Q&A with Hampstead area youth lacrosse player Aengus Maxwell

HAMPSTEAD, N.C. — A Q&A with Aengus Maxwell who has played lacrosse for the past nine years and is in the eighth grade at Surf City Middle School.

Teams: Team91 Carolina, Team91 Nationals, Carolina Coast, TYLA, Nationals LC 2020-2022.

What are your personal goals within your sport/athletic dreams?

Aengus Maxwell: I want to play D1 lacrosse and keep myself healthy and fit.

What is your biggest challenge in your sport, and what do you do to manage this challenge?

Maxwell: The biggest challenge I have faced was mentally being prepared. I wasn’t playing aggressively enough, so I started football to gain confidence.

What was the best advice you were ever given?

Maxwell: It seems simple, but the best advice I have been given is to just stop thinking about it and play naturally. So many mistakes are made because of overthinking and stressing.

What do you love about your sport?

Maxwell: I love lacrosse because it has a little of everything. It has footwork, speed, contact, and you have to play smart. It’s a very well-rounded game.

Do you have a pregame ritual you follow?

Maxwell: I don’t have a specific pregame ritual, but I always imagine what is going to happen. Seeing it in my head before the game stops me from panicking.

What do you like to do outside of your sport?

Maxwell: I love anything related to the water: boating, swimming, fishing. I enjoy being outdoors.

What has being a member of a team taught you?

Maxwell: Being a member of a team has taught me teamwork, cooperation, and how to work with someone I don’t know well. A lot of life lessons that can’t be learned anywhere else.

What is the best piece of advice you received from a coach or mentor?

Maxwell: The advice to not think about it too hard from one of my coaches. Don’t force a play and let it come naturally. I have used it many times.

Describe a mistake you made while competing and how you overcame it.

Maxwell: I’ve made so many mistakes in front of so many large crowds that it is hard to remember a specific one, but no mistake is worth giving up over. It’s a lot easier said than done, but make the mistake, and then do it right the next three times.

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