Lauren Meyers scored three goals Sept. 7, as Nansemond-Suffolk Academy’s field hockey team shut out Southampton in the midst of a four-game win streak. Meyers’ performance earned her nomination as the Duke Automotive-Suffolk News-Herald Player of the Week.

Coach Ashley Skinner is pleased for Meyers to have receive such an honor. Skinner is proud that the sophomore’s hard work on and off the field isn’t going unnoticed.

“Although her actions speak louder on the field, Lauren is actually a good person off of it,” Skinner said. “Off the field, she does really well in school. She strives for excellence in all that she does. Her determination is also displayed in her field hockey play. She works very hard to improve her skills and plays with confidence.”

Even though Meyers scored three goals against Southampton, she does not acknowledge her induvial performance without giving credit to her team first. She is focused on doing all she can to help her team win.

“That game against Southampton was probably the best I’ve seen my team play,” Meyers said. “We just worked together as a team, and it was really effortless. That win gave us confidence that we can play our game.”

Meyers is only a sophomore, but she is a leader on her team. Many of the young NSA players will be playing on the team when she is a senior, so Meyers pushes herself to be better.

“There is so much to learn from coach Skinner,” Meyers said. “From field hockey to life lessons, I try to soak it all in. It also helps that I get to play with teammates that help me improve. In the years to come, there is so much I can learn, and I hope I can grow as a player.”

Much of Meyers’ field hockey ability can be attributed to her mother Lisa Meyers, who also played in high school and college at Old Dominion University.

Lisa Meyers is quick to note that her daughter is the better field hockey player. But they share a similar style of play — tenacious in spirit and gritty.

“Neither one of us likes to lose,” Lisa said. “Lauren has great field awareness, so she can see and create opportunities on the field easily and quickly. She is also left-handed which is a huge perk in field hockey. She is a far better player than I ever was.”

Being a productive athlete is good, but that’s only half the battle.

“School is always prioritized,” the sophomore said. “It’s an achievement to be able to have good time management. Being a student athlete, it is crucial. You can’t have one without the other.”

By her family and teammates, Meyers can be described as easy-going. She is great to be around.

“She makes everything more fun,” her mother said. “She makes the simplest and most mundane tasks more pleasurable to do.”

“We are so proud of Lauren,” teammate Sam Williams said. “When we found out she won, we were so happy, because she is a huge part of our offense and even better teammate.”