If there’s one way to describe how Sarah Fitzpatrick played field hockey, it’s that she gave everything to her team, coaches and herself.

The senior back captained Liberty’s defense and was revered by her peers, as one of the East Penn Conference’s top defenders. She’s a two-time EPC first-team selection and was named All-State honorable mention the past two seasons.

The four-year varsity letterwinner in both field hockey and lacrosse will continue her playing career at Rider University, but walks away from her tenure at Liberty as this year’s Female Athlete of the Year.

“My favorite parts of this were being a senior captain and getting to lead the team on and off the field,” Fitzpatrick said. “I always play hard every time I play, but this last year I think I went a little harder knowing it was my last year playing at Liberty alongside a group of girls I’ve played and matured with the last four years.”

Liberty finished this past year 8-11-1 and qualified for both the EPC and District 11 tournaments. However, they lost in both opening rounds, falling to powerhouse Emmaus in the league tourney and then dropping a 5-1 loss in the district tournament.

Getting bounced out of the postseason early still doesn’t change how Fitzpatrick looks back on her senior year, where she scored eight goals and registered eight assists.

“I feel that this year we had more underclassmen contribute on the field than in years before,” she said. “Liberty has always been a scrapy, determined and enthusiastic team, and I see that continuing for years. Coach [Jill] Dorn is always spreading the word about field hockey, and she works a lot with the youth to build a future of the sport.”

While the team results weren’t always there for the Hurricanes, Fitzpatrick’s individual recognition of being a league all-star and all-state representative showed that her talent level was always noticed.

“They mean a great deal,” Fitzpatrick said of her accolades. “I was humbled by the awards and being recognized for my hard work and devotion towards the sport. Field hockey means a lot to me and because of that the awards mean a lot to me as well.”

Some of Fitzpatrick’s favorite memories include pregame warmups and pep talks, playing against other girls she’s grown up competing against and going back to her freshman year when she was chosen to take penalties in overtime against Pocono Mountain East in a thrilling district quarterfinal victory.

All those stepping stones now move her to the world of college sports, where she’ll be competing at the Division-I level, looking to create even more memories playing a sport she’s always loved.

“I love the strategy and intensity that is put into the games,” she said of playing. “The teamwork and getting to meet new people that share the same interest as you, and the support that comes from the whole community. I am excited to train under coach Alicia Govannicci and play with new teammates. Rider has a strong and successful history and I’ll be working towards helping its future success.”

Even when her playing days will end one day, Fitzpatrick knows the game will always have a special place in her heart. She also hopes people remember what she gave back to Liberty.

“In the future I want to give back to the sport by coaching and working with young players,” said Fitzpatrick. “Hard work pays off. I want to be remembered for my hard work, leadership, and loyalty.”