Alycia Whooley is This Week's Whiz Kid

Stoneham Patch Whiz Kid of the Week

• Alycia Whooley, 17
• Stoneham High School
• Accomplishment: Whooley has led the girls’ field hockey team to a 5-4-2 record through 11 games. Whooley has tallied six goals and three assists this season.

Key to Awesomeness: When Whooley entered high school, she had never seen a field hockey game or stick before her first captain’s practice, but since her freshman year she has dedicated herself to the sport.

“Throughout my freshman season, I picked up the rules of the game quickly and earned a playing spot on the varsity team earlier than my other teammates which I was proud of,” Whooley said.

Whooley finds it hard to believe all that she has accomplished in just four years of playing a sport she was once unfamiliar with not so long ago.

“It makes me proud to know how much my hard work and dedication had finally paid off,” Whooley said. “I am now the team captain and leading my team in goals for the third consecutive year.”

Whooley discussed this season and why the team has been successful thus far.

“The consistent play of the team is why we are winning," Whooley said. "We all play together and know where each other is going to be on the field. I consider the team my second family. We are so close off the field which pays off on the field."

Whooley preached how the defense has come up huge all year including goaltender Denise O’Brien.

“Our defense is amazing and our goalie is unbelievable,” Whooley said. “No one can seem to get behind our defense or even the goalie. I am very proud to say that our goalie Denise O’Brien is one of the best goalies in the Middlesex League and has such an incredible save percentage.”

The biggest success of them all comes from the Spartans coach Anna Dobbins, according to Whooley.

“She has been so committed and positive to the program,” Whooley said. “She has pushed us so hard and now we are close to the tournament. We are all very grateful for her support, guidance and dedication as our coach and friend.”

The girls’ field hockey team has not made it to the tournament in 15 years and this has been a goal for Whooley and the team all season long.

“Our junior varsity coach, Jill Adams, was a former field hockey player at SHS and made the tournament when she was a freshman,” Whooley said. “It has been 15 years since we have gone to the tournament so our goal is to make the tournament for our coaches and ourselves.

“The coaches and players have worked so hard and we really deserve it and want to make it happen. As for my senior year, my dream would be for us to make it to the tournament so I can go out as a championship team.”

Moving forward, Whooley and the girls’ field hockey team must continue to improve and Whooley stressed game strategy as an important aspect of team success.

“Our biggest downfall was some miscommunication and some missed scoring opportunities,” Whooley said, referring to the team's losses this season. “Watertown was a tough loss for us because we had pretty evenly matched teams, but Watertown seemed to capitalize on (their) scoring chances, but as a whole we have been improving all season.”