Kenzy Ouellette knew she wanted to play basketball in college, so in her sophomore year at Massabesic High, she gave up lacrosse so she could play for the Maine Firecrackers, a club travel team. That worked out pretty well for Ouellette. She set the school’s all-time scoring record of 1,214 points and earned a full scholarship to play basketball at Saint Anselm College, an NCAA Division II school in Manchester, New Hampshire.

Now, she’s returned to lacrosse as a senior midfielder and has helped the Mustangs to a 7-1 start this season. “She brings her basketball savvy to lacrosse and her impact has been felt immediately,” said Massabesic girls’ lacrosse coach Brooks Bowen. “She plays with high skill, poise and tremendous vision. Her knowledge of the transition game makes everyone around her better.”

Ouellette is also a high honors student, helps coach younger players in the Massabesic Filly Lacrosse program and, in the summer, is the manager of her parents’ ice cream shop in Ossipee, New Hampshire, about a half-hour away from their home in West Newfield.

Q: How has it been to be back on the lacrosse field?

A: It’s been exciting. When I couldn’t play because of basketball I was a little disappointed. I missed it. And having my friends talk about lacrosse when I couldn’t play, I was a little sad. But I was so excited to get back senior year and keep playing. I didn’t let it affect me. I’m just having fun with it.

Q: As a midfielder are you an offensive player or a defensive player?

A: We can play both offense and defense. If I get tired I switch with one of the attacks and they’ll play midfield.

Q: Your coach says your basketball skills have helped you play lacrosse. Is that right?

A: It has. Getting the first step on somebody (one-on-one), or just playing the field, looking up, knowing where to be on the field, basketball helps with that. And positioning myself, making cuts on offense, it’s all related. I can relate to basketball with that. It really helps.

Q: Are you still working on basketball skills during the lacrosse season?

A: I try to get into the gym to shoot two times a week, then I lift every other day. So I’m been training, keeping up with basketball, and we have practice and games for lacrosse. So it’s been really busy.

Q: Is it exciting to earn a full scholarship to Saint Anselm?

A: I’m super-excited. You have no idea. So taking a break to play basketball, and not playing lacrosse, it really paid off. Knowing I’m going to St. A’s next year, I can just have fun playing lacrosse right now.

Q: It had to be fun playing on the Firecrackers with the likes of Mackenzie Holmes, Anna DeWolfe, Maggie Whitmore and Faith Blethen.

A: It was. We played super good teams and just playing at that high level was super fun. Not many people get to experience that.

Q: And now you’re on a pretty good lacrosse team.

A: We have a good program here. Just being a part of it is amazing. The team and how we bonded and how we’re playing together, it’s just so much fun and we hope to go into the playoffs and make it far.

Q: Do you enjoy coaching the younger lacrosse players in the youth program?

A: Yes, we do it twice a week. I work with the fourth- and fifth-graders. I did Fillies when I was that age. It was so fun. Having the high schoolers coach us at that age, I was like, “This is so cool, having upperclassmen coach us.” Now I’m like looking back on that and looking at them play. The program is super. That’s how we’ve been built through the years and that’s how Coach Bowen has prepared this team to be good.

Q: Coach Bowen is kind of a quiet guy, isn’t he?

A: He is pretty quiet, but he has his days when he can be pretty loud.

Q: So you don’t want to get on his bad side?

A: No, you do not. He loves everybody, though. He coaches us like we’re his daughters. He will text us once in a while to make sure we get home safe. He cares for every single one of us. He’s a great coach. And so is Coach (Jason Tremblay). It’s the same with him. I love being coached under them. Coach Trem is the offensive coach and Bowen is the defensive coach. And in practice they’ll butt heads, and see if the offense is better then the defense. They’ll keep points. It’s a lot of fun.

Q: Let’s talk about your experience with the ice cream shop. What do you do as the manager?

A: I’ll obviously serve people, do inventory, keep track of everything, make sure the place is clean. I’ll open and close. My parents will help me but they’ve like, lended that hand to me. It makes me grow as a person and to see what it’s like in the business field. It’s super fun. I’ll be there just about every day in the summer.

Q: How has that experience helped you?

A: It’s made me more mature. I used to be really shy. Working there I’ve had to come out of my shell. And I’ve talked to people, customer service. It’s hard at times. But just going to work every day, and working with people, makes me a better person.

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