Indiana University Athletics
Brophy's Chance at a New Position
8/21/2002 12:00:00 AM | Field Hockey
August 21, 2002
Bloomington, Ind. - Injuries are always unfortunate and stressful for a team, but losing an experienced goalkeeper could have been even worse. Lucky for the Hoosiers, Lauren Brophy is ready and willing to step-up to the challenge.
Due to shoulder surgery over the summer, goalkeeper Katie Kanara will be on the injured list for the 2002 season. Kanara believes that the injury occurred during the spring season or even the fall, but she did not realize she was hurt until she began weight training over the summer.
"What I thought was sleeping on my shoulder funny turned out to be serious," Kanara said.
Kanara's presence in the cage will be extremely missed. Last season she played in 12 games, making eight starts. She made 82 saves and recorded a goals against average of 2.73, and became the first Hoosier to be named to the Big Ten All-Tournament team for her performance against Ohio State.
This is not Kanara's first serious injury, as she has undergone four knee surgeries.
"It is disappointing to have to sit out again because I had two knee surgeries my freshman year and two more my sophomore year," said Kanara. "This past spring I felt great and was ready to go. It is hard and frustrating to watch the team from the sidelines."
Unfortunately, Kanara loses a year of eligibility since she had previously redshirted as a player at Old Dominion University in the year of 2000.
With Kanara on the bench, senior Molly Pulkrabek was the lone goalkeeper. Previously a field player, sophomore Lauren Brophy saw this as an opportunity to help the team. This year Brophy will have to step-up to replace Kanara in the cage.
"Changing positions has been pretty rough, it is hard work," Brophy said. "It is fun though, it is good to see the game from this aspect. Being a goalkeeper is a new challenge for me, and I am really enjoying it. I played goalie in the spring when Molly was away and Katie was sick. I told coach that I would step into the role. I didn't think that it was going to be a permanent position, but when coach approached me about it, I saw it as doing the right thing."
The coaching staff and team are 100 percent supportive of Brophy's admirable willingness to commit to a position in which she has limited experience. Her opportunity arose when Kanara was ill and Pulkrabek was interning in Boston.
"It is amazing that Lauren is stepping up in this position," Pulkrabek said. "At one point I was the only goalkeeper and it was hard. It is helpful to me to have her in the cage. She is so enthusiastic and upbeat, and she pushes me harder. She is really moving along well."
"The team is behind Lauren," Kanara said. "She was once a soccer goalie, so she has the mentality of a keeper. The team is supportive of everyone - they are supportive of me when I am injured, and they are supportive of Lauren in goal."
Brophy is appreciative of the support from her teammates and is grateful to coach Sandy Willmott, Pulkrabek, and Kanara for all of their help.
"Sandy, Molly, and Katie have been great mentors for me during preseason," Brophy said. "They have been working so hard and I have learned so much."
