The Wrentham Times

Within a Warrior - Avari Maxwell

By R.S. Mitts

Her love of hockey started back at the age of 4-years old when she took the ice at Norfolk Arena’s Learn to Play Program. Thirteen years later, Avari Maxwell is now a captain for the King Philip Girls Hockey team, and one of the key players for the team’s success.

Maxwell credits her older brothers, Gavin and Garrett, both alumni of the KP Hockey program, for her interest in starting hockey. In her earlier playing days, she was a member of the Walpole Express, MA Spitfires and most recently the Bandits program. Like many of her KP teammates, she also skated with KPW Youth Hockey organization this past season to build and prepare for the 2021 High School season.

This is Maxwell’s fourth year with the varsity squad, and is “determined to unify the team, and work towards winning the Hock Cup.”

Reminiscing over her high school career, Maxwell mentioned one of her fond memories in addition to being named captain was the bus ride home when the team stopped at Taco Bell. “We beat Franklin and everyone was just happy to be celebrating with each other,” she says. 

While Taco Bell was a highlight Maxwell admits she won’t miss “all the sprints” the team does at practice.

A long-time teammate, junior Morgan Cunningham says, “It’s been a blast having Avari as a teammate. We get along so well on and off the ice. She has a fun, bubbly personality that we all want to be around. She is a smart, talented player and I have been lucky to play alongside her.”

Hockey isn’t Maxwell’s only passion. Dance has been a big part of her life. The KP Girls Ice Hockey coach Ken Assad believes her dance has influenced her hockey game. She also doesn't hesitate to remind the coach how to spell her first name. “What impresses me most about Avari is how she doesn’t let me get away with spelling her name wrong, how much of a leader she is, and with her dance how truly athletic she is -- very motivated and driven leader,” Assad says.

When Maxwell and her fellow captains lead the KP Warriors onto the ice, she looks forward to the games versus Mansfield Oliver Ames. Competing against friends and former teammates adds to the excitement of the game. She also loves the fierce rivalry with Franklin, partly due to the fact that Assad and Assistant Coach Tim Langevin reside in Franklin. Those are the games she gets most “up” for.

Maxwell’s Minutes:
Nickname: None. Just wants AVARI spelled/pronounced correctly, Coach!
Jersey #: 20
Position: Center
Off Ice Interests: Beach, Miller (family dog), shopping at Zara
Pre-Game Routine: Red Bull, listening to “Do I Want to Know” by Arctic Monkeys
Post-Graduation Plans: Pursue hockey at Nicols, Endicott, or Arcadia and study Business Management / Advertising

Within a Warrior - Olivia Donovan

By R.S. Mitts

King Philip Girls Ice Hockey coach Ken Assad lights up when he speaks about his senior captain Olivia Donovan. “Olivia is a determined player,” he says. “Her work ethic is contagious and she is also a very good captain. Leads by example.” Donovan started playing hockey at the age of 7, and she remembers not being able to skate or stickhandle. Her uncle had access to the ice rink at Milton Academy and had her on the ice practicing her skills. Soon she found herself as the only girl playing with a boys’ team in the Medfield Youth Hockey program. As she got older, she gravitated to the all-girls Walpole Express, as well as the Falmouth Clippers during the summer months. The last few hockey seasons have been enjoyed with most of her high school teammates in the King Philip Walpole Youth organization.

Prior to focusing on hockey, Donovan dabbled in dance, lacrosse, soccer, and softball; until she realized she might be “afraid of the ball.” When not on the athletic field or rink, Donovan spends her time working out, hiking, and shopping. She shared that she really enjoys her summertime months while living and working in Mashpee. She has worked at the Popponesset Beach club for several years and values that experience.

Influencing Donovan along the way has been her family. Playing hockey runs in the family. Her father Joe Donovan as well as several aunts and uncles all played the sport, fueling her passion for the game. Even her younger sister, Alison Donovan, got the hockey bug, and is currently a junior on the team.

Recalling her previous three years of hockey at KP, Donovan highlighted her sophomore year. She felt the team was so close and she was able to build “lifelong friendships with many of the seniors on the team.” On the ice she relishes the games against Mansfield Oliver-Ames due to the familiarity of the opponents (some former teammates and many friends) and Canton, as they are always “the most competitive” games. An experience she would not mind forgetting is the 3-3 tie with Ursuline last season that knocked KP out of the state tournament.

Being named captain was a special moment for Donovan. She explains she was at a competition for DECA, a highly regarded business program at the high school, when she heard the news she would sport a captain’s “C” on her jersey senior year. “I was surprised,” she said. “I was at a DECA competition and my phone was blowing up. It certainly was a highlight of 2020 for me.”

As a captain, one of her goals is to bring the team together and somehow have a team spaghetti dinner as a way to “unite the team.” Her own personal goals are to “earn more ice time and rack up some points that hopefully lead to more wins.”

Jen Daniels, a junior on the team said, “Olivia is always supportive and uplifting when needed. When times are tough, she is the first to cheer us up and motivate us to be better.”

To emphasize how she feels about the season and team, Donovan repeated Coach Assad’s “All in” mantra which serves as a rallying cry for the team.

Donovan’s Doodles:
Nickname: Liv, Donnie
Jersey #: 2
Position: Left Wing
Favorite Ice Cream: Vanilla / Chocolate
Pre-Game Routine: listen to music / focus
Post-Graduation Plans: Take a senior trip, would like to attend Boston University – Business School
Off the Ice: Cape Cod, Work out, Clothes & Food