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.
Coe-Brown junior Avery Keefe is a force to be reckoned with on the lacrosse field.
In the midfield circle and in the crease, her impact on the Bears’ season has been more than just the stats, although the numbers could speak for themselves.
Keefe has already scored 27 goals and assisted 14 through seven games this year, and has controlled 41 draws to reach new heights in Coe-Brown lacrosse history.
She currently ranks first in career draw controls, second in career points, goals and assists, and third in total ground balls (98) in program history with seven regular season games left to play.
Last week against Pelham, she reached the 100-goal and 100-draw control milestones in the same game. The team has started 6-1 with Keefe leading the way as a junior, hoping to make it past the quarterfinal hump this year.
Note: The Concord Monitor requests Athletes of the Week to leave a question for the next featured student-athlete. This week’s question for Keefe comes from Pembroke’s Brandon Lurvey.
Q: “What’s your favorite athlete in your sport and how have they changed your view of the game?” – Brandon Lurvey, Pembroke Academy
A: My favorite lacrosse athlete is Charlotte North. She’s changed the way I look at the game by showing that if you’re determined to get better and put in the work, anything is possible.
Q: How do you balance your sports and school?
A: I stay organized and make sure I use my time wisely. School always comes first, so I try to get my work done early so I can fully focus on lacrosse at practice and games.
Q: Who are some of your mentors and how have they helped you?
A: Some of my biggest mentors are my parents and Coach Tom. They’ve pushed me to be my best, given me so many opportunities, and have always believed in me.
Q: How did it feel to reach 100 goals and 100 draw controls in the same game?
A: It felt surreal. I’ve been working toward those milestones my whole career, and it really showed me that all the hard work pays off. Having my teammates and family there to support me made it even more special.
Q: Why do you love lacrosse?
A: I love lacrosse because of the strong sense of team and family it creates. I’ve been playing with some of the same girls since we were 6 years old, and those friendships have lasted my whole life. Being part of such a close-knit group, supporting each other and growing together, is what makes the sport so special to me. I’ve also had so many amazing experiences and opportunities because of lacrosse.
Q: What ways do you want to continue improving?
A: I want to keep improving all areas of my game, especially focusing on consistency and continuing to get better in transition, defense, and draw controls.
Q: What’s a challenge you’ve had to overcome, and how did you do it?
A: One challenge I faced was a mental block during summer lacrosse and the start of this season, where I felt like I wasn’t playing as well as I could. I overcame it by reminding myself that I’m playing a sport I love and focusing on the small positives on and off the field.
Q: What’s one piece of advice you’d give to a young lacrosse player like yourself?
A: Have fun and keep practicing. If you put in the work, you’ll get better.
Q: What is your favorite lacrosse memory?
A: My favorite memory is the bus rides before playoff games—blasting music and getting everyone hyped to play.
Q: What are some of your goals for this season?
A: My goal is to make it past the quarterfinals this year.
Q: Since that loss to Hopkinton, your team has been on fire. How can you keep it up as a group?
A: Since that loss, we’ve focused a lot on trusting each other more. Our communication has improved, and we’re working hard every day at practice to keep getting better.
Q: What has your sport, or sports generally, taught you?
A: Lacrosse has taught me the importance of hard work, resilience, and being a good teammate. It’s also shown me how important it is to stay positive and support the people around you.
Q: How have your teammates supported you to get to where you are?
A: My teammates have supported me so much both on and off the field. I couldn’t have reached 100 goals without them setting me up, and they’re always there for me and celebrating every accomplishment.