given that opportunity is a dream. Starting last spring I set my goal to make it to the USA Camp in Maryland. I wanted the opportunity to compete against the top girls in the country and a shot at the team."

Harker, who will be a senior at Mahopac High this fall, already holds eight school records through her junior year -- career points with 200 points, career goals (173 goals), most points in a season (107) and most goals in a season with 97 among others.

As a junior, Harker was named all-section, all-league and to the Hudson Valley National Team, which competes in national tournaments across the country.

"The athletic department is extremely proud of her accomplishment," said Mahopac's Athletic Director John Augusta. 

Harker, who is the lone Putnam County representative on the team. was named to the team after a three-day tryout that included 110 players at Stevenson University in Maryland.The tryout included players from 18 states competing for spots on the team that will go for a fifth world title at the 2015 Federation of International Lacrosse Under-19 World Championship, July 23-Aug. 1, 2015 in Edinburgh, Scotland.

"In preparation to going to camp the training was exhaustive but I had to stay focused on the end goal," she said. "Whenever I was tired or wanted to stop I had to push myself harder.  

At home, Harker made her brother Ryan play countless hours of lacrosse in her front yard.

"Even the day I was being dropped off at US Camp I stopped by Baltimore where my oldest brother Robert works and played a couple hours with him at the park at the Inner Harbor," she said. "USA Camp was extremely competitive. It started with the playing of the National Anthem and letting us know what we were playing for. I took it session by session never getting ahead of myself." 

Harker said first cuts were made and asked 37 girls were asked to stay and play that day.

"That was probably the toughest part -- to make it that far and then know that by the end of the day they were going to cut it to 25 girls," Harker said. "When they announced the team I was all smiles and sent a text to my parents. I would not be here without the support of my parents, family and coaches. During the tournament each morning I received a text from my father. On the last morning he texted, “If it is to be, it is up to me”.   I took that approach into my last day and was determined to make it.  I am still pinching myself that I made the team."

The newest US Team representative said she owed a lot to Section 1 girls lacrosse competition.

"Playing against teams like Yorktown, Suffern, Somers, John Jay, Lakeland as well as other teams have been a real asset to me," she said. "There are so many great players that have pushed me and made me better. I look forward to playing against them next year and also in college."       

The team will gather next for a training weekend, Oct. 10-12 at in Washington, D.C.

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