Meghan McMahon’s fast transition into the collegiate ranks mimics her style on the soccer field. The speedy and smart freshman from Oklahoma City has started off at a blistering pace, both on the field and in the classroom. The lady that some coaches and players around the state of Oklahoma refer to as “McFly” is zooming around in her new environment at Oklahoma City University.
That fast start on the women’s soccer field has made her the first Super Star Athlete of the Week of 2010-11.
McMahon’s first speedy transition for the Stars was adjusting to a different position on the pitch after being an all-state midfielder as a senior in high school. For OCU head coach Brian Harvey, McMahon has embraced the role of forward with ease.
“She’s the type of girl who will play anywhere on the field to most help the team,” Harvey said of his newest phenom. “She has got good pace, uses both feet, has great balance and can play many positions from defender to forward, which is a bonus.”
The versatile McMahon didn’t know what to expect as she moved across town from the fields at Putnam City North to Stars Field.
“I thought I’d be helping other players around me score more than scoring myself,” McMahon said.
But Harvey knew that McMahon would be able to help the team early and often in a multitude of ways.
“From the first time I saw her, I felt she could impact our program as a freshman,” Harvey said.
McMahon said of the position change, “I can play any position on the field, it’s a matter of where I’m most effective and where coach Harvey wants to put me. If that’s up top and I can contribute by scoring goals, then I’m fine with that.”
Not only is McMahon fine with the role, but so is the OCU stat sheet.
McMahon is the team’s leading point-getter after the first four games of the season, already amassing 15 shots, five goals, two of which were game-winning and an assist in just four matches.
McMahon started off the 2010 season by netting the team’s first goal of the year against LSU-Shreveport.
“Not only did scoring the first goal for our season, but scoring my first college goal felt amazing,” McMahon said. “It’s a completely different atmosphere, and it really showed me that it was college soccer.”
She’s also racked up another rare first on the field early in the Stars’ season, a hat trick. McMahon punched in three goals against Belhaven in just her second collegiate match.
“I was so excited,” McMahon said of the feat. “I did it in high school, but it’s so different here. I never thought I would score a hat trick in college. It was unbelievable when that last goal went in and I realized that was my third.”
As for the classroom, she’s forging ahead in her mass communications classes with aspirations to enter into the field of broadcasting.
“The mass comm department is amazing, obviously,” McMahon said. “That’s what they’re known for. It’s just the best … that is one of the main things that made me decide that this was the final place I wanted to go.”
Already learning about the studio and the various gizmos and gadgets necessary to produce a television broadcast, McMahon donned a headset and took her place behind a camera during a taped segment in the studio with Harvey.
You would never know with the spotlight shining brightly upon her that McMahon isn’t always as cool, calm and collected as she appears.
“Something people don’t really know is while I’m playing games I actually do get nervous if big crowds come and I don’t and I try not to show it, I try and tune them out, but I really am nervous,” said McMahon.
A bit of irony for the soccer star with dreams of the big screen.
As she continues in her collegiate transition, adjusting to the general college pace of life is something McMahon keys on.
And good thing for McFly, she can “Fly” with the best of them – booting balls into the net and manning the camera with speed and ease, rising to the ranks of Super Star – now on the field, and possibly later on camera.
More on Meghan:
Reading I would recommend: Twilight
Favorite exercise: Running
Last movie I saw more than once in a theater: Avatar
My next vacation is to: California
Personal goal this year, athletic or not: Work my butt off and help out the team as much as I can while keeping up with my grades
