He then realized that the only person that could change the circumstances was looking back at him in the mirror.
“What are you going to do when you face adversity? You’re either going to stop and crumble, or use it as motivation,” McClay said. “I vowed that from that point on, for my next four years, I was going to continue playing to have another chance to make that team. I had a chip on my shoulder, for a lot of reasons, that drove me to be really successful.”
McClay notes that he had a singular focus when trying to improve his skills and reach his personal goals.
“There’s only one way I know how to do that, and that’s to just put the work in,” McClay said. “That’s in school, in the weight room, conditioning, stick work, etc. You don’t get fast by just sitting down and watching TV. You’ve got to go out and do some things.”
By the time the next U.S. team tryouts came around, in the summer of 2009, McClay was well prepared.
Mike Pressler, who had recruited McClay pretty hard when he was the head coach at Duke and had also served as an assistant coach for the 2002 U.S. Team, had now been appointed as the head coach for the 2010 U.S. Team.
“We developed a really great relationship,” McClay said. “I didn’t end up playing for him in college, but I still felt like he was a coach to me.”
McClay’s hard work since being tabbed as a 2006 alternate paid off as he earned one of the coveted 23 roster spots for the 2010 team that would travel to Manchester, England, seeking to recapture gold after finishing as runner-up at the 2006 world championship.
“To be a part of the 2010 team was pretty special,” McClay said. “That was the highlight of my playing career, to make that team, because that required a lot of lonely mornings, doing workouts before work to keep myself in shape.”
Once in England, the U.S. Team rebounded from an early pool play loss against Canada to defeat the Canadians 12-10 in the championship game, reclaiming the gold. McClay was one of six American players named to the All-World Team.
The irony of the moment was not lost on McClay in the midst of the championship celebration.
“I remember saying to Coach Pressler that I was so glad I got cut in 2006 because I wouldn’t have been in England to celebrate that 2010 championship. It was a great feeling and great experience.”
For McClay, the experience also confirmed a mantra that he heard and adopted as a young athlete.
“Lacrosse will give you more than you can ever give it, and you need to honor the game every time you step on the field. Those words have stuck with me and have really been prophetic for my life,” McClay said.
To purchase tickets for the National Lacrosse Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony on Saturday, October 15, please visit www.usalacrosse.com/HOF.