TOPSHAM

These are somewhat melancholy times for recent Mt. Ararat High School graduate Caitlin LaFountain.

You see, the University of Maine- bound LaFountain is scheduled to play in the Maine Field Hockey Festival and McNally Senior All-Star Game Saturday at Thomas College in Waterville.

Those who’ve watched LaFountain over the past four years can understand that’s she both excited and a bit saddened that Saturday will be her final competitive contest.

Ditto for her mother and former coach, Kelly.

“Any time you know it is the last time for something that has been a big part of your life there are feelings of melancholy,” said Kelly LaFountain. “The last few months have given me time to reflect over the past four years, having coached Caitlin in two sports. I consider myself lucky to have had the opportunity to watch her grow both personally and athletically.

“ On the sidelines I never missed a game because of other commitments, but what I think some people fail to realize coaching your own kid is during games I am not watching her through a parent’s eyes. I am watching through a coach’s eyes, treating her like every other player trying to get the best effort out of her to help the team to be successful. I can’t celebrate her accomplishments or great plays or focus only on what she is doing the way other parents can from the bleachers because I am concerned about the next play on the field and keeping my team engaged in the competition.”

“ It’s bittersweet, really,” echoed Caitlin, who will compete for the East squad. “ I’ve played pretty much my whole life. Thinking that this is my last game is surreal.”

Caitlin’s list of on-field accomplishments is long and includes most goals in a game versus Brunswick on Oct. 12 ( Senior Day) with six; most goals in a season (25, 2013); most goals in a career with ( 51); most points accumulated in a season ( two points for each goal and one point for each assist) during 2013 with 52; and most points accumulated in a career with 113. In 2012, Caitlin and her teammates set a school record for wins (11) in the regular season.

Interestingly, the original plan was for Caitlin to attend St. Joseph’s College in Standish and play basketball. She was a Kennebec Valley Athletic Conference all- conference standout. But, over the winter decided UMaine was a better fit.

“UMaine was always at the top of my list because of my parents, and pretty much my whole family, had gone there,” said Caitlin. “And it makes a lot of sense to me financially. It’s a great school, I like the atmosphere and there’s a lot to do there. At St. Joe’s there was basketball. They’ve also got a great nursing program and I got into the nursing school, so that was awesome. But, UMaine gave my more options and I’m going to do a lot of club sports that I’ve never done before. So it should be a good experience.”

Her memories of field hockey are also numerous.

“My number-one would have to be the Senior Game against Brunswick,” said Caitlin. “ It was Homecoming, Senior Game and (rival) Brunswick all rolled into one. Everyone contributed (in a 13-1 win) so that was awesome. I scored my 51st goal. It was great atmosphere to be involved in and that’s the kind of sporting event I love to be in.”

Said Kelly: “I have many fond memories of Caitlin the last four years. To pick just one is hard, but I would say one of my favorites was seeing her running off the field over to coach (Cally) Ellis and I after defeating Lewiston in the home quarterfinal game, sending us to the Eastern Maine semifinals. She came sprinting over with her arms wide open and the biggest smile I have ever seen on her face as she jumped in our arms almost knocking us over. That pure joy and excitement I saw on her face is why I coached and as a parent my heart exploded to see her so happy.”

Kelly added that she’s also seen her daughter mature over the past four seasons.

“Over four years I saw Caitlin grow as a teammate.” said Kelly. “Her first two seasons she was confident in her skills, but very quiet. She looked up to the upperclassmen, respecting and supporting them and always trying to play her best for them. She wanted to do well for them so the team would be successful. Her junior and senior years she took on more leadership. She now understood she was one of those upperclassmen and needed to earn the respect of the younger players.

“She learned from the older players she had played with and used those experiences to help make the program successful. Caitlin pushed herself in practices and games and led by example. As a senior captain she had to learn to be more vocal to encourage and help teammates. She is shy by nature, so this was a step outside of her comfort zone. Her teammates seemed to enjoy having her around and being on the field with her.”

When watching a Mt. Ararat field hockey contest, one couldn’t help but notice the 5-foot-10 omnipresent midfielder.

“On the field she was responsible for creating scoring opportunities for her teammates and herself,” lauded Kelly. “Her first two- year goals were hard to come by, but we were right there on the edge. Her junior and senior years, all the perseverance paid off and the team began scoring. We moved Caitlin to the center-mid position to utilize her abilities to stick handle, clear the ball out of the defensive zone and find open teammates. We also asked her to be aggressive in the offensive circle because she had such a hard and accurate shot on goal. Caitlin was always willing to do whatever the coaches felt she needed to do to help the team.

“Off the field she was asked to be a role model both athletically and academically. She worked hard, staying fit and getting good grades, graduating with a 3.8 grade-point average. Caitlin helped coach the little kids in our youth field hockey programs and really enjoyed promoting the sport to them. It gave her great joy to see more kids playing the game she loves.”

In a sport like basketball, everyone knows the game, especially the vociferous fans. By and large field hockey is on the other end of this vast spectrum. Rules can be hard to understand. So for the players, and those who know and love the game, it can be a bit difficult.

“ It’s definitely different because you know more than the fans do,” said Caitlin with a laugh. “With a sport like basketball everyone thinks they know more than everyone else! It’s a different atmosphere, but they (fans) know when to cheer, but they don’t know much more than that … so it’s hard for them to get rowdy and scream at the refs! Especially the dads. They try so hard to understand what’s going on. And, a lot of them do at the end of the season. I just think it’s a better atmosphere.”

Playing for her mom was also an added bonus, offered Caitlin.

“I wouldn’t change a thing,” said the 18- year- old. “ It is the best thing that happened to me in high school. People around here knew my mom and the coaches knew my mom. But, people from other towns don’t know. So we got to the point where we could separate parent and coach. And child and player. It was awesome … she was my support system. She always knew what was going on in my life. We would have talks. I think players and coaches and parents and kids have a reputation that is not necessarily true.”

However, sometimes it is hard to leave the game, maybe a tough loss, on the field and not bring it home with mother and daughter.

“Depending on the outcome of the game,” offered Caitlin. “We have a deal in that we give each other an hour to cool down, and then we’d have a civil conversation about it. And move on.”

Mother Kelly hopes that daughter Caitlin has become a better person through all of this.

“I am extremely proud of the young woman she has become because of all she has gone through the last four years,” said Kelly, who recently stepped down from both the school’s basketball and field hockey positions. “I am confident she will be successful because of these experiences both good and bad. It is my hope that as the years go by she will look at the times we got to spend together and have very fond memories. I know for me it has been a blast getting to share my passion for athletics with her from both a parental and coaching perspective.

“I was also harder on her than any other player I coached. I ingrained in her a long time ago she had to be prepared to work harder than anyone out there to leave no doubt she earned the time she got on the field. I am going to really enjoy watching her through my parent eyes this Saturday and truly appreciate her effort and skill level from another perspective.”

Which brings us back to Saturday.

“ I will try to do like my old friend Dr. Seuss says, ‘Don’t cry because it’s over. Smile because it happened,’” said Kelly. “However, anyone that truly knows me knows it will be hard having dry eyes on Saturday.”

And Caitlin? “I’d just like to be remembered as someone who did everything in my power to help my teammates, my friends and everyone around me. I felt like I gave it my all every time I was on the field. That’s what I want to be remembered for: doing everything I could.”