Vandy coach Derek Mason's daughter is a Gator

BMF

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Mason's daughter is a freshman lacrosse player. As McElwain would say, "pretty cool!"

http://floridagators.com/news/2017/9/27/chris-harry-all-in-the-mason-family.aspx

Mason, a 5-foot-3 freshman defender, is the daughter of Vanderbilt football coach Derek Mason, whose Commodores (3-1, 0-1) take on the No. 20 Gators (2-1, 2-0) in a Southeastern Conference East Division game this weekend.

"Obviously, it's a very unique situation," Mason said. "It's also very cool and definitely very awkward."

Maybe it's better she won't be in the stadium.

"She's a Gator," her father said. "She loves Dad dearly, but when she signed to go to the University of Florida that's who she committed to. That's the way her dad raised her. I'm good with that. She just knows that when she comes back to the house she better not have on any Gator gear."

Makenzie played soccer and basketball growing up and was pretty good at both. Once she got to high school, though, she'd grown a little weary of the two sports and was looking for something new. Something different.

And, candidly, "Something that he couldn't tell me how to do or correct me on," she added.

Amy Bokker, Stanford lacrosse's head coach, who happened to be a neighbor of the Mason family at the time, introduced Makenzie to lacrosse. Turned out, she was really, really good at it. Meanwhile, her father, one of the brightest defensive minds in all of college football, had no clue how to use a lacrosse stick, much less attacking the crease or breaking a team's ride.

In other words, it was a perfect fit.

"He just sits in the stands now and is very quiet," she said. "I appreciate that."
 

rogdochar

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5'3"? Can she use a longer stick than the tall girls?
 

t-gator

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too sexy for my shirt
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Nice, she can kick!
 

veroG8tr

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That is a great story. You can tell a lot about a man but the way he raises his kids. You can just feel the bond between those two. He is a good man, but I hope we wipe his a$$ off the field Saturday.
 

Homer J

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Ha -

I was going to put him as # 3 on my coaching list (another thread) but I picked Durkin instead, because he was undefeated as a Gator Coach.

He is a good coach.
 

Windy City Gator

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Heart wrenching story of Mason's daughter struggling with depression and suicide. Depression does not discriminate. It's awful and hard to battle and takes a toll on all involved. Hoping she makes it through all and her family.

Florida Gators lacrosse player Makenzie Mason on her struggles with depression

My daughter fights depression and anxiety and have seen what it has done to her....I hope she gets the help she needs and understands that "good enough is good enough"
 

MidwestChomp

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My daughter fights depression and anxiety and have seen what it has done to her....I hope she gets the help she needs and understands that "good enough is good enough"
Seen it personally as well. There is light at the end of the tunnel. Keep your head up and hers.
 

gingerlover

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Heart wrenching story of Mason's daughter struggling with depression and suicide. Depression does not discriminate. It's awful and hard to battle and takes a toll on all involved. Hoping she makes it through all and her family.

Florida Gators lacrosse player Makenzie Mason on her struggles with depression

Good words on it takings it’s toll on everyone. I know a few people that battle it and it’s a constant struggle. Many years ago I lost a close friend to it and I am very happy with how far the options available and reduction of the stigma attached have come the last twenty years. My heart goes out to anyone that deals with it.
 

RiverRat

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Wonder if he wore a Gator shirt? Its hard not to like Derek a very classy guy and pretty good coach for what he has to work with.
Hope his daughter does well as a Gator.
 

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