Last summer I traveled to Bristol, Maine, to volunteer as a coach at the UMF Field Hockey Camp, a program that brings together young athletes eager to learn the fundamentals of the sport while enjoying a fun and engaging atmosphere.
The camp’s drills and games were designed not only to sharpen technical skills but also to embed lessons of leadership, dedication, and teamwork that I had carried from my own field hockey years.
A Community in Motion
Seeing the campers improve, laugh, and support each other reminded me why I wanted to give back, hoping to spark a broader interest in field hockey across Lincoln County.
Among the campers, several future college athletes are already charting their paths: Grady Pease, Logan Vigue, Mason Nguyen, Ava Collamore, Julia Hynd, Scarlett Flint, Arianna Sproul, Lyra Puchalski, Haylee Chandler, and Chloe Fox will soon compete at the collegiate level in wrestling, football, basketball, tennis, soccer, and track and field.
The momentum doesn’t stop there. Graduates from Lincoln Academy — including Lilly Smith, Caleb Mcardle, Harmoney Clifford, Ciara Stokes, Mercy Buchwalder, Owen Card, and Maggie Sawyer — are set to join college programs in softball, track and field, lacrosse, and swimming.
Even closer to home, Boothbay Region High School alumni Tatum French, Griffin Yereance, and Rose Campbell will carry the local spirit to campuses such as CMCC, Susquehanna University, and Bowdoin College, where they will play basketball, tennis, and track and field.
These stories illustrate a growing pipeline of talent, and the camp’s role in nurturing that talent reflects a broader commitment to community development through sport.