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Lincoln-Sudbury's Blaire Brennan selected for Pan Am Maccabi Games field hockey team

kyle grabowski, the metrowest daily news
·4 min read

Blaire Brennan treated her mini golf putter like a field hockey stick. Her babysitter joked that she could be really good.

"I wasn't very good at mini golf," Brennan said.

That led the then-kindergartener to one of Lincoln-Sudbury coach Vicky Caburian's clinics. She participated in both the school camps and the R.E.A.L. Field Hockey program. Brennan served as a ball girl.

"Starting so young it was more fun and games. It wasn’t really serious. It was something so new to me that I fell in love with it because of that," said Brennan, now a sophomore at L-S. "Since I loved it when I was so young I grew up and kept playing it and haven’t stopped."

Lincoln-Sudbury sophomore Blaire Brennan was named to the U16 field hockey team as part of Maccabi USA’s delegation to this winter’s Pan American Maccabi Games.
Lincoln-Sudbury sophomore Blaire Brennan was named to the U16 field hockey team as part of Maccabi USA’s delegation to this winter’s Pan American Maccabi Games.

Her passion intersected with opportunity. The Maccabi Games popped up on her social media. Brennan recalled a friend from long ago - so long ago she's forgotten their name - mentioning them to her when she was younger, but she didn't put much stock into them.

The Maccabi Games are high-level athletic competitions for Jewish athletes around the world aimed at connecting Jews from the diaspora.

Brennan applied, which required sending film and an in-depth interview process. Her parents Gabrielle Henken and Kevin Brennan helped prepare her for the interview and select clips that show both her skill and capacity as a teammate.

"It was more of a Hail Mary," Blaire Brennan said. "I put myself out there and was like, 'Whatever happens, happens,' and I’ll be happy with whatever outcome.'"

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Maccabi USA circulated its roster in April. The sophomore was named to the United States' U16 field hockey team for the 2023 Pan American Maccabi games in Buenos Aires, Argentina on Wednesday.

"I was so excited. On one hand being selected for a field hockey team is exciting in and of itself, but also representing USA and being able to wear a USA uniform, but also being surrounded by Judaism and that being more of the main focus, especially with everything that’s going on in Israel right now, that I get to represent my country and my religion," Brennan said.

The Pan American Maccabi Games are held every four years and conducted two years after the Maccabiah, the second largest international multi-sport event and one of the largest gatherings of the Jewish diaspora, according to a release from Maccabi USA.

She'll be part of a 13-member team, the first U16 girls team Maccabi USA has ever sent.

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"This is a significant milestone for us and the timing is especially poignant this year," Maccabi USA Field Hockey chair Meredith Shifman said in a release. "We’re excited to continue Maccabi USA’s Mission of building Jewish pride through sports and to help grow the sport of field hockey by offering this life-changing athletic and cultural experience to more girls and women.”

The 15th Pan American Maccabi games will take place Dec. 27-Jan. 4. Maccabi USA will bring approximately 700 athletes to compete in 58 sports against other Jewish athletes from 24 countries.

Brennan was also named to the Massachusetts State Field Hockey Coaches Association Rising Sophomore Squad. The Warriors reached the Division 1 Round of 16 but fell to eventual state champion Walpole. She plays both midfield and attack.

"She's a very versatile player. I'm happy she's not locked in like 'I only play...'" L-S coach Vicky Caburian said. "She does whatever she needs for the team She is team first, and she is about thinking of others and how she can contribute to the team. She's a selfless player."

Lincoln-Sudbury sophomore Blaire Brennan was named to the U16 field hockey team as part of Maccabi USA’s delegation to this winter’s Pan American Maccabi Games.
Lincoln-Sudbury sophomore Blaire Brennan was named to the U16 field hockey team as part of Maccabi USA’s delegation to this winter’s Pan American Maccabi Games.

She is the only Massachusetts native on the U16 squad, but Chestnut Hill's Erika Hicks and Hannah Hicks were selected for the Open Women's team.

Brennan also plays basketball in the winter and lacrosse in the spring. She competes for the Wizards club program and recently learned the U16 team is ranked 11th in the country.

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This isn't her first time out of the country, but it will be the furthest Brennan has ever traveled away from home.

"Being able to play internationally is one of the biggest things, especially going to Argentina," she said. "This is going to be a lifelong memory and something that I think about constantly and will recommend to other people to put themselves out there."

Contact Kyle Grabowski at kgrabowski@gannett.com. Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, @kylegrbwsk.

This article originally appeared on MetroWest Daily News: Lincoln-Sudbury's Blaire Brennan picked for Maccabi Games field hockey