Miles and miles of heart

Mother McAuley senior Meghan Nolan wants to make a difference in this world, which is why she will study nursing when she enrolls at Northern Illinois University in the fall. She wants to learn everything she can about pediatric cardiology and be there to help children in the future.

Before Nolan embarks on her new career, she's trying everything she can to help the Mighty Macs win a second straight state championship in water polo. McAuley will open its defense against Evanston at 7 p.m. Friday in an IHSA quarterfinal at Stevenson High School in Lincolnshire.

"We lost four key starters from last year's team, but we still had a close group of players," said Nolan, a co-captain who has registered 35 goals and 34 assists this season. "A lot of us have grown up together. We work well as a team and have bonded together. It's been a lot of fun trying to get back to the state finals."

When you have courageous players like Nolan on your side, anything is possible.

The Beverly resident was 9 when she started her age-group swimming at Ridge Park. She also loved to play basketball, volleyball and softball.

"I love playing sports," said Nolan, who has also qualified for a national tournament as a junior lifeguard.

But when she was 11, she would encounter a life-changing experience.

"My husband suffered a heart attack and had bypass surgery," Meghan's mom, Bridget, explained. "Then his two brothers also had heart attacks. I figured right then that I'd better have our five kids checked out."

Every child's report was in order, except Meghan's. She was diagnosed to have an abnormal electrical rhythm. Doctors prescribed medication, which she still uses today, and told her to take it easy. There could be an occasional bike ride or game of chess, but that was it.

Five months later, the Nolan family decided Meghan needed surgery to have an internal defibrillator so that she could then have some physical play back in her life.

Of course, Meghan couldn't wait to get back into the water and start competing again.

"Meghan wanted her normal life back again," said Bridget, whose oldest son, Ryan, is a Marine serving in Iraq. "Before you knew it, she was qualifying for the nationals as a lifeguard."

Meghan was back to normal until the day she had a routine checkup during her sophomore year.

"I was really out of it," Meghan said. "I just didn't feel right and was really spacy."

Fortunately for Meghan, the defibrillator did its job and jump-started her heart, which had stopped.

By spring 2006, Meghan was back in the water playing water polo.

"Physically, I was a little behind," Meghan said. "I was trying to work twice as hard to catch up. When I was a junior, I ended up using that as a rebuilding year. I was just happy to be on the team."

And happy to contribute a goal in the 9-8 victory over Fenwick in the 2007 state championship match.

"I just want to do things that help the team," Meghan said. "It felt so good last year to help the seniors on the team win a state championship. They had worked so hard and really deserved it."

In the fall, Meghan swam a personal-best time of 1:05 in the 100-yard backstroke, finishing seventh at the sectional finals. Now she's getting ready for Friday night's big match against Evanston.

"We were the underdog at the sectional, but we did a great job and beat Lyons (8-2) in the final match," Meghan said with a big smile. "I'm so proud of our team. We're playing with a lot of confidence and we're ready to defend our title. I'm so lucky to have my teammates. They mean so much to me."

Ditto.

Alan Macey can be reached at amacey@southtownstar.com or (708) 802-8834.