Gearin overcame adversity to lift high-flying Owls
November 28, 2008
By Ken Blanchette, Nashoba Publishing Sports Editor
WESTFIELD -- Megan Gearin established herself as a go-to athlete at Groton-Dunstable Regional High School in soccer, basketball and track. Her drive, determination and work ethic complemented her skills perfectly and made her a favorite of coaches and teammates.
Megan is still applying those attributes at Westfield State College. The junior recently completed a sensational soccer season as a key member of the Owls. She has been an integral piece in a building program under the leadership of coach Todd Ditmar, now in his fourth season at the helm.
"Megan was a part of my first recruiting class," said Ditmar. "I had heard so many great things about her. I hit it off with her parents, Mark and Nancy, and I explained what I was trying to do at Westfield State.
"Megan is a dynamic scorer who knows how to put the ball into the net," said Ditmar. "She started all 18 games as a freshman and led us in scoring. We finished 8-8-2 and made the semi-finals of the MASCAC Tournament. Teams were forced to game plan to stop Megan."
But a brilliant freshman season was followed by a lost season as a sophomore.
"Megan suffered a mild concussion in the first game and two weeks later suffered another one," said Ditmar. "We red-shirted her."
Without Gearin, the Owls struggled offensively, scoring only 22 goals in 17 games, and finishing the season with a 4-12-1 record.
"Losing Megan really hurt our offense," said Ditmar.
"My freshman season was a good eye-opener," said Megan. "It was a nice start to my career both individually and as a team. The toughest part of college was balancing work and sports, but coach Ditmar clearly had the program headed in the right direction.
"At the start of my sophomore season I hurt my back and hit my head at a tournament at Skidmore College," said Megan. "I came back and played two games, but I received a second concussion in practice. That shut me down for the season."
Gearin, who kept busy in high school in every season, struggled mightily with the inactivity.
"I hated being on the sidelines and it took a toll on me," she said. "The injury took me out of things mentally, and I ended going home a lot, almost every weekend. I felt like I wasn't a part of things."
Gearin was left with few immediate choices.
"I had to lay low and let my body heal itself," she said. "But I went to see Dr. Cantu and he took some blood tests that indicated that I shouldn't be prone to future concussions. Around Christmas-time I started to get back into the swing of things. I took walks and worked out and I was cleared to play indoor soccer. It really helped me mentally to be back with my teammates."
With the discouraging sophomore year behind her, Gearin and her teammates readied for the 2008 season, which turned out to be the best in the history of Westfield State. With Gearin leading the way, the Owls scored 57 goals in 20 games, won 15 of those games. They captured the Massachusetts State College Athletic Conference Championship for the first time, earning a first-ever berth into the NCAA Division 3 National Tournament, where they lost to Ithaca in the first round.
Gearin was the focal point of the revived offense, leading the team with 13 goals and five assists for 31 points. She proved to be clutch, scoring five game-winning goals. That performance earned Megan a first team selection on the MASCAC All-Conference team.
"This was just an amazing year," said Megan. "It was a season to remember. To lead the team in scoring, win a league championship and qualify for the NCAA Tournament was something special."
Megan's leadership was also recognized before the season when she was named one of the fourth captains of the team.
"That was an honor being a captain," said Megan. "The other three captains are more vocal than I am. I just try to lead by example with the way I play."
Because she was red-shirted, Megan has two years of eligibility remaining, even though she will be a senior next year, but she isn't sure whether she will use that extra year or not. Either way, she is very upbeat about the prospects for next season.
"We had a young team this season with only one senior," said Megan. "Expectations are high for next season. I made the right choice when I came to Westfield State. This is the best slot for me and my parents have been able to make it to almost every game."