Standout Soccer Sisters Shannon and Mary Therese McDonnell Fondly Recall Sandburg Days

Mary Therese and Shannon McDonnell grew up playing sports together, but never really experienced any sibling rivalry.

“Surprisingly, the way my family was raised, we were just always happy for each other,” Mary Therese said. “We were competitive, but no one was ever jealous of something someone else accomplished and just thought it was awesome. We always had great support in our family.”

That kind of camaraderie has come in handy for the sisters through the years.

Shannon was a four-year starting sweeper and three-time all-state selection for the Sandburg girls soccer team before graduating in 2003, while Mary Therese graduated in 2004 after earning all-state honors twice with the Eagles.

“High school was the first time we played together,” said Mary Therese, who later played with Shannon at the University of Illinois and currently on the Irish national team. “I’ve always been close to my sister and it's nice having that kind of support, having her next to you on the field and someone you can turn to when you need anything.

"I started playing soccer when I was about 7 because of my sister. We tried all kinds of different sports when we were younger, but soccer just seemed to stick. It was fun to play for your high school. I always played with my club team (Windy City Pride), so it was exciting to play with people at school.”

Shannon helped lead Sandburg to the state championship game in 2001 as a sophomore. The Eagles lost to Libertyville 4-0 and finished with a 21-4-5 record.

Shannon and Mary Therese then got to play together at state in 2003 when the Eagles reached the quarterfinals before losing Wheaton Warrenville South 2-1.

“We had a lot of talent, but I wouldn’t say we expected to go to the finals,” Shannon said of the 2001 team. “We expected to do well, but making the finals was a big accomplishment. That was definitely a very fun team to be on with a great group of girls. I still see some of my former teammates at Sandburg from time to time and we just have a ton of positive memories.

"Brian Boll was my coach for four years and Jack Ferraro was my assistant coach. They were both great coaches. It was fun to be part of a team that was successful in your hometown where your neighbors always knew about you and followed us in the papers. It was fun having your community behind you.”