Professional Women's Lacrosse League Drafts Former No. 1 Bergen Player

Sammy Cermack has been given the chance to do what very few athletes do: Play a sport professionally.

Cermack, a Ridgewood native, was selected by the Philadelphia Force in the United Women's Lacrosse League's first ever draft earlier this month.

Cermack was voted a two-time All-American and led the Maroons to the school's first ever state championship in 2010, and was named the state's player of the year that season too. She went to John Hopkins University.

The league begins its expansion season in May with four teams: the Philadelphia Force, Long Island Sound, Baltimore Ride, and Boston Storm.

Cermack attributes her success on the field to hard work.

"In everything I do, I try and make sure I do it with 100 percent effort and enthusiasm, so that there's never a feeling of regret or would've, could've, should've, so to speak, in the back of my mind," Cermack said after the team's championship season.

She said her proudest moment playing for the Maroons was when she scored the game-winning during in Ridgewood's 7-6 victory over Mendham to win the team's first state championship.

Cermack told NJ.com that she wasn't expecting to be picked in the top 40.

She said she was "kind of shocked, but so happy to be part of something that's going to be very big for our sport."

Cermack's coach Karla Mixon called her former player "an amazing young woman" and a "wonderful human being."

The 10-week long season begins May 28. The championship game is June 30.

The Force will open their season against the Boston Storm.

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Sammy Cermack plays during a game. Patch file photo