Macy Zachary couldn’t slow down while she was a student at Southmont.
Cheerleading, gymnastics, track and field, and soccer. If there was a way to be involved, Zachary was doing it.
The 2018 gradaute left her mark at Southmont, leading the Mountie soccer program to their first of four-straight IHSAA Sectional titles in 2017 and headed to Heidelberg University to play soccer after setting the all-time goal mark at Southmont.
When she walked onto the Tiffin, OH campus as a freshman, Zachary had to slow down her pace, right?
No way. That’s not who Zachary is and she couldn’t envision a college experience without being constantly busy.
It’s what drives her to succeed in everything she does.
“I love being busy,” she said. “It just makes me feel good and like I have more structure and control of my life.”
If soccer and school wasn’t enough, Zachary was a part of the cheerleading team for the past three years and joined the lacrosse team in the spring of her sophomore year.
“During my freshman year at Heidelberg, I got super into men’s lacrosse and ended up going to just about every game,” she said. “I was asked by the women’s team to join that year, but I stupidly didn’t want to join because it would mean I would have to miss some of the men’s games. But after my freshman year, I was too excited about the possibility of playing myself and being approached multiple times by the team to play to keep denying the opportunity. I joined the team the spring of my sophomore year after they had already been practicing for a few weeks, did a trial practice before joining, and fell in love with it.”
Zachary stuck with the new sport and eventually landed in the starting lineup and scored her first career goal in front of her family at Franklin College.
“I made my absolute best friends and memories while playing sports at Heidelberg,” Zachary added. “I wouldn’t trade the experiences I had at Heidelberg for the world.”
She did cash in all the hard work this spring though — graduating with a bachelors in history and political science. Zachary’s drive extended much further than the playing fields.
“I took 17-19 credit hours every semester, worked, and played sports from the beginning, so it was just my normal routine,” she said.
The motivation to graduate early was all about the next step. And that’s law school, where Zachary has already been accepted for the fall term at Ohio Northern University and will continue her lacrosse career.
There is no doubt she’s ready for the next step. All the sports and all the late nights of studying made sure of that.
“I think sports in general aid in making more marketable and productive employees, so I’m glad that I was able to have athletic experiences throughout my life,” Zachary said. “As for college sports specifically, it helped me create a good schedule for myself, balance work and social life, and create a stronger work ethic. It has also already acted as a form of networking! Alumni are so, so supportive at the small, liberal arts schools that I’ve attended, and it’s so amazing to be able to meet people who used to play for the same program that you are a part of.”
Zachary also grew up during her undergrad at Heidelberg. Learning valuable tools that she will be able to apply at law school and beyond.
“I was constantly working on my teamwork and communication skills, which will translate well in nearly any workplace or relationship,” she said. “But more importantly, I feel that I learned that I cannot be in total control of every situation. Sometimes I have to let loose a little bit, go with the flow, and take things as they come. This was something that I had to learn to deal with throughout my time in college.”
She’s got one degree in hand, but that’s not enough. It’s still full steam ahead for Zachary. This time with her lacrosse stick on one arm and a stack of casebooks underneath the other.
