Colleen Stankiewicz

The Ultimate Face Off 

Facing fears is part of every path to greatness. 

“Scared players don’t go to the next level.” Those were exactly the words field hockey captain Colleen Stankiewicz needed to hear after struggling to move past the trauma of a stick to the face injury. Although Colleen quickly recovered from a physical perspective, the fear of another injury was holding her back from playing her best game. Competitive by nature and driven to always give 100 percent, Colleen took her coach’s words and advice to heart and put in the extra effort to face and ultimately overcome her fears. “This experience taught me that it is normal to be scared, especially when injuries happen. I would not be the athlete I am today without having had to face this mental block, and I am proud to say that I will be moving on to “the next level,” playing Division II field hockey in college.”

The pitch is not the only place Colleen has had to step outside her comfort zone to achieve goals. Selected as one of two high school students to represent New Hampshire at the American Legion Auxiliary’s 2023 Girls Nation Conference in Washington, DC, Colleen found herself competing in an intensive government immersion program alongside some of the most accomplished students from across the country. “Prior to this program, public speaking was not my strength,” she says. “I knew that if I wanted to be elected to anything, let alone five roles, I’d have to overcome my shortcomings, try to avoid my voice shaking, feign poise and give some pretty good speeches.” With the help of her peers in the program, she did exactly that. “The Girls Nation experience was a period of personal growth that combined an opportunity to discuss real issues with individuals having diverse opinions, collaborate on solutions and improve my public speaking abilities and understanding of the impact we can each have by participating in our democracy.”

Colleen has channeled the lessons learned on the field and at Girls Nation into her many roles in her school and community as well as into her volunteer work. As a mentor, tutor, youth coach, and field hockey referee, she uses the leadership and communication skills she’s developed to help others achieve their personal best. At the same time, she’s actively learning from the people she serves. “Through my involvement in volunteerism I have learned more about myself and have grown as a person. I appreciate what I have, I recognize the need to assist others and I developed the wherewithal to follow through with that help and give back to my community.”