Archbishop Carroll’s Erin Sweeney is Main Line Girls Athlete of the Week
The versatile and talented sophomore forward/guard averaged 10 points per game for the Patriots this season, and was a key component to the Patriots’ drive to the PIAA Class 5A girls’ basketball state semifinals in late March. She received second team All-Catholic League girls’ basketball honors for the 2017-18 season. Carroll head coach Renie Shields said, “Erin’s best attribute is her willingness to do whatever it takes to make our team better. She comes every day to get better and is a tremendous teammate.” Outside of Carroll, she plays basketball for the AAU Comets.
Q: What was the key to your productive scoring this season? What area of your game do you feel you improved the most in this winter?
A: I believe the key to my productive scoring is looking to drive to the basket more to get layups. We practice different moves driving to the basket every day at practice and the threat of attacking the basket has opened up outside shots for me too. The area of my game I’ve improved most this winter is getting stronger driving to the basket.
Q: What was your most memorable experience of this past season – can you share it with us?
A: The most memorable experience of this past season was the entire run through the state tournament, but especially when Alli Dreger hit a buzzer-beater to send us to the state quarterfinals. It was such an exciting moment for the whole team.
Q: What do you think was the biggest key to the team’s success this season?
A: The biggest key to our success was everyone buying into their role on the team. Each player knew what they needed to do on the court and executed it so well.
Q: What do you feel is currently the strongest aspect of your game? What are you working on most at the current time?
A: I feel that my defense has become stronger throughout the season. Our team does not have much height, so I usually have to guard the tallest player. This has helped me improve on post defense and denying the ball. I am currently working on making my 3-point shot more consistent.
Q: Is there a player that you try to pattern your game after?
A: I grew up in St. Bernadette’s parish and was fortunate enough to see a lot of great players go through the CYO program ahead of me and I learned a lot from them and tried to follow in their footsteps.
Q: Where did you get your start in organized basketball? Who have been your most important basketball mentors, and what was the most important thing you learned from each of them?
A: I started organized basketball by playing for rec leagues when I was younger. I played St. Bernadette’s CYO and started AAU basketball for the Comets in sixth grade. I have had so many great coaches in my life. My biggest basketball mentors have been the Shields family. Mr. Shields coached me in 7th and 8th grade CYO and Mrs. Shields and Erin Shields are my current coaches at Carroll. They have helped me improve every aspect of my game, build my confidence, and made me into the player I am today. My past AAU coach Katie Gardler taught me the mechanics of shooting, and my present AAU coaches Kacy and Ky McNichol have taught me how to compete at an elite level.
Q: What is your favorite academic subject at school? Is there a career path that particularly interests you at the present time?
A: My favorite subjects are the sciences. A career path that interests me is physical therapy or nursing.
Q: Do you participate in any other extracurricular activities at Archbishop Carroll other than basketball?
A: I played varsity softball for Carroll during my freshman year and I am also a part of Student Ambassadors. Outside of Carroll, I played softball for Drexel Hill Little League and my dad coached me on travel softball teams, and I have always enjoyed the game.
Fun facts – Erin Sweeney
Favorite book: Harry Potter series.
Favorite author: John Green.
Favorite TV show: Criminal Minds.
Favorite movie: 10 Things I Hate About You.
Favorite athlete: Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Favorite pre-game pump-up song: Dark Queen by Lil Uzi.
Favorite team: Villanova basketball.
Favorite place to visit: Sea Isle City, N.J.
Favorite pre-game meal: Clif bar and a banana.
Person I most admire, and why: “The person I most admire is my sister Maggie because she always supports me and she works so hard in her schoolwork. We were also on a lot of softball teams together and she was a great teammate. She always challenged me to 1 on 1 basketball games in the driveway when we were little and pushed me to get better.”
Family members: parents Joe and Tara, sister Maggie and brother Aidan.
(To be selected as Main Line Girls Athlete of the Week, a student-athlete must first be nominated by her coach.)
