Dexter native to coach Waterville field hockey team

By Larry Mahoney
BDN Staff

Dexter native Chrissy Cunningham has always been passionate about field hockey and has been a tireless worker.

Now the 22-year-old is hoping those traits will rub off on her Waterville High School players after she was recently named the school’s head field hockey coach.

Cunningham graduated in early May from Thomas College in Waterville, where she appeared in 64 games during her four-year career. The midfielder started 49 of 50 games during her final three seasons.

She also was a midfielder at Dexter High School and played on the Tigers’ 2009 Class C state championship team.

Cunningham will inherit a Waterville team that has won just two games over the previous two seasons. The Purple Panthers were 2-11-1 this past season under Amie Danielson after going 0-14 in 2014.

“It’s very exciting,” said Cunningham, who earned her degree in elementary education. “I’ve always wanted to coach. I’ve made Waterville my home the past four years. This is a great opportunity.”

“She’s a gem,” said Dexter field hockey coach Margaret Veazie. “She is the type of girl who has always been committed to field hockey. She has been very dedicated to it and passionate about it.”

Kristy (Veazie) Staples, Margaret Veazie’s daughter who coached Cunningham her senior year, said Cunningham is a “real good leader” and that she has “never seen anyone who worked as hard as Chrissy did. And she has a wonderful personality. She will draw kids to the sport.”

“She’s fun. Her kids will like her,” Veazie said. “Her passion will be infectious. She understands what it takes to be successful, she really does. She always came through in big games because of her work ethic.”

Cunningham said she has benefitted from playing for the Veazies and for Thomas College coach Andrea Theberge.

“They have given me a lot of support,” she said. “They have been very helpful.”

She said her first order of business at Waterville will be to get her players involved in a variety of summer leagues and with the prestigious Maine Majestix club program that is based in Waterville.

She said that she is a “big believer” in the philosophy that “if you put the time and effort in, it will show.”

“If you don’t do something 110 percent, don’t do it at all,” she added.

Cunningham does have coaching experience as she has worked at a number of clinics over the years including ones involving the Veazies and Theberge.

She said her players will work hard, but they will also have fun.

“I don’t believe in all-work, no-play. I like to have a good time,” said Cunningham, who will insist on having a close-knit team.

“Chemistry is a key part of being a team,” she said. “We’re going to set expectations. I believe we can be a good team. I hope we will be.”

Cunningham expects to get involved with the youth program in Waterville so she can establish a culture and pipeline like the one in Dexter.

“I began playing in second grade,” she said.