For Kara Secora, a redshirt senior and second-year captain on the Pioneer women’s team, lacrosse is a family affair.
Her brother, three years older, started playing lacrosse in sixth grade and continued on to play at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in New York. Joining in, her father became a coach and worked with both siblings, and her mother has been by her side through it all.
When it came time for the Denver local to decide which university to commit to five years ago, DU’s proximity to her home was one of the largest factors, allowing her parents to attend as many games as possible.
“My dad coached my brother all the way up through high school, and then he coached me as well,” said Secora. “He’s been there for me the entire time, and my brother inspired me to get better. We went out every single day with my dad and practiced as much as we could, probably an hour every day.”
Now in the home stretch of her final season as a Pioneer, Secora continues to make an impact in every game. She has finished the past three seasons as one of the team’s top three scorers, and she currently sits in second for 2013 with 80 points off 55 goals and 25 assists. In the team’s April 26 victory over Oregon, Secora broke the program’s all-time scoring record after she attained 261 career points.
“It takes a lot of hard work,” said Secora. “There are definitely ups and downs, and it’s a roller coaster ride. You just have to know that some days are going to be better and some days are going to be worse. Every day, even if it’s 10 minutes, even if you just have a stick in your hand, just make sure you devote the time every single day to get better.”
Secora originally joined the Pioneer squad in 2009, soon to receive a medical redshirt her freshman year to allow stress fractures in both shins to heal. By the time the 2010 season rolled around, Secora was ready for action, starting all 18 games for Denver and earning recognition as the conference newcomer of the year in the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation (MPSF).
In both the 2011 and 2012 seasons, Secora was named All-MPSF First Team after accomplishments such as ranking seventh in the nation in assists per game in 2011 and finishing first in the MPSF in game-winning goals in 2012. Last Wednesday, she earned her third straight All-MPSF First Team honor, joined by three of her teammates in the 2013 selection.
“She works so hard,” said head coach Liza Kelly. “She’s one of those kids that leads by example in everything she does and puts her whole heart into it. She’s a really skilled player and a really smart player.”
Now playing at attack for the Pioneer squad, Secora was originally a midfielder for her high school team at Kent Denver, where she set the all-time scoring record with 317 career points. According to Kelly, Secora’s speed has carried over from midfield to attack, allowing her to dominate the field, and her ability to both shoot and assist marks her as a dual threat.
“She redshirted right away her freshman year, so I would joke with her all along that her fifth year was going to be mind boggling for her with how easy the game would come to her, and I think that’s clearly what’s happened,” said Kelly. “From our end of things as coaches, it’s like having another coach on the field.”
Secora is currently finishing up her final quarter at DU, and she will graduate with degrees in both psychology and business administration. Post-graduation, she will be completing a paid internship with Level 3 Communications in Broomfield, Colo., which she hopes will eventually turn into a job. In the meantime, however, she remains focused on lacrosse.
“I’m just going day by day knowing that lacrosse is going to end soon for me, so I’m soaking up every minute,” said Secora.
