Apparently, this week’s CAC INTRODUCING … featured student-athlete Maggie Edwards took her favorite quote and lives it every time she’s on the field hockey turf.  Edwards, a 2011 All-CAC goalie for the Frostburg State field hockey team, believes in the credo, “Good things come to those who work hard, and if they don’t come, then work harder.”  Opposing attackers, especially those in the recent FSU Tournament, learn that the hard way as the senior keeper led the Bobcats to the title. 

Briefly, what is your background in the sport you play?   I began playing field hockey when I was 10 years old and first became a goalkeeper in sixth grade when I was 11. I continued playing through high school at Hunterdon Central High School in Flemington, NJ. I also participated in different club teams and camps including USA field hockey’s Futures program. I was recruited my senior year of high school to play for Frostburg State University. I was the only goalkeeper my freshmen year of college and I have started every collegiate game in my career.

What is your major in college, and what is the most important thing you learned in that discipline?   I am a psychology major. I have learned a lot about problem solving and the way people think and act. The knowledge and skills I have obtained in college has helped me in situations that involve critical thinking, conflict resolution and decision making. These skills have been useful in both field hockey and in my day to day life.

What is your favorite spot on campus?  My favorite spot on campus is the turf on game day. I love getting ready for a game and feeling all of the energy and excitement that comes from it. I think I treasure that field so much because I know that after my senior season I will never have those feelings about that place ever again.

Outside of your home and campus, where is your favorite place visit?   I love the beach, especially in the summer. Going to school in the mountains definitely makes me appreciate the beach when I am able to visit there in the summer. I could spend hours swimming in the ocean.

Other than your team, what organization (s) do you participate in (on campus or off campus)?   I am in the Honors Program at Frostburg State. I am also the president of Psychology Club and a member of Psi Chi which is the International Honor Society for psychology. I also enjoy teaching swimming lessons to young kids in the winter.

Briefly describe the most memorable experience during your collegiate athletic career.   It is really difficult to pick just one moment, but if I had to pick, it would be our game at Stevenson my freshmen year. I remember that it was raining really hard and we were playing on Astro turf so the surface was extremely fast. Our team scored early in the game so at the point, the pressure was on to keep the lead. I had a lot of shots on goal that game and at one point, I dove and saved the ball, but because it was so wet, my helmet flew off of my head. I was so determined to not let Stevenson score.  I got up and played about 30 seconds without a helmet on before the whistle was blown. It was a little scary because I had shots coming at me with no helmet. Our defense was really solid that game and everything just seemed to click. We ended up winning the game 1-0. There was no special meaning for that game, but it always sticks out in my mind because I think it was one of the best games our team ever played as a whole. The energy of that game was incredible.

What is the most important societal issue facing college students?  I think that the most important societal issue facing college students is the rising cost of tuition. This country was built on the idea that if you work hard then you can achieve your goals. However, the rising cost of college is hindering some people from reaching those goals. Scholarships help some students, but the vast majority of students do not have a full scholarship. Financial aid is a temporary solution, but often times students graduate with thousands of dollars in student loans that they must pay off for many years. I am so incredibly fortunate and grateful to have a partial academic scholarship and parents who are able to pay for the rest of my tuition. 

Other than your family members, who was the most influential person in your life?  The most influential person in my life that was not a family member was my high school field hockey and lacrosse coach, Laura Sproul. I also had her as a teacher for Honors Sociology my senior year of high school. The reason I chose her is because she has taught me life lessons both on and off the field. On the field, she was always tough but fair. We worked hard and ran a lot at every practice which ultimately paid off when we finished our freshmen lacrosse season undefeated 17-0. However, the things she taught us off of the field were much more important. Laura Sproul taught me to respect myself as a woman and be proud of being strong, confident, and independent. Most importantly, she led by example. Despite being only five feet tall, she always stated her opinion and never let anyone push her into the background. My senior year, she was teaching, coaching, and working on her doctorate all at the same time. If that is not the perfect example of a strong woman, I do not know what is.

What is your favorite form of entertainment?  I love watching television, especially sitcoms like The Big Bang Theory and How I Met Your Mother. I find that at the end of a long day, watching some television helps me to unwind and get my mind off of real life for a while. Plus, it’s always nice have a few laughs at the end of the day.

What is your favorite source of information (TV, book, magazine, website, friends in dining hall, etc.)?  My favorite source of information is the internet. It is amazing how we can have so much information at our fingertips with the click of a button. I like reading up on current events and sports, especially the New York Mets and New York Giants. I am not a big fan of celebrity gossip or anything like that. However, I do tend to spend more time on Facebook and Twitter than I would like to admit.  

If you could give one piece of advice to elementary school children, what would that advice be?  My one piece of advice for elementary school children comes from my favorite quote. “Good things come to those who work hard, and if they don’t come, then work harder.”  Nothing in the world can take the place of hard work. Throughout life, successes will come from hard work, and even in some cases when the situation might not work out in your favor, if you have worked as hard as you possibly could, then at least you won’t look back and wonder if you could’ve done something more.

Outside of the Capital Athletic Conference, who or what is your favorite sports person or team?  I absolutely love the New York Mets. For as long as I can remember, my dad would always watch the Mets in the summer. When I was about eight years old I began following the team. When I was in fourth grade, I dressed up as the Mets catcher, Mike Piazza for Halloween. To this day, I still have two Mets posters in my room and a decal on my car. Even though the Mets do not win very much, I enjoy cheering for the underdog and I hope that in my lifetime, they will win a World Series.

Name three (3) people, real or fictional, living or dead, that you'd like to have dinner with?  

The first person that I would want to have dinner with would be Amy Tran Swenson. She was the starting goalkeeper for the U.S. national field hockey team in the London and Beijing Olympics. As a goalkeeper myself, I have looked up to her for many years, and it would be incredible to talk about field hockey with a person who experiences it from the same position I do, and with someone who has played against international teams.

The second person I would want to have dinner with would be Sigmund Freud, the founder of psychoanalysis, a theory in the field of psychology. He was known for making many wild assumptions regarding people’s thoughts and behaviors especially regarding his theories on psychosexual behavior. Although many of Freud’s ideas have become outdated, I still think it would have been very entertaining to have dinner with him. He would most likely spend the whole dinner trying to psychoanalyze me and figure out what thoughts are hidden in my unconscious.

The third person I would have dinner with is pilot, Amelia Earhart. Ever since I was little, I always liked learning about her accomplishments and how she became a role model for women everywhere. I would want to have dinner with her especially, because I would ask her about her disappearance over the Pacific Ocean and what really caused her death.