FORT WASHINGTON — Not long before she wore the red, white and blue at the 2025 Pan-American Women's Lacrosse Championship, Maddie Burns ’20 was competing in the red, black and blue of Germantown Academy, representing the Patriots on the basketball court in the winter, on Oberkircher Field for girls soccer in the fall, and for girls lacrosse in the spring.

Back then, she was racing through fitness tests, laughing with teammates and soaking up time with coaches who would help shape her. She never imagined that, just a few years later, and with a full-time job, she would be training in Central Park to chase a dream she did not even know she had.

On June 30, Burns and the U.S. women’s lacrosse team defeated Canada, 21-11, to win the inaugural Pan-American Women’s Lacrosse Championship in Auburndale, Florida. The victory capped off a dominant tournament in which the team dispatched Puerto Rico, Peru, Mexico and Haudenosaunee and earned a spot in next summer’s World Lacrosse Women’s Championship in Tokyo.

Although the championship spanned only five days, the journey began in November 2024 with the first training camp.

“There were around 40 girls before cuts at the first training camp,” Burns said. “There was another camp in January, and another in early June, and from that they named the 22-person roster. It definitely was a long-term process, and there are more trials than I think most people realize. You constantly have to be training throughout the year.”

Unlike many of her teammates, who are involved in coaching and have built-in practice time, Burns is a growth analyst at Procter & Gamble in New York City, where field space is notoriously limited. However, she partnered with a gym in Flourtown — not far from her hometown — to create a training plan that worked with her schedule.

She said her workouts often include stickwork in Central Park or runs along the West Side Highway. A few of her former college teammates from the University of Michigan also live in New York, and she will occasionally bring them out to the field before a big tryout. Still, even with all the hard work and training, Burns said her expectations remained modest.

“I’d always looked up to the girls who were on the USA team when I was younger, and I truly never thought I was in the realm of being good enough to be on it,” she said. “When I got the call that I was invited to the team, I was completely honored. I felt like I had a really good mindset about it. I didn't put too much pressure on myself and I think that mentality allowed me to really lean in and enjoy the experience. When I was named to the final roster and put on a jersey for the first time, it was completely surreal.”

Burns credits her years at Germantown Academy for laying the foundation.

“I preach being a multi-sport athlete,” she said. “I think it is the best way to make yourself extremely athletic, and even if one sport does not seem extremely transferable to another in terms of skills, there are so many things you take from one team to another, and you learn so many different coaching and leadership styles.”

She added that the culture around GA athletics, from the competition to the camaraderie, made a lasting impact. Burns said the girls who were on her teams are still some of her best friends and that she could not imagine what her athletic career would have been like without the support staff she had at GA.

Among the many coaches who stood out, she named Sherri Retif, who led the basketball program with a championship mindset, and Chris Nelson and Kelli Kaput, who coached girls soccer.

“Coach Retif is obviously a legend, and it was so rewarding to be part of a program where winning was the expectation,” Burns said. “I loved being on the GA girls soccer team. Chris and Kelli were the best, and I am still in touch with both to this day. They were an incredible support system.”

Lacrosse, though, remained her favorite.

“I just loved lacrosse so much,” she said. “The group of girls was incredible. We would have almost too much fun at practice.”

She also credited Athletic Director Tim Ginter, then her advisor, for his consistent support.

“I leaned so heavily into athletics at GA,” she said. “Mr. Ginter was just an amazing presence to have. I could not have done any of it without my GA support staff and system. They truly made all the sports I did fun, and as long as I was having fun, I was getting better. So I am thankful to them for that.”

The tournament opened June 26 with a 21-5 win over Puerto Rico. The United States followed with lopsided wins against Peru (25-1), Mexico (25-2) and Haudenosaunee (18-8), before clinching gold with a 21-11 win over Canada. Burns, a defender, tallied two assists during the tournament.

Still, it was not the medal or the final score that left the biggest impression.

“I think the most rewarding part of this all has been seeing the little girls and boys in the stands and them coming up to you after the game to ask for an autograph or a picture,” Burns said. “I remember when I was one of those girls, and to be that female role model — that is really special for me. I never would have expected that boys would be at the women’s lacrosse game cheering you on and asking for autographs. That was incredible to see.”