Big decision paying off
Kawartha Lacrosse goalie Maddy Flannigan commits to play NCAA field lacrosse with Kent State
Maddy Flannigan made a tough decision last year to give up hockey to concentrate on field lacrosse but it’s paid off.
Flannigan, 17, a goalie in both sports, is the latest Kawartha Lacrosse Club player to verbally commit to an NCAA Division 1 program. She will attend Kent State University on a field lacrosse scholarship starting in the fall of 2019.
The Bridgenorth native transferred this year from St. Peter Secondary School to Everest Academy, a sports school in Vaughan. She was recruited to Everest by her Evolve Elite Lacrosse coach Ashley Rutz. A condition of her attending Everest was she had to commit to lacrosse full-time and gave up playing rep hockey for the Peterborough Ice Kats.
“It was a big decision but I’m glad I picked lacrosse,” said Flannigan, the daughter of Matt and Jaime Flannigan. “But I do miss hockey a lot.
“We practice every day and work out every day at Everest and I knew
if I wanted to go somewhere for field lacrosse then this would help me a lot,” she said. “I’ve made a lot of new friends and I’ve adapted to living away from home. I’m starting to enjoy it.”
She started playing box lacrosse in Grade 3 in the Peterborough Minor Lacrosse Association. She switched to field lacrosse in Grade 9 at St. Peter’s and joined the Kawartha club. She’s played for Team Ontario in box lacrosse at four Canadian championships winning two gold medals and two silver.
Kent State coach Briannee Tierney first contacted Flannigan in November and then saw her play for Everest at a showcase tournament in Florida. She toured Kent State three weeks ago and committed last week.
“It’s a really nice school. Really big, which I like. It felt like a really safe town. Really homey, like downtown Lakefield,” she said. “It’s a small town. I really liked the coach.”
Kent State is starting a women’s lacrosse program from scratch in the 2018-19 season and Flannigan will join them in year two.
“It was really exciting when I got the offer,” said Flannigan. “I didn’t know what to expect so it felt really nice.”
Flannigan said she owes a lot to the Kawartha Lacrosse Club for helping her development.
“It definitely played a huge role. I know I started really late, everyone had been playing field lacrosse their whole lives,” she said.
“My coaches (Cassie Raglan and Fred Blowes) had patience for me in the beginning and took me as the second goalie in my first year knowing I wanted to try field lacrosse. They pushed me through everything and last year I was the only goalie and my confidence was boosted. They were really good coaches and Fred has always been there for me.”
“Maddy has worked very hard to improve her goaltending skills and it has paid off,” Blowes said. “Not only is she an outstanding goalie, Maddy is an outstanding person who is a very dedicated and committed athlete.”
Flannigan is the third goalie to receive a NCAA scholarship from the Kawartha program. She follows the same path as Allison Daley and Katie Donohoe who both represented Canada at world championships including Canada’s silver medal this past summer.
“We are very proud of Maddy,” Blowes said. “She is truly deserving of this opportunity to play NCAA lacrosse for a Division 1 School. It is a new program and she will be a major part of the new team.”