Each Murray sister brings something different to the table. The oldest, Amanda, is a bit of a perfectionist with an unmatched drive and a knack for leadership. Shannon has always been the fastest on the field, a poised player whose focus is slanted more toward academics. Makayla is the natural athlete and the kind of competitor who simply hates to lose. And Kendall, the youngest, is a ball of fire with a burning passion for whatever sport is up next.
Individually, the sisters from Bow each have a defining characteristic that makes them stand out. Together, they have an unbreakable bond forged by a lifetime of shared hardships and successes.
“My sisters are my absolute best friends. I hang out with them all the time. We have a really strong bond and relationship together, which I think is awesome,” said Amanda, a senior on the Southern Connecticut State women’s lacrosse team. “It’s just a good relationship between the four of us even though we’re kind of at different stages in life.”
Amanda was the first to leave home, graduating from Bow High in 2016 after winning three state titles (two soccer, one basketball) before heading for greener pastures in Connecticut. Shannon followed in her older sister’s footsteps. The pair played together on the Bow lacrosse team for a season before Shannon graduated in 2018 to attend and play lacrosse at another Northeast-10 Conference school in Saint Michael’s College.
Makayla’s athletic career is now starting to blossom. She’s just beginning her junior year at Bow High where she will play three sports with an emphasis on lacrosse, where she’s been a two-year varsity starter. And the college hunt isn’t far behind.
Kendall has her eyes set on a similar path as she prepares to play lacrosse, soccer and basketball as an eighth-grader at Bow Middle School.
“It’s pretty outstanding to be able to watch their growth, both physically and mentally, and them understanding and growing with the game,” Mark Murray said of his four daughters. “Watching the older ones kind of teach or coach the younger ones has been neat, not even on purpose like, ‘We’re going to go run wind sprints,’ but just throwing the ball back and forth in the back yard back in the day.”
All four sisters were enamored with competition from an early age. From basketball to soccer, even dancing, the Murrays stayed busy doing it all. But it always came back to lacrosse.
“I personally played basketball but they gravitated toward lacrosse so I had to pick up the sport as they evolved,” Mark said.
From middle school to playing with the Granite State Elite club team to their first taste of varsity, the success came fast and the work ethic was even rubbing off on the youngest of the family.
“I get to see first hand, what it takes to get to that level and stay there,” Kendall said of watching her sisters. “I would love to have as much fun as my sisters did in high school sports but I know it’s going to take a lot of work and training because I’ve seen them do that all the time.”
But the adversity came just as quick.
During her freshman year at Bow High, Amanda was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes. A little over six months later, Makyala, in fifth grade at the time, received the same news.
“It was definitely a freakout (moment). I was unsure of what was happening or what I was going to do. I didn’t know anything about the disease going in,” Amanda said. “I remember one of the nurses in the office saying, ‘Well you’re not really going to be able to play sports anymore so this might be a big life adjustment.’ From the second I heard that, I absolutely wanted to crush that and crush any thought that people had of the stigma behind diabetes and playing sports.”
Amanda didn’t skip a beat, staying true to her word.
“We were worried but she didn’t let it slow her down at all,” Mike said. “She faced it head on and continued to work, maybe even harder, because she had to stabilize that.”
The diagnosis was a little tougher on Makayla, who said she was initially confused by it all and what it would mean. But she also didn’t have to look far to find a role model.
“(Amanda) was definitely a mentor for me throughout the whole thing,” Makayla said. “Looking at her life experiences, how well she handled it and how she’s still a normal person and nobody treats her different definitely keeps me going throughout the day. … Seeing her being able to do it and keep a smile on her face, that keeps a smile on mine, too.”
And so the two sisters, already close-knit, grew even closer through their shared struggle.
“The fact that both of us were diagnosed around the same time, we were really able to connect over that and it’s kind of like a special bond you’re not able to have with anybody else,” Amanda said.
As each sister gears up for the start of another school year this fall, they will all have April 18 circled on their calendars.
That’s when Shannon and the Saint Michael’s College women’s lacrosse team is slated to visit Southern Connecticut State University in what could be Amanda’s last collegiate home game.
“It’s her senior night, we’re lucky enough to get on her on that big day,” Shannon said. “It’s my little sister (Makyala’s) birthday, too, so it’s kind of like a big day for the family.”
And it will be a welcomed reunion for four sisters who always feel they’re stronger together.
“When you get the four of us together, it’s a big thing,” Amanda said.
(Jay McAree can be reached at 369-3371, jmcaree@cmonitor.com or on Twitter @JayMcAree.)