Maddie Grand certainly had a grand time at Pioneer High School (OK, that was easy). She also saved her best for last (OK, that was easy, too). But what wasn’t easy was being so good at your sport that you have earned a spot at a Division 1 school – and not just any D-1 school, but the University of Michigan.
Grand played all four years on the Pioneer field hockey team, earning two state titles along with way, including a victory this year over rival Skyline in the D-1 State Finals – more on that in a bit. Her road to the Wolverines began innocently enough.
“I started playing field hockey in middle school after some of my friends encouraged me to play,” said Grand, a senior at Pioneer. “They knew I had played ice hockey goalie and soccer for years and told me the skills would translate well to field hockey goalie.
“Heading into high school, I wasn’t sure I wanted to stick with field hockey (that was easy). But when I first started practices over the summer for Pioneer, I was immediately welcomed by everyone on the team. All my incredible teammates and coaches made me fall in love with the sport.”
One of those coaches was/is the amazing Jane Nixon, who developed the Pioneer field hockey program into a dynasty and where a trip to the state finals is now just part of the schedule. You could assume that Pioneer field hockey is the most successful program in any sport in the state – but you wouldn’t have to look far to find a comparable one – Pioneer girls’ swimming, for example.
Grand says all of the success starts with the head coach.
“It all starts with our coaches,” she says. “Jane has been the heart of this program for decades. She puts so much love and energy into this team and as a result created a program that attracts many other talented coaches who share her same passion and dedication.
“Over the years, PFH has built a strong and lasting team culture of players working hard and supporting each other. One of the biggest reasons that we are successful is that everyone on the team contributes. We emphasize that every player is just as important and vital to the team’s success as everyone else.”
That team emphasis was obvious when the games mattered most – in the state playoffs. The Pioneers faced rival Skyline in the D-1 championship three consecutive years, winning two, including this past season’s game. And Grand was a big part of the victory, making several brilliant saves to keep the Eagles within reach.
“We know they’re a strong team, but we knew we could win because we believed and trusted in each other,” Grand said. “We worked hard all season not just to improve our physical skill, but our connection as a team. We knew that this would help us overcome any adversity we might face. Even down a goal in the fourth quarter, we knew we could come back and win.”
Grand plays field hockey year-round and has played for another amazing team – Pinnacle Field Hockey – since her sophomore year. “My Pinnacle team is comprised of girls from many different high schools. It’s been great getting to know and play with these girls that I compete against during the high school season.
“Pinnacle has given me opportunities to play against some of the best competition in the country. My Pinnacle coaches encouraged me with my recruiting process and helped me realize that I could play at the next level.”
Not only the “next” level. But the highest level and at a program that is constantly ranked as one of the best teams in the country.
“I’m so excited to be playing field hockey at Michigan next year.,” she says. “I chose Michigan because I wanted a school with excellent academics and athletics. I plan on majoring in mechanical engineering and Michigan has one of the best engineering programs in the country. On top of that, the field hockey team has a great culture. Living in Ann Arbor, I’ve gotten to know some of the players and coaches on the team and everyone has been super welcoming to me.”
Maddie, 18, is the daughter of Julie and David Grand and scores an impressive 3.982 GPA in the classroom. She also is a member of the Pioneer women’s ice hockey team, runs track and plays softball.
