My Lacrosse Life: Crista Samaras' Unusual Journey

A three-time All-American at Princeton, Crista Samaras graduated in 1999 as the Tigers’ all-time leader in goals and points. She played on two U.S. teams and has spent the past two decades as  a college coach, a broadcaster, a successful businesswoman and a motivational speaker. 

Samaras was inducted into the National Lacrosse Hall of Fame in January. Who better to tell the story of her lacrosse life than Samaras herself?

Mom is My Hero

My mom (Cathy) was a change-agent, a woman who altered the world of lacrosse and set an especially high bar. She’s the reason I am here, from the youth programs that she started and helped to proliferate, to the recruiting tournaments that she breathed life into. She painted a picture of what could be.

Chasing That Feeling

There’s a special feeling you get when you rightfully catch the ball for the first time, or when you hit the top corner of a goal or make an interception. I kept chasing that.

Reach for the Stars

My siblings and I grew up in an environment that cultivated a growth mindset, before we all knew the benefits of believing that you could do and become anything.

Choosing Princeton

I wanted to be at the best place to play lacrosse, and when I went to visit, I really liked the vibes of the team. It’s a place where you have to want to be excellent in everything, and that resonated with me at that age. And yeah, it was a struggle the whole time I was there, but my experience gave me the ability to manage and fight my fear, struggles. etc.

More Than a Coach

At Princeton, Chris Sailer set high expectations  and inspired excellence in us while modeling strategic thought and leadership. She has embraced me in my tears, been in the front row of my acting debut, and been my first client when I built a new company. She has talked me through so many life decisions. Chris Sailer is my soul’s perfect coach.

What’s in a Name

In the middle of the 2001 World Cup games, I asked my U.S. teammates to start calling me by my new actress name. Instead of Christie, I became Crista. And like the World Cup champions that they were, it took them about 30 seconds to make the shift, and I’ve been Crista ever since.

Connections Never Fade

I’m still in touch with probably 3-10 lacrosse players every day in my life. Some are kids that I coached or women who played with me at some point and who I now mentor or seek advice from. This game is beautiful. It comes with a community feel that just entrenches you all the more.

Hall of Fame

It’s good to get this award at my age (49) because I’m old enough to have perspective. I cannot separate my career from all the people that I encountered along the way, and the relationships and experiences that playing this sport has afforded me.

FIVE

It took me five years to finish college because I failed out of Princeton after my second year and spent a year at Maryland as a non-matriculating student. Princeton was a hard place for me to navigate. It was socially hard, and intellectually and academically hard. Lacrosse is really where I fit in, so when I came back, I tried to transfer the stuff that made me successful on the field into the classroom.

2001

I knew which day Sue Stahl was going to call to tell me if I made the 2001 World Cup team, so I wore every piece of USA clothing that I had that day. Kilts and skirts and shorts and sweatpants and spandex and jackets and T-shirts. I’m in New York City and I remember going to a diner in Hell’s Kitchen to meet somebody. I told them I had to wear all this because maybe it would help.  When she called and said I made the team, I was freaking out.

SIX

I am one of six Greek kids from Annapolis. We all played lacrosse in high school and college. My siblings were my first and best teammates, and opponents. And my parents were the greatest coaches. Being born into my family was lucky.