Lax Chat With Wentworth’s Brooke Paradis
By NoontimeSports.com | @NoontimeSports & @NoontimeLax
Last Saturday, Brooke Paradis netted her 200th career goal as Wentworth Institute of Technology defeated Nichols College for their first Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) victory.
In addition to netting her 200th goal – she currently has netted 207 in her four-year career with the Leopards – she also established a new program record with 11 tallies in a single-contest against the Bison.
Paradis and the Leopards host Endicott College tomorrow in an important conference clash at 2 p.m. Paradis, along with her senior teammates will be honored prior to opening draw as Wentworth will celebrate ‘Senior Day’ in Boston.
Noontime Sports caught-up with Paradis to discuss her 200th goal, as well her team’s current campaign, which finds the Leopards at 7-3 overall with five games remaining.
Tell us about netting your 200th goal last weekend. What was that like?
After scoring my first goal of the game, a teammate of mine shouted “nine more,” which caught everyone’s attention on my team. Once they found out that I needed nine more goals to reach 200, they all proceeded to inform me the following: let’s get you to 200 (goals) today. Going into the game I did not think I would hit this particular milestone, but with the help and encouragement of my teammates, I got it done. My 200th goal was on a free position shot, which is ironic because I am not the best at them so I couldn’t help but laugh when I hit the back of the net.
In addition to netting your 200th goal, you also established a new single-game record for goals in a game with 11, so what was working for you last Saturday against Nichols?
Last year I had a few high scoring games that I impressed myself with, so beating that was never really a thought. My teammates wanted me to get 10 during that game to get me to 200, and I was just lucky enough to put an additional one in.
Your team has enjoyed a successful 2019 season thus far, so from your perspective, what has been the difference this season compared the past seasons?
Every year we have improved, but I think the drastic success this year was having a few more players joining the program. The more numbers we have, the more competitive it is to get for a starting spot on the field. Most of us are returners from last year and incorporating the freshmen into the mix was easy. We click as a team, both on and off the field, so the team bonding is naturally there for us. We work hard and have fun together, so the rest has been flowing.
What have you enjoyed most about playing lacrosse for Wentworth? What are a few favorite memories of being a member of the program?
Working hard for wins is fulfilling. Being the underdog is never fun and that is what most teams view us as, so it is always interesting to go into every game and upset teams (when we can). I have enjoyed the growth of the program, and it has been rewarding being a part of it. All my best memories are with my teammates. Whether we win a big game, have an awesome practice, cook team dinners together, or hang out on the weekends I will never forget the good times.
Additionally – and we know it seems like ages ago – but what excited you about attending Wentworth and pursuing a degree in Civil Engineering? What do you hope to do with your degree after graduation?
Both of my brothers went to Wentworth and I saw them enjoy successful paths, so it was always on my radar for schools. Many of my family members are engineers so in high school the profession always caught my eye. Being able to play a sport, going to school with my brother, and ending up with a great degree brought me to my final decision. After traveling around the world for a few months, I hope to get a job with a Civil Engineering firm in Boston.
Your team has five games left, including an important conference game on Saturday against Endicott College. What must your team do to finish the regular season strong, so you can head into the CCC Tournament with some momentum?
Four of our five last games are conference games, so the last few weeks are very important for us. If we all show up together to play, we can beat anyone. If we play like we just played against the University of New England then we are going to have a safe spot in the CCC Tournament, and teams are going to know who we are. I am excited to see what we can do over the next few weeks. I’d love for us to make history.
Finally, do you hope to remain involved with lacrosse after graduation this spring?
I plan on playing in a summer league with some of my other teammates and hopefully my coaches, as well. I would like to come back next year to help out with the team as much as I can because I am not ready to let go of my teammates yet. I think the next few years for Wentworth women’s lacrosse will be interesting and the other teams in the CCC definitely should not sleep on this team.
