Glory Days with Soccer Star Lindsay Moore

Former Carmel star baseball player Pat McMahon made a name for himself in college. He was an All-Big-10 first baseman for Northwestern University in 2006.

But the question does come up. Is he the most famous athlete in his new family?

You might get a serious argument from Libertyville soccer coach Scott Schinto.

That's because McMahon's wife, the former Lindsay Moore, was quite the soccer player in her days at .

"I have yet to see another player with the personal drive that Lindsay displayed daily,'' Schinto said. "I have seen many good players through the years but nobody can even come close to the consistently high level of intensity that she brought to the field."

Wait there is more about Moore. Also coaching for Libertyville during the Moore era was Jeff McKenzie.

"Lindsay was one of the most skilled soccer players I have ever been associated with (male or female),'' McKenzie said. "She had tremendous foot skills, but it was her vision and leadership that set her apart. She made the right play every time she was around the ball."

Making Varsity as a Freshman

Moore made the Libertyville varsity as a freshman, but its her senior season that bears closer examination. In addition to Moore, the powerful Wildcats had help from the likes Arin Yarc, Joyce Kleinheinz, Molli Beard and Kimmi Pawlowski.

"I knew those girls when I was in second grade,'' Moore said. "A lot of things came together at the right time. We really came into that season with a lot of confidence."

After falling short of getting to state in her previous three seasons, the powerful Wildcats headed to the state tournament in 2001. The first match went to Libertyville 3-0 over Jacobs. Moore checked in with a goal. The next victim was Chatham Glenwood. The Wildcats prevailed 4-0. That same score came up in the title game against Sandburg. Libertyville had won a state title and did it in style by out-scoring its three foes, 11-0.

"We came ready to play,'' she said. "I knew in that final game, it would be my last game in high school."

Winning a State Title

Schinto and team celebrated that state title.

"I'm sure she would agree one of her finest moments was riding the fire truck after her team won the state championship,'' he said. "She was a leader and great player. She never would allow any of her teammates to settle for anything less than excellence."

Schinto liked the way Moore went about her business on the soccer field.

"She was mature beyond her years and she was very focused; meaning she knew her team was going to be state champs,'' he said. "And she was not going to let anything get in the way of her personal goal."

Starting Soccer Young

Moore entered the soccer world at an early age.

"I really started in kindergarten,'' she said. "I played GLSA (Greater Libertyville Soccer Association) up until high school."

All this soccer led her to play for the Eclipse Soccer Club. In her junior year, the club won a state title.

Then the high school honors began to pile up. She went from all-sectional to All-State to All-Midwest. And naturally college soccer was in the picture. She chose Marquette University.

Playing Days Comes to an End

And then fate checked into her life. Playing for Eclipse prior to college, she collided with another player.

"I had an intense head injury,'' she said. "I was pretty out of it. I had very little memory of it."

Her head did not heal right away.

"I had a couple of months where I couldn't function,'' she said. "I had some tremors. I knew I had to stop playing."

She came home and transferred out of Marquette. She finished up her education at DePaul University.

"Unfortunately, a severe concussion ended her playing days at Marquette,'' McKenzie said. "But it was a rare pleasure to watch Lindsay play for as long as we were able. Lindsay was one of the most skilled and complete players I have ever seen. In addition, Lindsay was as classy off the field as on the field. She was a pleasure to coach."