OUR ATHLETE OF THE WEEK COMMUNITY PARTNER
Each week, Monitor staff selects and interviews a local Athlete of the Week. Learn more about their accomplishments, their goals and what makes them unique. We’d like to thank our sponsor Capital City Kia.
Our partners do not participate in the selection of these athletes. That is fully at the discretion of our journalists.
With a hat-trick against Souhegan, Seacoast United and John Stark junior forward Madi Lamothe reached her 100th point in just 43 matches last week.
She finished second in scoring in Division II girls soccer as a sophomore and is currently leading the division with 15 goals. Always positioned and ready to strike, she has been an important asset in the Generals’ attack.
The Monitor asked Lamothe about her journey to becoming the attacker she is today, where she wants to go and how it felt to reach the 100-point milestone in her already illustrious Stark career.
Q: What sports have you played, and what’s your favorite?
A: Throughout the years, I have played soccer, lacrosse and basketball. As soccer has become my favorite sport, I joined a club soccer team, Seacoast United. Playing club soccer has made it hard to play other sports.
Q: Who are your mentors and how have they helped you?
A: My mentors are my coaches and my parents. My coaches help me with many things, from learning new skills and plays to getting into the right headspace before games. If I’m having a bad game, they help and encourage me to keep me focused on the end goal. My parents have always supported me and made it possible for me to play.
Q: What do you love the most about soccer?
A: What I love most about soccer is how many new experiences I have gained from it, from
traveling the country to making many new friends from other towns.
I think soccer also has great competition that I’m able to test my skills with. I love how soccer constantly challenges me — both physically and mentally. It pushes me to be better every day, and there’s no better feeling than celebrating hard work paying off with my team.
Q: How do you think you can continue to improve as a player?
A: I think I can improve on my soccer skills by continuing to work out and watching film of my games. I’ve been working on a successful bicycle kick as well.
Q: What’s the next goal or milestone you want to reach?
A: My next goal is to continue developing as a player and earn the opportunity to play soccer in college
Q: What piece of advice would you give to younger players?
A: Never stop believing in yourself and always play for the love of the game. Stay positive, be coachable and remember that teamwork is just as important as talent.
Q: How did it feel to score your 100th career point with a hat-trick and get the win for your team? Could you describe how you completed the hat-trick? What was going through your mind?
A: Scoring my 100th career point with a hat-trick and helping my team get the win made it even more special. It’s something I’ll never forget. For the hat-trick, I was just focused on playing my game, staying composed and finding the right moments to finish. When that third goal went in, it really hit me how much hard work and support from my teammates went into reaching that milestone.