Maura Phelan’s passion for field hockey started at a young age.

“When I was little, I did a few camps and clinics,” she said, “and then some days I’d just go home and remember the feeling of being on the field and making a really great tackle, or hitting the ball really hard.

“And that’s just so fun, and it makes you love the sport.”

Her connection to the sport has grown throughout her career at Lehighton.

And it will continue next season at American University.

Phelan signed her National Letter of Intent to continue her academic and athletic career at the Washington D.C. Division I school on Tuesday.

The senior said she’s eager to write the next chapter in her journey.

“It’s really meaningful to keep my career going,” said Phelan. “It’s exciting for me, and I’m really excited to meet a bunch of new players and just play at a really high level.

“Meeting the team, and meeting the coaches, they were just so passionate about the sport, and they really cared for each other, and they just enjoyed being out on the field, and they love every day, and they cherish every moment they have.”

Phelan had plenty of options. As perceptive during the recruiting process as she is on the field, Phelan considered all of her choices.

But American just felt right.

“I looked at a lot of other schools – I looked at Cornell and Albany as well,” said Phelan, whose major is undecided, though she will study in the school of Public Policy.

“I really think American was the best-fit school, as well as the team was just really amazing, and the coaches as well.”

It didn’t take long for first-year Lehighton head coach Corrine McConville to recognize what kind of player she had in Phelan.

“From the beginning, the first time I saw her. It’s kind of one of those things, how you signify a good player, she tends to make all the players around her better,” said McConville, who was an assistant coach for the Indians last season. “You give your teammates the ability to do better just by being on the field with them.

“And just players who kind of belong on another level, you can kind of see that radiate from them on the field.”

As a co-captain, Phelan has helped the Indians reach the District 11 Class 1A title game and qualify for the state tournament the past two seasons.

No matter where Phelan is on the field, her presence is felt.

“A lot of times we have central defenders, midfielders, and right and left inners, and all these kids that don’t really get as much recognition as they should because we kind of correlate success with scoring goals,” said McConville. “So it’s very difficult when you’re a player in the backfield to even get noticed.”

At this time a year ago, Phelan watched Grace Shanton make her college decision. Shanton signed with Temple, where she joined former Lehighton standouts Sarah Keer and Maris Stern on the Owls’ roster.

Phelan is proud to continue Lehighton’s tradition of players competing at the Division I level with her choice to join the Eagles, who were 13-6 last season and reached the Patriot League semifinals.

“It’s really just kind of inspiring to see all the past success that Lehighton field hockey has had,” said Phelan. “Coach (Shawn) Hindy was the first person who ever handed me a stick, and I feel like it’s just kind of inspiring to see that we can still continue (that success), and I think Corrine is really going to bring this program back to its former strength.”

Hindy was the head coach in 2009 when the Indians won their only state title.

McConville played a key role on that team. And she knows what it’s like to play at the next level, starring for the University of Albany for four years.

Now, McConville gets to watch Phelan try to do the same after a remarkable career at Lehighton.

“She’ll be dearly missed. She’ll leave big shoes to fill,” said McConville. “At the end of the day, I’m really happy that our paths crossed, and that I got a chance to see what it felt like to coach really great players. And it’s a good feeling, so I hope I get more like her.”