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12/11/2019 11:00 PMMaggie Martin has developed a unique knowledge of field hockey as a result of playing the sport on a year-round basis. This fall, Maggie put her experience to good use by helping the Branford field hockey team string together the latest in a long line of quality campaigns. A senior captain, Maggie earned All-SCC Second Team honors, while guiding the Hornets to 13 victories with appearances in both the SCC and Class M state semifinals.
“The more I’ve played, the more I’ve learned about technique and game theory with the sport. The more I’ve played, the more I’ve learned to fall in love with it,” says Maggie. “I think when field hockey is played well, it looks really elegant, and I think there’s a certain beauty to it that I haven’t been able to find in any other sport.”
Maggie competes at the club level with the HTC Field Hockey program that’s run by Deb Brickey, Darren Smallhorn, and Chris Mills. Maggie enjoys playing in tournaments with the team and says those types of experiences make her love field hockey that much more.
“They run different types of offseason experiences. We’re currently playing on the hard court in Tolland, which is a different field hockey game with different rules, a different stick, and different equipment from the fall. In the spring, I’m on the regional team, which plays more out-of-state competition,” Maggie says. “The girls that play in this league are all dedicated, so I find the atmosphere is different. Each season has things I love, but they’re all so unique from one another, and I don’t seem to ever get bored.”
Branford Head Coach Pete Frye says that Maggie’s vast amount of experience made her an excellent captain for the Hornets. Frye felt like he had a second coach on the field at all times with Maggie.
“What Maggie brings is field hockey knowledge. She’s a straight-up field hockey player. Leadership wise, people look to her, because she’s played so much club field hockey. They look to her as a leader on the field,” says Frye. “Maggie is one of those Swiss Army knives that can move around and be effective in multiple positions. She’s an Energizer Bunny who can play full speed for 60 minutes. You can’t have too many of those players on your team.”
Maggie, a three-year starter, liked being relied upon to lead Branford as a captain this fall. With all the work that she’s put into her craft, Maggie was always happy to lend a hand to her fellow Hornets.
“I really enjoyed it. I love the girls on the team. To have that leadership and big sister role to them was really heartwarming. It helped me make strong, powerful connections,” Maggie says. “I was always the first person someone would ask any rules or small techniques, because I can break it down on a teenager level. I liked being useful to my teammates and liked that they appreciated my knowledge.”
Maggie is known for her defensive prowess on the field. She uses her small stature to her benefit, while patrolling all ends of the turf.
“I’m very small, so people tend to underestimate me,” says Maggie. “I use it to my advantage, because people approach me like they think they can blow by me and, because of this notion, it’s easier for me to stop them.”
Maggie was named to the All-SCC Second Team for the second-straight year for her performance on the defensive end. She also recorded four assists on the season thanks to her strength as an inserter on penalty corners.
“I don’t like giving myself credit, but it bodes well that I could stand out to the coaches at the high school level,” Maggie says. “The hard-court season really helped me become the inserter I am. The ball is now allowed to lift, so it allowed me to have a smooth, firm pass on the ground, which is vital. I enjoy it, because it gets me more involved in the game and allows me to do the best I can to help my team.”
Now that she’s finished her high school career, Maggie is looking forward to playing the sport at collegiate level. Next year, Maggie will play Division III field hockey at Haverford College in Pennsylvania.
“I’m so overwhelmingly excited. It’s hard to put into words,” says Maggie. “I went to an on-campus field hockey prospect day and just being there felt like home in a way no other college had so far. All the girls on the team seemed close to each other, love each other, and it had a similar environment to Branford.”