Becca Paradee enjoyed her share of thrills playing field hockey at Gardiner Area High School, including being a key part of a state championship team her junior year.
But the thrill scale has moved a few notches higher since Paradee joined the University of Maine field hockey team this fall. For the first time in school history, the Black Bears were nationally ranked in the top 10, reaching that milestone three weeks ago.
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Maine is currently ranked 13th in the country at 15-3 with one game remaining in the regular season before the America East Conference playoffs begin. With the UMaine football team enjoying one of its best seasons in recent memory, there’s still room for field hockey on campus.
“People always come up to you and ask how did your game go,” Paradee said. “And what’s your record.”
Paradee has seen her playing time drop since the conference schedule began. She started a couple of games on defense earlier in the season, but her playing time has been limited lately.
“We had discussions with her this week about more playing time,” Maine coach Josette Babineau said.
Babineau would like to develop more depth at midfield, a necessity for the faster-paced college game played on turf.
“It’s very different from high school,” she said. “There needs to be more substitutions.”
Paradee, who was a Miss Maine Field Hockey finalist last year, played midfield at Gardiner, although the adjustment is more difficult in college.
“Cutting is the difference in midfield,” Paradee said. “You have to get open for the backfielders. You also have to interchange with the other midfielders and overlap with the forwards.”
Paradee religiously followed the workout program she was handed by the Maine staff for the summer and showed up in great shape.
“Becca is a very athletic player,” Babineau said. “Very fast, very skilled. She’s progressing quite well. Really, it’s just experience at this level. It’s just getting her in more game situations.”
Paradee played in the Futures program for three years and was selected for the Junior Olympics, so she had a good idea what to expect from the college game. Still, there were some things she was surprised by.
“The expectations at practice,” she said. “Everyone’s going at 100 percent all the time.”
And the travel is certainly unlike anything Paradee experienced in high school.
“Two or three times a month we travel the whole weekend,” she said. “Just being away from the comfort of the dorm.”
Paradee’s time is much more structured with practice time intermingled with study sessions and weightlifting sessions. And the team studies film before every game. Paradee is one of seven freshmen on a team that also includes seven seniors and not much in between. The disparity in age and experience hasn’t been a problem.
“Everyone is like really, really close,” Paradee said. “Everyone’s really helpful. Coach really knows her field hockey, and so does the assistant coach.”
With seven players graduating next spring, Paradee sees an opportunity to move into the lineup. She’s learned a few new skills, but her greatest obstacle right now is confidence, which she’s gaining day by day.
“It’s basically everything I expected,” she said. “I’m having a great time.”
Gary Hawkins — 621-5638
ghawkins@centralmaine.com
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