WATERBORO — Massabesic senior Nikki Smith has designs on a career in athletic training.

How appropriate.

After all, she routinely puts such a hurting on opposing goalkeepers, it’s only right she should have a hand in their healing, too.

But that can wait until after the season.

Until then, Smith will have plenty to do with leading the Mustangs into what she hopes will be a deep playoff run.

“I’m so excited,” said Smith. “It’s what I’ve been waiting for.”

Smith is a highly skilled attack with a knack for barging into the shooting space, often with a helpless defender or two left in her wake.

“My mom will ask me if I heard her cheering for me,” she said, “and I say, ”˜no’. I just focus so hard on what I need to do and where I need to go. When I focus on where it needs to go, I’m determined to get it there.

“I run through scenarios in my head. It’s really weird to think about. It’s a lot of talking to yourself.”

Smith joined the Mustang varsity team as a freshman, missing out on the school’s state championship run by a year.

However, many of those returning players helped shape Smith’s skills and her psyche.

“Just watching them play,” said Smith, “I picked up on things. As a freshman, I didn’t play that much, but just watching helped, because I could go home knowing what I had to work on if I wanted to play. They were tremendous.”

The peer lessons paid off handsomely.

So much so that Smith will have more lacrosse to look forward to after she leaves Massabesic.

She has already been accepted at UNE, where she will pursue her twin passions, athletic sciences and playing lacrosse.

“I love it,” Smith said. “I like helping people out, because I don’t like seeing people hurt.”

Unless you’re standing between her and another score.

Then, all bets are off.

— Contact Dan Hickling at dhickling@journaltribune.com or follow on Twitter @DanHickling.