Courtney Quirk '22, a Londonderry, N.H. native, was a three-sport varsity athlete at Brewster for all of her four years, which is notable enough in its own right. Even more impressive, however, is how successful her teams were. She played key roles in contributing to many accomplished seasons, including a NEPSAC Championship in soccer and basketball, as well as a regular season championship in lacrosse. 

In her main sport of lacrosse, Quirk was named to the 2022 New England Lacrosse Journal's Top 10 Team. She also earned a #41 ranking from U.S. Club Lacrosse with the New Hampshire Tomahawks. Her success and hard work paid off, landing her a commitment with James Madison University, a Division 1 school in Harrisonburg, Virginia. 

At JMU, she's worked hard to earn a starting spot in 12 games as a sophomore, tallying 22 ground balls and causing 11 opponent turnovers on the season. And her success isn't just on the lacrosse field; she's earned JMU Athletic Director's Scholar-Athlete award in both her freshman and sophomore season for getting on the Dean's List with a 3.7 GPA.

In the midst of her sophomore season, Courtney took the time to connect with Bobcat Nation and reflect on her lacrosse careers both at Brewster and at the college level.

How did Brewster prepare you for life after high school?
I think Brewster really helped me with the time management part with academics. When I was at Brewster, I played three varsity sports, and that really prepared me for coming into college. It seems like I had it really easy compared to many of my classmates who are still trying to learn that skill. I know that learning it throughout my years at Brewster was a major part of me getting Dean's List.

What are your best memories of being a student-athlete at Brewster?
One of my favorite memories was playing in the Play 4 Pink game. It was just a really cool experience to go out and fundraise for something bigger than yourself and then also play with that purpose in mind.

Who were the teachers or coaches who had the greatest impact on you at Brewster?
Definitely Mr. Palmer. He was a great role model for me, especially in the classroom. He guided me a lot and gave me some great advice. Also, my lacrosse coach Mrs. Lawlor. I think she helped me a lot with lacrosse and she guided me to make my decision to go to JMU.

What has been your greatest accomplishment since leaving Brewster?
I think my greatest accomplishment right now would probably be becoming a starter during my sophomore year. I didn't play much my freshman year, which was obviously hard and a huge shift coming from Brewster, where I played every game. Suddenly, you're playing against 23- and 24-year olds, and it took me a while to adjust and have a better mindset. I realized the only thing I can do is work on myself and continue to go out every day and do the extra work, whether that's defensive ladders or stick work. I had to focus my attention on myself and ask, what can I do better? It was definitely hard and I'm still dealing with that shift in mindset, because even though I'm a starter now, it's still not an easy road. But I've learned that mindset is really important. 

Greatest moment while playing in college?
One of my greatest moments was making it to the Elite Eight my freshman year. Our team got chartered in a plane to go to Syracuse, which was a super cool moment. You're in a chartered plane on your way to the Elite Eight to play Syracuse, which is known as one of the best college lacrosse programs ever.

Another moment I'll always remember is this year when we beat UNC in the first game of the season. That was a little different because I was on the field for that game—the emotions and everything that comes from beating UNC, who was nationally ranked in the preseason ranking. The game itself was a huge win for us, and just being able to be a part of it with the team was so cool. 

Can you give some advice to our current Brewster students?
I think a big thing is if you have a mindset and a goal to play in college, you can do anything you put your mind to. I'm from New Hampshire, which is not necessarily a big lacrosse state, but if you put your dreams out there and you work hard, you can eventually get to where you want to be.

What is your major and what are your plans after college?
I'm majoring in Sports and Recreation Management, and can get a minor in business with this major. I think I want to coach or do something in the sports field, and the business minor opens up more possibilities.