By Wayne E. Rivet

Staff Writer

FRYEBURG — Through sports, Morgan Fusco has learned that there is always something bigger than youin the world. 

“Beyond training and committing to bettering yourself, you are only going to truly succeed if you are succeeding as a team. I’ve learned that the relationship you create and the bond that you nurture between your teammates and even your coaches are so important to this aspect of competition,” the Fryeburg Academy senior said. “I’ve come to realize that this isn’t exclusive to the playing field though, it’s applicable to all sorts of challenges and relationships in life.”

Morgan has been named a top 15 finalist for the Triple-Impact Competitor Scholarship program by Positive Coaching Alliance/New England (PCA/NE). 

A Triple-Impact Competitor is an athlete who works to improve oneself, teammates and the game as a whole. These individuals play a special role in aligning with the Positive Coaching Alliance’s mission to create positive programs, better athletes and better people.

Morgan plays goalkeeper for the Fryeburg Academy varsity soccer team and catcher for the Raider softball team. She has been instrumental in developing a positive team culture, inspiring her teammates with her work ethic and encouragement.

“For me, sports are more than just games we play,” Morgan said. “Sports are a way that kids and adults, including myself, express themselves, their character, and values in life.” 

PCA awards scholarships of $500 to $2,000 (depending on location) to high school athletes, based on their responses to questions pertaining to how they meet the standard defined in Elevating Your Game: Becoming a Triple-Impact Competitor by PCA Founder Jim Thompson. The questions are:

• Personal Mastery: Making oneself better

• Leadership: Making one’s teammates better

• Honoring the Game: Making the game better.

Morgan wrote an essay, submitted four recommendation letters, and had two interview panels. Shejoins Lydia Stein of Portland High School as the only finalists from Maine, which is included in the East territory (finalists were also named in the West and Central territories). Winners will be selected by the end of November.

Fryeburg Academy Athletic Director Sue Thurston described Morgan as a hard worker, who has battled back from injury by hooking up with a private strength coach.

“Morgan is dependable and is strong in her academics,” Thurston added.

Varsity Softball Coach Fred Apt describes his senior catcher as a “wonderful person, teammate and student, with a vibrant personality which you can see right away with all her positive energy.”

Coach Apt says Morgan’s success on the diamond, which has resulted in her being named All-Conference as a freshman and sophomore (junior year lost due to Covid-19), is largely due to her self-confidence and motivation. 

“Her leadership and personality have been a huge part of our program’s success along with her work ethic, which is infectious to other players and makes her a huge part of our program,” Coach Apt added. “Her greatest area of improvement is her strength training. She has worked very hard year-round to be the best that she can be.”

Varsity Soccer Coach Antonio Barrionuevo says Morgan embodies the term student-athlete, noting she has enjoyed success both in the classroom and field of competition. Morgan has received various awards in soccer including 2017, 2018 and 2019 All-Conference Class B in southern Maine.

When asked how Morgan checks the Triple Impact boxes of personal mastery, leadership and honoring the game in his letter of recommendation for the honor, Coach Barrionuevo wondered if he was able to fit all her highlights in such a short space. 

“Morgan is an embodiment of these three categories,” he said.

On personal mastery: “Morgan betters herself by consistent hard work on the field, perseverance during training and she is always wanting to learn every aspect of the game. Morgan possesses high personal fitness levels. She is a great communicator, a fearless goalkeeper with quick reflexes, and a strong presence in the field,” the coach wrote.

On leadership: “Our soccer team looks up to Morgan for support, with her positive attitude. She is a team leader that performs well under pressure. She leads the group by example and will carry the whole team on her shoulders if need be,” Coach Barrionuevo added.

On honoring the game: “Morgan is very respectful to her opponents and game officials. She understands the rules of the game and can adapt quickly to different situations given to her by the coaches. The way she carries herself on the field shows she’s a true soccer player/athlete,” he wrote.

Talking with Morgan

The News posed the following questions to Morgan via e-mail this week:

What do you enjoy most about sports in general, andspecifically, soccer and softball?

Morgan:For me, sports are a way that I express myself, my passions, and my hard work. For soccer and softball specifically, it’s the team aspect that I have grown up in. Individual success is definitely rewarding, but when you are doing so with your teammates it makes all of the efforts and sacrifices much more worthwhile.

How did you answer the three Triple-Impact questions? First,how do you make yourself better?

Morgan: I try to set myself apart in competition by how I treat officials. I have learned to interact with these individuals in a positive and respectful way by spending years as both a catcher and a goalie. 

Before each soccer game, the referees check the goal area to make sure it’s safe, which usually takes place as I’m taking warm-up reps. I take advantage of this time to stop and ask them how they are doing. 

Before each softball game, I introduce myself to the umpire and shake his/her hand. If I ever have to address an official regarding a play or call, I try to do so with poise and a high level of respect. The biggest reason why I do this is that officials get more than their fair share of opposition and disrespect from other players, coaches, and parents. By taking just a moment to be kind, I hope it makes their job, or even their day, just a little bit better. I feel that being raised to conduct myself on the field in this manner has taught me how my actions toward others can directly affect how they treat me.

Secondly, how do you try to make your teams better?

Morgan: For this question, I also had to supply an example of a time that I helped someone, part of my answer is below. 

I feel that I have been able to help many of my teammates by bringing a respectful and determined attitude to the table. It naturally encourages others to act in this way as well. As a goalie, I am already in partial command of the field. I call plays and direct defenders. I strive to do this with kind leadership. It’s not always easy to gain respect from your teammates when you’re in a position of control as an underclassman. Yet, when I play with honor, and respect for others, I receive not only respect but trust from my teammates. 

During my junior season, a senior decided to play soccer after not having done so since sixth grade. I rallied behind her when she needed extra help and occasionally worked with her outside of practice. She made the varsity team, earned her way onto the starting line-up, and received the “Most Improved Award” from our coach. At the end of the season, she thanked me for my encouragement and help to achieve her goals. This is just one example of how caring for one another and a determination to get better can do for a team.

Thirdly, how do you try to make the game better?

Morgan:Even though soccer, softball or any other sport are just games we play, it’s more than that to me. Sports are a way that kids and adults, including myself, express themselves, their character and values in life. This is why it’s so important to me to have love and kindness in what I do, on and off the field. Sometimes, emotions can run high, and they can get the best of us. Whether it’s in a high-stake moment, a bad call, or a dirty play, we are all human. The way that we respond to these things is what speaks to our character the most.

Last season, we were playing a team that had a history of causing some injuries to our team, myself included. When I was in goal, an offensive player from the other team jumped up to get the ball just as I caught it. She ended up losing her footing and taking a hard fall. Instead of getting caught up in the rivalry, I turned around to help her up. She was obviously shaken so I said, “You’re okay, you got this.” After the game, she sought me out to thank me for helping her. I feel that if there were more of this type of comradery and compassion in sports, competition overall would be more positive. Promoting behavior like this from a young age would not only help sports but humanity in general. If we teach our youth to grow up with these positive mentalities, they will bring it to the future. Love is more powerful than skill. Even though you may be a very talented athlete, it’s worth nothing if paired with a negative attitude. 

What do you find most rewarding regarding to sports?

Morgan: The amount of effort and dedication I put into my workouts and training determine my personal success. This is definitely very rewarding, but it’s not always what I find most rewarding. The best thing to me is to see one of my friends, or the team as a whole, accomplish a skill set that they have worked so hard to master. There is nothing better than a pig pile full of smiling faces after a walk-off hit, or a goal scored off of the volley from a cross.

Due to Covid-19, you missed out on your junior season insoftball. How difficult was that, what did you miss the most,what did you do to pass the time? What do you look forward tomost regarding the upcoming softball season?

Morgan:The off-season preceding my junior softball season, I took to the gym with a personal trainer, Stan Skolfield of Skolfield Sports Performance in Saco. I worked hard three times a week with the determination to be the best athlete I could be. After seven consecutive months of training with no missed sessions, I gained just under 20 pounds of lean muscle mass. I was more eager and excited than ever before to get on the field and do what I love most. When I received the news, it wasn’t a shock, but it wasn’t an easy pill to swallow. I gave myself time to process our situation, but it immediately became an opportunity for me to continue my off-season work. I continued my workouts three days a week at home. My father and I spent three, sometimes four hours in our indoor turf cage multiple times a week. 

As the weeks passed on through quarantine, I definitely missed my teammates. What’s special about Fryeburg Academy softball is not only do we spend essentially all spring together, but we are like family. We have so much fun while working our hardest each day. I can’t wait to be back on the field with my best friends, playing for one of the best coaches I’ve ever had.

Best sports moment, why?

Worst sports moment, why?

Morgan:My best and worst sports moment is a package deal. In the Regional Softball Finals in 2019, we competed against York High School, a tough divisional opponent. Our team prep for our most exciting game of the season was so much fun. For a lot of us, it was the first time we had gotten to play on the St. Joseph’s softball field. We started off strong, scoring within the first two batters of our line-up, something that we had previously struggled with. In the bottom of the seventh inning, the score was 2-1, Fryeburg. With two outs and two strikes on the batter, we were so close to winning Regionals. We ended up losing 3-2 as York had some clutch offensive hits. I have to give it to them, it’s a battle every time we meet. I wouldn’t want it any other way.

Future plans?

Morgan: I have verbally committed to play softball at Colby College. I am beyond excited to have the opportunity to attend and play for such an amazing school. I plan to study Radiology with the hope of continuing into the sports field.

Impact your coaches have had on your high school years?

Morgan:I’ve had a lot of different coaches, with a lot of different personalities. Because of this, I’ve had the chance to learn from and adapt to varying coaching styles. I’ve embraced each one of these philosophies and from buying into each coach’s program, I feel that it makes you a much more well-rounded and coachable individual. I think that what these experiences have taught me will serve me well in life.