Free Press girls athlete of the year: CVU's Lydia Maitland

Giving a speech at an eighth-grade graduation earlier this month, Lydia Maitland told the middle-schoolers and the crowd she had lost four times in five tries in state championship games.

As the last of those defeats had become painfully clear, just seconds away from the final horn, down by three goals in the Division I girls lacrosse title game, Maitland's teammate, Becca Provost, couldn't wait to tell her close friend how special the journey had still been.

"She said to me, 'Lydia, it's been so amazing playing with you,' and at that moment I wanted to cry," Maitland said. "It was the last draw, we knew we were going to lose, but I was so happy because our team was so much fun and we bonded so well.

"That’s what was the most important to me, that’s what I love about playing all these team sports — that team environment that you build throughout the season."

Maitland routinely found perspective in her sports-playing career. Coming up just short in another championship wasn't going to change that outlook.

"Sometimes it bothers me. I’m a pretty competitive person. It’s just terrible odds, really, losing four championship games," Maitland said. "It’s OK. I’m over it now, I’m moving on. I was just happy because I had such an awesome experience from it."

A captain and star in three sports —  field hockey, hockey and lacrosse —  the Champlain Valley Union star has earned this year's Free Press girls athlete of the year honor.

"I've been coaching for 18 years, she’s by far one of the three best athletes I've coached and I can't even think of the third," said Tucker Pierson, Maitland's coach in field hockey and lacrosse. "I feel like the players who have played with her, especially the younger players, I'm so happy for the next couple years, they will have had Lydia’s exposure and winning attitude.

"She has for sure helped us win more games, that’s an obvious thing, but that culture of winning and confidence and pride in our practice and game play, is due in large part to Lydia’s influence."

The key connection between the forward line and midfield, Maitland tallied 11 goals and 11 assists in the fall to help the Redhawks reach their third field hockey title game in four years. 

In the winter, Maitland led the MMU-CVU cooperative girls hockey team in scoring for the second straight season, recording 16 goals and nine assists. And this spring, the senior racked up 45 goals, nine assists, 74 draw controls and 48 ground balls as the Redhawks advanced to their first lacrosse title game in 13 years.

"She’s a game-changer. She’s got speed, she’s tenacious and skill-wise, she’s just raw. She will work her butt off to make sure her team will be successful," said Anjie Soucy, the long-time South Burlington field hockey and lacrosse coach. "She’s got great vision and if you get her the ball, because she has some much speed, she can make that transition from the midfield and attack. She’ll find the open player.

"She brings an intensity — one of those things you can’t teach or coach."

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Unassuming in her athleticism and strength, Maitland had an extra gear that impressed Paul Wintersteen, coach of the MMU-CVU girls hockey co-op outfit.

"She doesn’t dominate you with size, it’s her focus and determination that doesn’t let her be denied," Wintersteen said. "She was that way in practice. It’s just routine for her. Some athletes go hard for games and not practices, she goes hard all the time."

During lacrosse season, Maitland and several teammates missed two games for a 10-day school trip to Italy. 

"I told myself that it's a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to go to Italy and I’m going to go. I didn’t want to miss two games, but I think it was worth it — I would do it again," Maitland said.

Again, Maitland's approach, a carefully measured one at that, was on display. 

"I thought it was impressive that she did that in her senior year. It also speaks to her balance — she wasn’t living and breathing lacrosse or sports or the team or the season," Pierson said. "I think that was really healthy for her and our team. We played without her and some of her teammates and we held our own."

The two-time BFP All-State first-team selection in field hockey, Maitland is set to continue that sport at the University of Vermont in the fall. And Maitland is ready for that next challenge.

"I would completely do that same thing again if I could (in high school), but I’m also happy to be moving on and going to college," Maitland said. "I’m really excited for UVM, because I think it will be just as intense, probably more intense. I’ll really be able to improve my field hockey skills a lot."

Contact Alex Abrami at 660-1848 or aabrami@freepressmedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @aabrami5.

Girls Athletes of the Year

2018: Lydia Maitland, Champlain Valley

2017: Annika Nielsen, South Burlington

2016: Aggie Bisselle, Burr and Burton

2015: Kathleen Young, Essex

2014: Autumn Eastman, Champlain Valley

2013: Anne-Marie Farmer, South Burlington

2012: Mollie Gribbin, South Burlington

2011: Rachel Crews, South Burlington