# 3

Someone once asked me if three was my lucky number, as it was and is my jersey number throughout college and for the US team. Growing up, my number was always 18… yes, an even number. Now, I look at this as some foreign concept that my identity was ever known as an even, double digit. So, you may ask, how did I come to wear a number as proud as #3?

Leaving high school, maintaining my #18 was very important to me. However, knowing that I was entering a team where that jersey number was being worn by a junior, and a very skilled junior, I knew I had to let that dream go. I would never again be known as good old 1-8. In addition, my head coach at Dartmouth had a very strong feeling that it was important to start fresh in college; to create a new emblem of identity to wow the collegiate scene.

My backup number to 18 had always been 13. It made no difference that it rivaled the evenness of 18; rather, it was simply the number of one of my best friends that I grew up with and with whom I played hockey. I must admit that when I wore #13, I did feel somewhat studly. Not only was it an odd number, but it was also a number that everyone either loved or hated. That appealed to me. However, once again, in college #13 was already taken.

Before heading off to college I consulted with a friend as she knew that the number I wore was important to me. She directed me towards the musical great Bob Marley and his song: “Three Little Birds.” To quote the song;

“Risin up this morning, smiled with the risin sun, THREE little birds pitch by my doorstep, singin sweet songs of melodies pure and true, sayin, this is my message to you-ou-ou: singing don’t worry bout a thing, cause every little thing is gonna be all right.”

Instead of idolizing some athletic great and wanting to replicate their athletic successes my love for music and the message of this song directed me towards the number three. So, no, the number three is not my lucky number, but it has become a number that I can wear and also be happy with the reasons for and how I chose it. Now, I can’t ever imagine going back to 18, or even 13. That’s the reason for being 3.

I know everyone out there is in their lacrosse seasons. Good luck to everyone! To all my teammies training for camp in June and then off to THE WORLD CUP… CRUSH IT!