Catherine Dee is a relative newcomer to lacrosse. But the Most Dedicated Player awards that Dee has won at Howell High School for the last two years goes a long way toward explaining why the Rebel senior will continuing playing the sport in college. Whatever it is that she does, Dee takes no shortcuts.
Dee recently signed a National Letter of Intent to attend Georgian Court University in Lakewood and to play lacrosse for the Lions.
“I wanted to sign early,” she said. “I didn’t want to deal with the stress.”
Until a few years ago, lacrosse was foreign to Dee. She played softball growing up, but an elbow injury shortcircuited her career on the diamond. So she tried another spring sport, lacrosse, and instantly took a liking to it.
“It was something different,” she said. “It’s an adrenalin rush running down the field.”
As a freshman, she recalled, all she could do was cradle the ball. But she was determined to be better. Attending camps and clinics and rounding up her high school teammates to play in offseason leagues helped her become an All-Shore-caliber player by her junior year. Dee plays attack and center-midfield.
It was a camp conducted by Georgian Court staff at an indoor sports facility that turned Dee in the direction of the Lakewood university. Many other schools were interested in her, but seeing in person won her over.
“I loved his [coach Mike Migliorisi’s] philosophy and how he presented everything,” she said. “He always had a time schedule for everything. I still have a lot to learn as a player, and he’ll help me develop as a player.”
Looking ahead to the 2010 lacrosse season at Howell, Dee believes the Rebels are poised for a big campaign.
“We have a great group of girls coming in,” she said. “It will be more of a team aspect with a lot of passing.”
Lacrosse wasn’t Dee’s only option for college. She is also an accomplished equestrian and could have sought that as a way to school. She said she intends to start an equestrian club at Georgian Court.
As an equestrian, Dee has built an impressive résumé, winning Grand Champion honors at a number of competitions throughout the state. She is a member of several organizations, including the Central Jersey Horseman’s Association. She is an owner and trainer as well as a competitive rider. She stables her horses at Bella Rosa Riding Academy in Howell.
Dee rides every day and goes to horse shows on weekends. She is also active in Catch Rider, an organization that saves thoroughbred race horses and retains them for pleasure and show use.
Dee came by her equestrian activities inadvertently when she was in the third grade. Her father, Kevin, gave her a gift certificate for six riding lessons. She took him up on it, attended those six lessons and thoroughly enjoyed the activity.
“It was different,” she said, adding that the higher she was jumping, the more she enjoyed the sport.
Dee comes from an athletic background. Her father, Kevin, coached the Howell High School boys track and field team to Freehold Regional High School District titles and is currently an assistant at Howell, while her mother, Christine, coached Allentown High School’s boys basketball team.