In the game of lacrosse, we frequently acknowledge the field players, but not very often do we recognize the players in the cage. In other words, the goalie. A high lacrosse IQ is needed to perform very well on the field, but also in the cage. Playing goalie is probably the hardest job because when the opponent has the ball the team is dependent on the goalie to direct the defense and possibly block the ball from touching the cage. Cheyanne Carson-Banister is a junior and student athlete at the Episcopal School of Dallas (ESD). Aside from playing on the ESD team, she plays for GRIT Dallas. During this distanced interview, I got to understand why lacrosse is her passion and why her drive is so strong.
The lacrosse journey she has experienced has been "amazing" according to Banister. She started playing in 8th grade, but wishes she would've started playing at an earlier age. Growing up, her brother was a strong lacrosse player as well, so she grew up watching him be named an All-American at Boston University and from there play at the professional level. On top of that, her father is a head goalie coach. Because of this, she got inspired to pick up a stick of her own. Like most athletes, lacrosse has given her so many experiences, friendships, and new skills such as: leaderships and time management skills. Which will serve her in a multitude of ways when she goes to college.
As athletes we often have someone who inspired us or impacted us throughout our journey. For Banister, it was her family. Her biggest inspiration was her brother, Christian Carson-Banister, and her father, Brandon Banister. They're the reason why she picked up her first stick and, to her, they were her first coaches. On the topic of coaches, the coach that has impacted or inspired her the most is Maggie Koch of GRIT Dallas. Maggie Koch attended Georgetown University and played goalie as well. Coach Maggie has been GRIT's head coach since 2015. To Cheyanne, Coach Maggie has not only been an extraordinary coach but a truly inspiring role model. Lastly, her father's colleagues have also been the coaches who impacted her; she credits Coach Chris Surran and Coach Remington Steele a for how far her skills have gone as well, because they coached both her brother and herself.
Cheyanne Carson-Banister 2022 Goalie - Sophomore Highlights youtu.be
If Cheyanne could tell her younger self one thing it would be "your best days are yet to come, because once you start playing lacrosse you are going to find that it is the best feeling in the world. You are going to struggle at times, but through these trials you will learn how to preserve and work hard. You are going to have the most amazing experiences playing, and on top of that you are going to make such a special bond with your teammates. Playing lacrosse will be one of the best decisions you will make." She has certainly reached high level success and will continue to do so. Banister has verbally committed to the University of Binghamton to play Division 1 lacrosse. VYPE-U sends the best of luck to Cheyanne on her new chapter in life.
Want to know more?
Follow her on Instagram: @chey_cb30
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