Ann Velie

Getting Annie Velie to agree to an interview is comparable to running an obstacle course, and once she has reluctantly assented at the prodding of coaches and teammates, she has to be cornered and pressured into talking.

By talking to Velie you'd never guess that for four years she has shone on the varsity field hockey and lacrosse teams, or that she has been the recipient of numerous athletic honors, including being named to the U.S. Olympic lacrosse squad last year. It is only by talking to her friends, teammates and coaches that one gets a sense of how quietly outstanding she is--both on the field and off.

"Annie is not a flashy, rah-rah type of player," field hockey coach Edie MacAusland says. "She's a steady, dependable player who exhibits her leadership by example. She also has an extremely high level of concentration, and I really respect that in her as an athlete."

Stickwomen co-captains Elaine Kellogg and Chris Sailer emphasize Velie's consistency and her deceptive quickness, a quality which allows her to outrun her opponents. Kellogg elaborates, "One of Annie's greatest assets is that she doesn't look like she's moving very fast when in fact she is beating everyone."

"She's the player who's always there when you need her--she does her job and she does it well," Sailer says. Goalie Betty Ippolito sums it up. "Annie is the most consistent player on the team--she's the rock that everyone depends on."

When Velie is told of the compliments and accolades of her teammates, however, she only laughs in disbelief. In fact, any discussion with Velie involves painfully pulling past accomplishments out of her while she downplays their importance. When talking about making the Olympic squad, Velie says, "That's the only exciting thing that has ever happened to me, and it's not even that exciting. It's just an honor."

Heaven Sent

Although Velie is acknowledged by her teammates as being one of the field hockey team's greatest assets, she confesses that lacrosse is her first love. "Lacrosse is less limited, and there are fewer boundaries," she explains, adding, "Besides, you don't have to lean over."

In her freshman year. Velie shared the honor with Sailer of being the first Harvard player named to the New England lacrosse squad. "All I really remember is that we were all stuck in this horrible dorm where everyone was screaming while Chris and I were trying to take our Math IB finals."

Velie, who will captain the lacrosse squad with Sailer in the spring, says that this year's team will be stronger than in years past. Lacrosse coach Carole Kleinfelder agrees with Velie's assessment, but says that if Velie is going to be an effective captain she will have to shed a lot of her reticence and modesty.

"Annie's almost too sweet. You've got to stand for something as a captain--you can't be silent," she says. "I don't worry about Annie on the field because she's proven herself over and over again. I just think that it's time for her to extend herself and share her talents with the less experienced players," she adds.

Velie responds with characteristic good humor to Kleinfelder's statements, saying, "I think I'm a leader, I'm just not loud about it. Between Chris and I we'll cover all the bases--Chris'll think up the cheers and lead the exercises while I take care of the emotional problems."