Published: 4/28/2022 3:57:08 PM
Two Smith Academy seniors are continuing their field hockey careers at the collegiate level.
Bailey McCoy announced she is playing at Haverford College (Pa.), while Makena Valentine committed to the University of New England (Maine) at a signing ceremony Wednesday a the school in Hatfield.
“Very excited for both and well deserved for both. It wasn’t a surprise they were going to have the opportunity to continue on after high school. They took their athletic ability to go to two awesome schools,” Smith Academy coach Judy Strong said. “I know the two of them are ready for the next step.”
Strong, a Smith Academy alum who played at UMass and won an Olympic bronze medal in 1984, worked with both players part time in the summer before she became their coach full time. She saw their extra work and skill development outside the fall season.
“All their hard work has come full circle for their next step. It makes me proud that they love this sport enough to put in extra work. Just playing during the season is great, but in order to go to the next level you have to put in extra work,” Strong said. “You have to put in the time when all of your friends are doing something different.”
They led the Falcons to the Class B Western Massachusetts championship game and earned a berth in the Division 3 state tournament.
“It makes me proud to see their development and where they’ve come. I’m glad I was a part of it,” Strong said. “They just bought into it, and that’s the biggest reward a coach can get. They still have so much potential that’s untapped.”
McCoy, who had three goals and three assists as a senior midfielder, said she’s looking forward to getting to Haverford.
“What attracted me right away was the way the coach leads her team. I love her attitude about coaching and the way in which their team sees success. We had multiple conversations and we shared the same views when it came to the game,” she said. “I am also just so excited to play the game at the collegiate level. I absolutely adore field hockey and it is definitely my happy place. The feeling I get on the turf is a feeling I hope never goes away.”
Valentine, who put away 13 goals and tied for the team lead with six assists, will look to make her mark in Maine with the Nor’Easters.
“I wanted to play D3 field hockey because I wanted to also be able to focus on my academic future as well as my athletics,” said Valentine, who will major in medical biology on a pre-physician assistant track. “I’m most looking forward to being able to further my education and get to play at the collegiate level, which I have wanted to do for a long time, and I’m really excited to make new connections on the team and get to experience a higher level of play.”
Kyle Grabowski can be reached at kgrabowski@gazettenet.com. Follow him on Twitter @kylegrbwsk.