Like many others, Lawrence High field hockey coach Shawna Robinson heard the rumors that Paula Doughty was on her way out after a legendary tenure at Skowhegan.

She just couldn’t believe them.

“As a coach, you take it with a grain of salt, because you can’t imagine that could be true,” Robinson said. “She’s a legend. To me, she’s the ultimate.”

Doughty’s historic 44-year run at Skowhegan is over after the school announced to players on March 6 that she would not be returning. The school did not provide an explanation to the players for the decision, and superintendent Jon Moody declined comment last week. Doughty has not responded to requests for comment.

Her tenure included 644 victories, 20 state championships, and the ascension of Skowhegan into position as the state’s unquestioned field hockey powerhouse.

It’s the most successful coaching tenure the sport has seen, but Doughty over the years acknowledged that her style drew critics. She coached her players hard, demanded their commitment to the program, and is opinionated and frank.

Her time at Skowhegan was polarizing, and earned her both fans and detractors; six current coaches contacted by the Press Herald for a reaction to her departure either didn’t respond or declined comment, with some citing the sensitive nature of her exit.

“It’s no secret that she’s very demanding. Her kids all know that, and she’s the first to say that,” said Mt. Blue coach Julie Lajoie, an assistant of Doughty’s in 2021 following 18 years of coaching in New Jersey. “… She’s tough on the kids. She has her way of doing things, and that’s the only way it’s going to be done. It is her way or no way. … Her standards are higher than what you usually find.”

Lewiston coach Jenessa Talarico said Doughty always “tells it as it is.”

“No coach is ever going to be everybody’s cup of tea. Every kid likes a different style better,” she said. “It’s not a ‘one-size-fits-all’ system. I’m sure some kids thrive for her, but I’m sure others just didn’t, because she was pretty intense.”

During her tenure, Doughty became the face of field hockey in Maine, and a name synonymous with championships and dominance.

“I know how hard it is to win a state championship. To do that year after year, that’s not a fluke. That doesn’t just happen,” said Robinson, who’s coached at Lawrence since 2014 and won a Class B title in 2022. “I don’t think there’s another field hockey coach, honestly, in the entire United States that probably would have a record like hers.”

The news of her exit reverberated through the field hockey community.

“It’s definitely going to be weird,” Talarico said. “(When) you go to Skowhegan, that’s always the face you’re expected to be greeted by or talked to after the game. … It just feels weird thinking about going there and not seeing her.”

Mt. Ararat’s Krista Chase had multiple tussles with Doughty’s River Hawks (formerly Indians), dating to 2002 when Chase started coaching at Cony. Her team played Skowhegan in the Class A North final last fall.

In a text message, Chase described Skowhegan as the “gold standard” for field hockey in the state.

“It’s hard for me to imagine Maine field hockey without her,” she wrote. “Coaching against Paula meant you always had to bring your best effort, pulling out all the stops just to survive each quarter against her teams.”

Mary Beth Bourgoin, the Winslow coach since 2006, wrote in a text that Skowhegan’s preparation for games was “legendary.”

“They simply did not give away games,” she said. “(Doughty’s) success is proof that coaches always need to be continually studying the game, opponents and develop strategies for each game played.”

Rival coaches said Doughty helped raise field hockey’s profile in the state, as Skowhegan’s dominance brought increased radio and media coverage and exposure to the sport.

On the field, the level of play went up, too. Doughty’s players competed year-round, and opponents learned they were going to have to instill the same dedication in order to compete.

“When you play in Class A North, Skowhegan is the threshold of how good we need to be. When I was in high school playing at Lewiston, it was very common they were beating teams 12-0, 13-0,” Talarico said. “It kind of gave all of us coaches this gap that we needed to close, and I think that for the most part, a lot of the schools did that. Skowhegan didn’t get worse, a lot of the surrounding schools got better.”

Doughty also made an impact off the field. Lajoie commended Doughty’s attention to social causes, particularly with the “Battle for Breast Cancer” and “Victories over Violence” tournaments she organized. Lajoie said Doughty invited the Mt. Blue team this season to join Skowhegan in touring the breast cancer facility at a hospital in Farmington.

“That was very impactful to the young women,” Lajoie said. “Those might not have happened without someone like Paula.”