As both the starting soccer and lacrosse goalies, she has helped lead the teams to great seasons her first two years at Amherst. In between playing goalie, she logs valuable minutes for the basketball team as a backup post player.
While many would find it difficult to make such large transitions, Diamond has become accustomed to shifting gears between all three sports. "I'm pretty used to making the transition," she said. "Every winter I know I'm going to get shin splints moving from the grass to the court. I'm used to how my body reacts to the change."
Rather than complain about how busy she is, Diamond revels in her full load of extracurriculars. "I have to be busy, otherwise I'm not happy," she explained. Besides, Diamond's been doing this for a long time now, so she's used to it. As a child she played sports all year long: tennis and golf in the summer, swimming or basketball in the winter, softball in the spring and soccer all year long.
In high school, she participated in three sports, at either a club or varsity level. Of course, she chose to play three varsity sports for Loomis Chaffee, and even picked up lacrosse, which she had somehow managed to previously avoid. They made her a goalie because she played the same position on the soccer team. And even though Diamond had wanted to play in the field, she was game enough to stay with it. Perhaps this is because it was not the first time that a coach had made her play goalie.
Until she was in fifth grade, Diamond played in the field in soccer. Then one day before a game, everyone was taking shots on goal. When it was Diamond's turn, she stepped up and smacked the ball right into her goalie's face. With the starter down for the count, it was apparent that the team needed a new goalie. "My coach looked at me and said, 'Well, you did it, so now you get to take her place,'" she said. So, not having much of a choice, Diamond began her career as a goalie.
When it came time to pick a college, Diamond decided that Division III was the way to go because it would allow her to play varsity soccer, basketball and lacrosse. Amherst came extremly close to losing Diamond to rival Williams College, until she chose the Jeffs at the last minute. "I really wanted to go to Williams for a while because it's known more for its athletics than Amherst is, but it came down to little things," she explained. "I really enjoyed my visit here, and I liked my soccer coach here more than the Williams coach. Also, Williams is in the middle of nowhere."
Diamond's decision turned out to be a good one, as she says her coaches have all been very forgiving of her hectic schedule. "They are all very understanding, and that's what allows me to be able to do what I do," she said.
Of course, Diamond's skill in each of her sports makes it easy for the coaches to understand why she does not concentrate on one alone.
So next time you're feeling overbooked, remember Diamond, playing year-round despite the shin splints and the constant practices, doing what she loves.