New Hampshire three-sport athlete excels in classroom while still finding time to volunteer.
Mollie Durand is a captain for her Inter-Lakes soccer team as a junior and the three-sport athlete scored a career-high 12 goals for the Lakers this season.
Courtesy photo
When the school year starts,
Mollie Durand doesn't get much time to herself.
Being a three-sport athlete at
Inter-Lakes (Meredith, N.H.), she's also a dedicated student with straight A's, works a part-time job and spends at least 10 hours per month volunteering.
It's amazing Durand can accomplish all that she does in a limited amount of time.
"I really like it," Durand said. "I like staying busy with sports. I'm a very active person."
Inter-Lakes girls' soccer coach Beth Pion has watched Durand excel as an athlete since her freshman year. Pion has coached Durand in basketball, too.
"We've had a few girls in school that play three sports, and they're just amazing in all three," Pion said. "Just by like the confidence and just motivation kind of gets her up there."
Prior to her junior season in soccer, Durand was named a team captain, a position mainly designated to seniors.
"It was definitely an honor," said Durand, who has been a three-year starter. "Our whole team was pretty much juniors, we had a few seniors. It was just a good accomplishment."
Durand, who plays right forward, put up a career high in goals this season with 12. She was named Division III All-State honorable mention by the New Hampshire Soccer Coaches Association.
Durand volunteers at least 10 hours per month
and the 16 year old holds a 4.1 GPA.
Courtesy photo
Durand showed how lethal of a player she is on the soccer field.
"Once she has the ball on her foot, she can pretty much do anything with it," Pion said. "With her being up there, she was extremely strong for us."
The 16 year old had a well-rounded season, but erupted for her first career varsity hat trick vs. rival White Mountain.
Durand was always the go-to scorer on her team this year. Her coach said Durand would get off seven to eight shots per game. She really found her role on the team early on.
"She started off playing center/forward and then she went to right, and that was her strong position," Pion said. "Her corner kicks were unbelievable. They were in the right spot every single time."
After the soccer season wrapped up — Inter-Lakes did well, advancing to the postseason — Durand transitioned to the basketball court. Durand, in her second season starting at Inter-Lakes, scored 12 points in her team's season opener to get her off to a strong start.
Once the spring rolls around, Durand is a member of the track and field team. Playing softball through eighth grade, Durand wanted a change. She's really enjoyed competing in the long jump and javelin.
As s versatile athlete, Durand is looking at the possibility of playing soccer in college. However, she knows it needs to be the right fit with juggling academics.
"I'm going to see if any coaches would want me to help get into college, but it's not my No. 1 priority," said Durand, who believes she can play at the Division II level.
School takes top billing for Durand. She holds a 4.1 grade point average and always pushes herself with her workload. Out of her four classes this semester, she is taking three that are honors or Advanced Placement.
Durand is looking to get into National Honor Society this year and plays trumpet in the school band.
Outside of school, Durand is extremely busy. She works part-time at Fun Spot on weekends during the school year, and once summer hits she ups her workload to six days a week.
At an early age, Durand became part of the youth program at the Wicwas Lake Grange, which is a nonprofit fraternal organization, in Meredith. She currently volunteers with community service activities through the organization — logging about 100 hours per year — with her grandfather. The group always had its hands in various projects, including fundraising for veterans and helping out homeless shelters.
"I've been doing it for numerous years and it's just like a giant family there and we're all very close," Durand said.
With Christmas right around the corner, Durand will be an integral part of a holiday party through Wicwas Lake Grange. She'll be dressing up as an elf for the fourth straight year and handing out presents and cookies. It's an activity Durand absolutely loves.
"It makes me feel really good because making other people happy is really a key part to the way I live," Durand said. "Giving back is just really important."
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In addition to soccer, Durand plays basketball and participates in track and field, throwing the javelin and competing in the long jump.
Courtesy photo
