Jean DePlacido

Playing three sports at the college level means having to budget time very carefully, and not have much of a break when one season ends and the next begins. Connecticut College sophomore Katelyn Driscoll of Peabody is used to her busy schedule by now, having just wrapped up her soccer season last Friday with a grand total of four free days before beginning the hockey season. When the long winter season ends Driscoll makes the switch to lacrosse.

"We began practicing on Wednesday morning at 6:30," said Driscoll, who played for Peabody High before transferring to Pomfret Academy in Connecticut. "It's an early wakeup call for sure, and not much time off after our final soccer game (a 3-0 loss to Wesleyan)."

The Camels were 4-10 overall and 0-9 in NESCAC matches this fall. Driscoll, a forward, played in all 13 games and started nine times. She finished third in points for her team with eight points (3 goals, 2 assists). Two of those goals were game winners to power Conn College over UMass Dartmouth and Mount Holyoke. Driscoll had earned a starting role as a freshman and made an immediate impact.

"We had a disappointing season, but NESCAC competition is very tough," said Driscoll. "The biggest differences between playing at Peabody or Pomfret and in college are speed and size. Some girls are five inches taller than me, and I'm giving away a lot in weight, too. The game is much more physical with a lot more contact."

Driscoll is the fifth member of her family to play soccer for the Camels. That tradition started with brothers Bobby, Marc, and Joe followed by sister Maggie. She can't wait for the hockey season to start. A year ago the Lady Camels went to the NESCAC semifinals for the first time, but lost to Amherst, 6-1. Coach Kristin Steele returns for her ninth year and from all indications this should be a very good year for the Camels.

"We're going all the way to the finals — definitely," said Driscoll. "We'll be very good and surprise a lot of people this season. Our goal is to go all the way, and we have a lot of players back as well as several really good looking freshmen coming in. A lot of our girls are from prep schools or upstate New York and have been playing for a long time. The newcomers should be able to fit right in."

Not only does Driscoll have to get in skating shape rapidly, but make the switch from forward to defense. Last year she either started or was on the second shift.

"I started playing defense my senior year at Pomfret," said Driscoll. "I really like it. For me it's a nice change of pace after concentrating on offense in the fall."

But come spring when lacrosse season starts Driscoll will once again go on the attack. She plans to take in as many of the men's hockey games at Dayton Arena as she can to support her brother Sean, who is one of the captains.

"Sometimes we play at the same time, but Sean tries to see my games whenever he's not playing or busy working," said Katelyn, who plans to major in behavioral neuroscience or psychology with the intention to possibly go on to med school. "It's tougher trying to get in shape for lacrosse after hockey ends because I've been using short spurts on the ice - going all out for a minute or so and then get off.

"In lacrosse I'm out on the field for most of the game and have to rely on longer runs. Last year I had to miss a game because we were in the semifinals in hockey on the same day as the lacrosse opener. That could very well happen again this year. I don't mind not having time off though; I love to stay busy."

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The Connecticut College men's soccer team had its best record in a dozen years, 8-6-1 with senior goaltender Alex Martland of Marblehead starting 14 games and allowing only 18 goals for a 1.31 average. With Martland in net the Camels won eight games and tied one. Unfortunately, they were ousted by second seed Williams College, 3-0 in the quarterfinal round of the NESCAC tournament last weekend.

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Stan Brown devoted much of his life to Little League baseball, and he had many friends not only in his district but beyond. The District 15 commissioner passed away earlier this week, and he will be missed. The last team Brown followed was the Peabody West state and New England champs; the first team from his district to ever make it all the way to Williamsport. And of course Brown went along to fully support them.

"Stan used to tell me he put lots of miles on his car following Peabody West teams," said Dave Batchelor, manager of the team, who has been involved with several top teams that his sons played on. "He was there (in Williamsport) for our last game with Kentucky and watched us win. I was happy he got to see that. We had a team picture for him with the kids in their New England jerseys at Williamsport that we will give to his wife.

"Stan was a good guy, and he was very concerned about safety. There was no nonsense about his decisions, and he was good to every team in the district. He cared about all the kids. Little League rules allow fake bunts, but he wouldn't let any of us do it because he was afraid somebody would get hurt because the third baseman comes in to field the bunt. If the kid would square away and hit a line drive - the possibility of injury was great. But that wasn't going to happen in District 15 because he made us give our word not to do it. He was all about the kids, and he earned everybody's respect."

In lieu of flowers contributions in Stan's name can be made to the Hospice of the North Shore or Danvers Community YMCA.

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Jean DePlacido is a part-time writer and columnist for The Salem News. Contact her at jmdeplacido@aol.com.