Fin Degl stumbled to the ground, having inadvertently been whacked in the face by a lacrosse stick. The pain was considerable, and the junior assumed her nose was injured and would soon begin to bleed profusely.
But, as coach Jessica McDonough rushed toward her, understandably alarmed and concerned, Degl’s thoughts shifted immediately to the possibility of being removed from the match.
“I wanted a nose job anyway,” the John Jay-Cross River midfielder quipped. “This’ll help get me there.”
In an otherwise stressful moment during a recent game, teammates and coaches couldn’t help but laugh. That comment typified Degl’s quick-witted sense of humor and her toughness. Coupled with the jovial disposition is an unrelenting resolve and a willingness to endure discomfort for the benefit of her team.
Some of it stems from her innate personality traits, McDonough describing the girls lacrosse star as “rugged, determined and composed.” But a bit of that can be attributed to Fin and her older sister JoJo having grown up playing Gaelic football, a sport that has been described as a combination of rugby and soccer.
“We loved her competitive fire, and the defensive footwork is what stood out,” McDonough said of promoting Fin to varsity as an eighth-grader, onto a team that would reach the state final. “She wasn’t afraid to challenge upperclassmen. As a freshman, we moved her to the midfield and she rose to the occasion.”
Fin Degl has continued to rise, of course, becoming one of the elite players in Section 1 and leading a talented young team that could be in title contention. The USC commit chatted with us about a myriad of topics including motivation, the bond with her sister, coleslaw, “Terms of Endearment,” and why she lies at Starbucks.
How did you get into lacrosse? “My sister started at Hillcrest (a Yonkers-based youth sports club) and I wanted to follow in her footsteps. We moved here when I was in second grade and my dad (Greg) started showing me the basics. He hands me a lacrosse stick and asks how I would hold it. I hold it in my left hand. He throws me a ball, and I catch it and throw it back lefty. He says, ‘You’re right-handed. Do it with your right hand.’ Being a lefty in lacrosse is a big advantage, so I’ll never forgive him for denying me that opportunity.”
What got you into Gaelic football? “We used to live in Yonkers and played around McLean Ave, an Irish area. We grew up playing it with the guys. It’s a fast, high-intensity game. I might love it more than lacrosse. JoJo and I tried out for Féile (an annual Gaelic football festival for kids) when I was in eighth grade. If you make the team, you get to go to Ireland and play. I made it, but there were too many schedule conflicts with lacrosse. But my sister went and was part of the winning team.”
Do you have Irish ancestry? “My mom’s mom was born in Kilkenny and moved to America when she was young. We still have a lot of family there.”
Your name is actually “Finja”? “My parents were traveling before having kids and visited Germany, and they met a Finja and loved the name. But it’s been tough getting people to pronounce it since I was little, so I go with ‘Fin.’ When I give my name for a Starbucks order, I’ll tell them ‘Ava’ or ‘Emma.’ It’s just easier. My coach saw this once and she’s never let me live it down. They’ve got jokes.”
What was it like playing with JoJo? “People have asked me what it’s like being the younger sister of a great athlete. It (stinks)! There’s so much to live up to. But it gives me something to strive for. She’s my biggest source of motivation. This year without her is weird, but I love that she’s doing well at James Madison. We’re incredibly close and we’ve never fought. We shared a room, shared clothes, and we’ve been inseparable. A few people thought we were twins when they met us.”
How did you decide on USC? “I was strongly considering Oregon, and I love the team. But I thought if I was gonna go that far west, it would be to Los Angeles. In September, I was also talking to Penn State, Notre Dame and (James Madison). I loved the idea of teaming up with my sister in college, so it came down to USC and JMU. I visited USC and fell in love. Then I realized that, as much as I want to play with JoJo, USC was the better fit for me.”
Any significance in wearing No. 10? “When I got to varsity I had four options — 42, 28, 7 or 10. I know No. 10 at higher levels is usually a star player or captain, like (Lionel) Messi. I was worried people might think I’m arrogant to wear it. I hope I can live up to it.”
Do you have a favorite meal? “Everything! But my mom (Sophia) makes a great angel hair lemon pasta with chicken. It’s her version of chicken piccata. She doesn’t follow a recipe, just kind of does her own thing and it comes out great.”
What’s your favorite movie? “It sounds weird for a teenager, but ‘Terms of Endearment.’ I watched it as a little kid with my mom, and it was special for us. It’s sentimental because of how much my mom means to me. And my comfort movie is ‘Bee Movie.’”
Any hobbies unrelated to sports? “Sports kind of is my hobby. But I love hanging out with my dog Maisie. She’s a Bichon-Shih Tzu mix. They’re called ‘teddy bear dogs,’ which is really fitting for her.”
What was it like switching positions in lacrosse? “I was always a midfielder, even in Gaelic football, and I think being that gave me the ability to adjust to defender. In my first few varsity games, I was switched from defense to attack six times. Back and forth. I was just so happy to be playing and part of that team, I was thankful.”
What did you improve most last offseason? “I’m more confident. But there’s also more pressure becoming an upperclassman, I feel I need to perform and lead. I have to remind myself, ‘The world isn’t on your shoulders.’”
After getting upset early in the playoffs last year, what’s the collective mindset? “It was very disappointing. It might’ve been our first loss to Somers in years, and I hate that that’s how it ended for my sister. We’ve got a younger team this year, but there’s talent and we’re definitely motivated. We’re still angry about last season.”
Who are the funniest players on your team? “Not me. Coco Inglis, Kaitlyn Condon and Caitlin Brennan. The Kates are my day-ones. We’re ‘KFC’ because of the initials.”
Do you like KFC? “I love their coleslaw!”
What’s your pre-game hype music? “I like ‘Hot Wings’ from the movie ‘Rio.’ I like Disney music I can belt out and have everyone join in.”
What do you listen to when you’re relaxing? “That’s when I’m on an indie vibe. Dominic Fike, Malcolm Todd, Mac Miller. There’s also some dad music like Vampire Weekend and Arctic Monkeys. Sometimes what ends up getting played in practice is what I was listening to in the car.”
They let you control the AUX at practice? (Laughs) “Do they let me, or do I just take control?”
Stephen Haynes covers sports for The Journal News/lohud.
This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: Lacrosse star Fin Degl discusses career, college future, family, team
Reporting by Stephen Haynes, Rockland/Westchester Journal News / Rockland/Westchester Journal News
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