Fryeburg Academey senior Brooke Anderson welcomes the additional responsibilities that come with being a team leader.
By Bob McPhee
Staff Writer

FRYEBURG – Brooke Anderson obviously made the right decision when she switched to field hockey. And now the Fryeburg Academy senior is getting a great deal of satisfaction from extending her knowledge of the game to younger players.

The Raider standout has led the Western Maine Conference team in scoring for the last two years. As a sophomore, she scored 31 goals (believed to be the most in the state that year) and scored 21 last year. Although her scoring prowess is widely known, there are plenty of other reasons why the 5-foot-6 dynamo continues playing at the top of her game.

“As a team, I hope we continue to improve each game,” Anderson said. “I love the challenge of getting the ball and moving it up the field. There’s such a rush of adrenaline I get when I’m in front of the goal. It’s very satisfying when my team scores.”

“Brooke is the most dedicated kind of hockey player that a coach could ever hope for,” Fryeburg coach Dede Frost said. “She adores the game of field hockey and her love of the game is obvious and even contagious at times. She works hard during practice and on her own and is continually striving to reach a higher level. Athletes like this do not come along every day.”

This season might be the most challenging for the Fryeburg captain who has inherited other duties. Fryeburg graduated nearly a dozen players, so there’s a handful of young who need guidance. Anderson enjoys helping the younger players on positioning and offensive skills.

The forward line also includes Anna Ballard, Bailey Nunan, Mallory McInnis and Bryane Hennessy.

“As a freshman, it was obvious,” Frost said. “Brooke had the speed and the raw talent to be an exceptional player. She was rough around the edges, but her desire to excel made her a pleasure to coach.”

Fryeburg has a small team and some of the girls have been playing together for several years. The Fryeburg Recreation Department serves as a feeder program for the school. Anderson and Frost agree that the players’ familiarity with each other has helped bring them closer.

“I switched over from soccer in the third grade,” Anderson said. “My mom had played field hockey while in high school, so I decided to give it a try and loved it. Now that I’m older I’m determined to do everything I can to help the younger players and to improve myself.”

Anderson has also been well recognized with postseason honors, including being named to the Sun Journal second team in 2003. She was selected to the WM All-Conference as a sophomore and junior (honorable mention freshman year.) She has also been named All-State the past two years.

Despite losing 11 players to graduation, Frost and his Raiders remain positive and excited about the season.

“We have some young players who will learn a great deal from our seven seniors,” Frost said. “The team is incredibly close knit and do a great deal together both on and off the field. Every game will be a challenge for us this year and we have set new goals that are not necessarily based upon wins and losses.”

Anderson doesn’t put away her stick after the season because she plays on the Maine Event Field Hockey Team. In November, she’ll be playing at the National Hockey Festival in Palm Springs, Calif. She is also a participant in the Futures Field Hockey Program.

Anderson understands the importance of academics and has been an honor-roll student for the past three years.

She plans to major in physical therapy and is hoping to play field hockey at the University of Connecticut, Quinnipiac or Sacred Heart. Anderson also excels on the slopes as a member the alpine ski team.