FORMER RAM, PAIGE HAWKINS, FINDS SUCCESS IN VCU'S OWN BACKYARD

Oct 20, 2011

With all of the buzz surrounding Virginia Commonwealth University Athletics, many students, faculty and local residents within the city of Richmond forget about "little" Maggie Walker Governor's school just around the corner from the Siegel Center.

Located on the edge of VCU's campus, the Maggie L. Walker Governor's School for Government and International Studies is better known for it's excellence in the classroom, being named one of the "Public Elites" by Newsweek magazine and one of the top 24 performing public schools in the nation by the Washington Post.

The Dragons aren't just performing in the classroom; their field hockey squad is currently 13-0, with only one goal scored against them. Maggie Walker Head Coach, Paige Hawkins, a graduate of VCU and a member of their field hockey team from 1987-1992, seems excited about her teams' continued success.

"This season has gone well so far because of trust, leadership and a sense of family within our program," Hawkins said.

Now in her 19^th year at Maggie Walker, Hawkins received Colonial District Coach of the Year honors in each of her last five years at the helm of the program and led her team to the VHSL State Tournament in 2009 and 2010.

Hawkins, a Virginia Beach native, but no stranger to the city of Richmond, or the sport of field hockey, still remains closely tied to VCU's program.

"I came from a beach program that was strong in hockey and since coming to Richmond in 1987, the city has been great to me," she said.

Hawkins played for former Head Field Hockey Coach and current Senior Woman Administrator at VCU, Patricia Stauffer.

In 1988 and 1989, Stauffer and Hawkins spent time ranked in the nation's top-20. Stauffer still holds the record for most wins in VCU Field Hockey history and has never been surprised by Hawkins' success.

"When Paige is passionate about something, there is no stopping her," Stauffer commented. "Her success is not surprising because she has the ability to connect with her kids to get the most out of them."

Hawkins still attends alumni events and is often seen in the stands at home field hockey matches at Cary Street Field.

When asked about her loyalty to the VCU community, Hawkins said "I built this program in 1993 from twelve girls to what it is now. I feel very appreciative of this program and to VCU for giving me the opportunity to do something that I love."

Story written by Sean Soares, current student in VCU's Center for Sport Leadership