In Boothbay, a couple of cousins are having a ball playing goalie. Jaelyn and Emilie Crocker are both seniors and play goalie for the Boothbay Region High School field hockey and soccer teams, respectively. While the two goalies play different sports, their teams have both faced a similar dilemma over the years. Low enrollment numbers have resulted in small rosters.

This year, Boothbay Region couldn’t field enough players for a girls’ soccer team so the Seahawks joined forces with Wiscasset Middle High School. The two high schools are a cooperative team playing in Class C South. Emilie reports six Boothbay Region girls play on the team. “At first, I was worried about the travel, but I’m excited to be playing again,” she said. 

Last fall, COVID-19 wiped out the fall high school season for several sports, and soccer was one of them for Boothbay and Wiscasset players. Her junior season resulted in the second straight varsity season Emilie lost. In 2019, it wasn’t COVID-19, but rather an ailment which has plagued Boothbay sports teams in recent years: Low turnout.

Boothbay didn’t have enough players for a varsity schedule so the school opted for a modified season with a junior varsity schedule. Boothbay played a limited number of JV teams playing 7-versus-7.

But her debut season in the Seahawks’ goal was the team’s best in several years. Boothbay won four games which was the most in several seasons and earned the Seahawks a playoff berth.

Jaelyn has also experienced a playoff appearance during her four years. As a sophomore, she was the starting goalie for Boothbay which earned a postseason berth. Small rosters have hampered the field hockey team, too. At times, her team played with 11 players and no subs, and others, played with a one or two-player disadvantage. 

But 2021 has been a different year for Boothbay field hockey. Jaelyn is joined on this year’s squad by 14 teammates. “We’re young, but unlike past seasons we have a full roster. No playing down or without subs. We’re not winning a lot, but it’s still been fun.”

Jaelyn didn’t begin her soccer career as a goalie. She learned field hockey as an 8-year-old in a youth program called “Chicks with Sticks” directed by Michelle Bouchard. And Jaelyn’s favorite lesson learned in her youth field hockey days was how much she loved the game. “Believe me when I first started I was not good, but I loved learning from Michelle as did the other players. She is just a great coach who knew how to play field hockey and wanted us to share the same experience,” Jaelyn said.

In middle school and as a freshman, Jaelyn played on defense. It wasn’t until her sophomore year, she found herself defending the field hockey cage. Her journey to becoming a goalie started in her eighth grade season when she met the varsity coach Donna Jordan. Jaelyn now stands at five feet, 10 inches tall and in middle school she also towered over her peers. “She looked at me, and said, ‘You’re tall and I’d be a good goalie.’”

While Jaelyn’s stature resembles more of a power forward on the basketball court, cousin Emilie is more like a point guard. She began playing soccer in  sixth grade. She hadn’t played before joining the Wildcats. “The team didn’t have a goalie, and it looked like it would be fun,” Emilie said. 

Despite her lack of experience, Emilie remained in goal for her three middle and three high school seasons. She describes the position as “scary,” but nothing she can’t handle. “I don’t like facing hard kicked shots, but I don’t back down. I think that’s why I’m a pretty good goalie,” Emilie said. 

Over the years, neither cousin tried to recruit the other to play a different fall sport. And they rarely talk about the unique experience of goalies.

“They are two different sports. I really wouldn’t know what to tell her about playing goalie in soccer,” Emilie said. “I just never had any interest in playing field hockey, or even thought about it.”

Her cousin agreed, that her fall sport is the only one she wants to play. “I love playing field hockey, and never wanted to play soccer or another fall sport,” Jaelyn said.

The two goalie cousins are enjoying their final season even though their teams’ records may not show it. Boothbay Region has won two field hockey contests, both against Telstar, and Boothbay/Wiscasset beat Dirigo, 6-1, earlier in the season. In the soccer victory, Emilie played a different position after her team built a large lead.

“That was a lot of fun. I even got a chance to get out of the goal and play a different position,” Emilie said about her soccer team’s lone victory.

Jaelyn plans on attending college next fall and pursue becoming a nurse or physical therapist. Emilie wants to attend college and study early childhood education. Emilie wants to follow in her Aunt Kimmy Crocker’s footsteps and operate a daycare center. Both would like to continue their athletic careers in college. “It’s something I’d like to do if I went to a Maine college,” Jaelyn said. “I still want to visit home when I can. If I go out-of-state, I don’t think I’d have the time to play and visit.”

Emilie isn’t sure where she will attend college, but wants to continue playing soccer.