LYNNFIELD — Lynnfield High field hockey standout Gia Marotta is taking her talent to Division 3 Wheaton College in Norton.
Marotta said she originally applied to Wheaton early action and was also considering St. Anselm, UNH, Endicott, and Assumption, but once she visited Wheaton, it was love at first sight with the Lyons.
“I really needed the right fit,” Marotta said. “I needed a school where I knew I could balance sports and academics and know that I could get all of that in. When I visited, I met the team and saw that the classes were on the small side, so I felt that setting was the right one for me. Plus it was close to home and I felt that I would be able to play and study without too many distractions.”
She became interested in Wheaton after playing in a tournament and a member of the coaching staff reached out to her to ask if she would participate in her clinic. Not long after that, she did an overnight visit and that’s all she needed to commit.
“It was great because they gave me an offer, so I was so excited,” Marotta said. “The team is superinclusive and the players were so excited to meet the new players. Between sports and academics, I know the support will be there for me at Wheaton.”
Marotta said changing positions from left midfield to center mid her junior and senior years at Lynnfield High changed everything.
“It really brought out the best in me,” she said. “It ended up elevating my game to a level I never really thought was possible.”
Last fall, Marotta served as a senior captain. She finished the season with two goals and eight assists and helped the defense stop 88 percent of all defensive corners, earning several honors, among them the Daily Item Player of the Year and a selection to the Cape Ann League All-Star team for a second consecutive year.
A Massachusetts State Field Hockey Coaches Association Best-of-60 All-Star, Marotta began playing in the fifth grade. She played several years of club with the Wizards program until about two years ago. She said the strength of her game is her “ability to read the field” and knowledge of the game.
“I think I have good field vision and can size up opponents and know what their next moves are going to be,” she said.
Marotta credits Lynnfield Coach Kerri Doherty for much of her individual success and for bringing Lynnfield field hockey to a higher level.
“I think we all learned so much from Coach Doherty. I certainly learned a lot more than I expected,” Marotta said. “She really knows the game so well and right away from the first day, she could see what we needed to fix and we fixed it.”
Doherty said Marotta is an “integral part of the midfield, defensively, and on our offensive transition” and that she is a “major part of the team’s success.
“She embodies what a team player looks like [and] the team feeds off her energy and works as a cohesive unit with her,” Doherty said. “She is respectful and always has a competitive attitude, motivating her peers. She has worked this year with holding herself and her teammates accountable while respecting the opposing team. As her coach, I value her input, trust, and respect.”
According to Doherty, Marotta’s leadership is key. An example of her willingness to do what’s best for the team was switching her position this past year to center midfielder.
“She accepted that role and went head to head with some of the best players in the league and was successful,” Doherty said. “As a captain, she set the tone at every practice and was always pushing her teammates to get better. Gia is the engine behind our success; she consistently outworks everyone else on the team. She is a great voice … and when she speaks, everyone knows she means business. She leads with her work ethic and it shows, she encourages the entire team to step up when needed, and she wants it more than any other kid I’ve had as a coach. She won’t quit and helps our team prepare not only for each game, but her will to win is strong so she prepped this team throughout the offseason in indoor and all summer.”
For now, Marotta is busy working as a hostess at Santarpio’s in Peabody. She also plans on working at a D.A.R.E. camp at the Higgins Middle School the last week in July and first week of August, and will have about 10 days before she reports to Wheaton.
She plans to major in nursing with an eventual goal of becoming a nurse practitioner. In the meantime, she is working out every day in preparation for joining the Lyons.
“The team has a full schedule that includes special workouts along with everyday cardio and lifting, so we know what we need to be doing every day,” she said. “When I learned I had been accepted, it was such a mix of emotions and relief and I am really excited about having the chance to play for the Wheaton Lyons.”
Wheaton is a member of the New England Women’s and Men’s Athletic Conference (NEWMAC).
