Congratulations to Lucy Johnson, a senior midfielder from Cheverus High School in Portland, Maine, on being named the New England and Maine Player of the Year! Lucy contributed 34 goals and 8 assists in her senior season on her way to setting the Maine state record for career goals scored at 152 and being named Miss Maine Field Hockey. She was the 3x Varsity Maine Player of the Year, Varsity Maine All-State First Team, MFHCA All-State, SMAA Player of the Year and First Team, Press Herald All-Region Team, NFHCA All-American and All-Northern New England Region, and MAXFH Preseason Player to Watch. Lucy’s career at Cheverus was nothing short of outstanding, cementing her legacy as the best ever in Maine, insights she shared with us in an interview.
Q: How did your journey in field hockey begin? What does this accomplishment mean to you in relation to your time spent involved in the sport?
A: My field hockey journey began when I was around 5 years old. I was always a multi-sport athlete growing up playing soccer, lacrosse, and ice hockey, but those sports just never connected with me as much as field hockey did. I've always had so much heart for the game and it just continues to grow every time I play. This accomplishment is truly an honor because I am a person that sets goals for myself and I always strive to reach them. Growing my game and all the hard work through my high school and club team (Coastal Field Hockey Club), and pushing myself always to be the best player I can be has shown me to never give up and my goals are achievable.
Q: What do you love most about field hockey?
A: What I love most about field hockey are the connections they build with the people I have met through the sport. I also just love how creative the game is because when I play I feel so free to play and it just comes so natural.
Q: What were your field hockey goals entering your senior year at Cheverus? Were there any routines, skills, or drills on which you focused over the summer in preparation for the season to work toward achieving those goals?
A: My team goals entering my senior year was to really be a leader defensively because I had played with my sister the past 3 years and she graduated as our core defense so it was difficult to fill her shoes, but our team came together and got the job done, eventually winning the state championship! My personal goals were to set more records in the state of Maine and win Miss Maine Field Hockey. In the summer preparing for my senior season came down to a lot of conditioning and lifting to be the strongest player I could be. Mentally, I worked on not letting other teams get in my head because I've struggled with that in the past, being targeted a lot on the field. I continued to also work on my stick skills and the simple game because fancy work can be good to impress others, but at the end of the day, it just comes down to simple pulls, speed, and passing.
Q: What did being a captain for Cheverus in 2024 mean to you? How does it feel leaving a lasting legacy of 3 State Championships and just one loss in your four years as a Stag?
A: Being a captain meant a lot to me because I wanted to show, not only my teammates, but everyone in the field hockey community that I could lead a team without my older sister and lead a team without anyone getting in my head and letting my emotions get ahead of me. Having only 1 loss and 3 state championships really means the world to me because our program grew so much and it puts on a great view of the school so we can continue to create the best team every year.
Q: Name your proudest moment or a significant response to a setback/challenge from the season.
A: My proudest moment of my senior season was scoring the 3rd goal against Biddeford in our regional championship to advance to the state game. I always have had a love for the reverse side of my stick because it came as a strong suit to me over time, and this goal was off a corner, and it was a reverse chip that went right off the backboard of the goal, and it was so surreal and exciting. As I mentioned before, I struggled with letting the other team get in my head in previous years because I would always be targeted in games, so that became a huge setback in my game, but I really worked on that this year, and having my teammates by my side helped me a lot.
In 2025, Lucy will join the Boston University field hockey team!
