Alexandra Madrid

Playing Field Hockey at Brown University Fall 2024
St. John High School (2020 - 2024)

Profile Link

From Alexandra:
1.Favorite Field Hockey Memory? Why?

My favorite field hockey memory was at Windy City's Pumpkin Classic in 2017. It was the championship game and with 1 minute left Eliza Perrin scored the game winning goal. That tournament was one of my first with the team I would be playing with for the next five years. It was one of the first times I felt the joy of winning with my team. That feeling kept me coming back to Texas Pride and keeps me chasing my goals in this sport.

2.What was your most exciting recruiting experience?

My most exciting recruiting experience was June 15. There was so much stress and anxiety around that date for me going in. However, once it finally got to that date I was both relieved and excited for all the action.

3.Why are you playing field hockey in college?

I love the game of field hockey and I hope to never stop playing it. As I have gotten older, and the level of play has increased, I have grown to appreciate the sport even more. I am so excited that I have the honor of playing field hockey on the collegiate level. I also love being on a team and training alongside my best friends. There is something very special about being a part of a group of strong women who are all playing a game that they love.

4.What have you done this summer to prepare?

During the first half of the summer I was lucky enough to continue to practice with Texas Pride in preparation of the National Club Championships. In addition to field hockey practice, I have been doing lifts and runs that the Brown Field Hockey trainer has been assigning weekly. Since Pride has ended, I have been also going to my high school field to practice my skills during the week, normally after my runs.

5.If you could give one piece of advice to younger girls who want to play field hockey in college, what would it be?

I would say to focus on growing your game and having fun at practice. If you are genuinely enjoying what you do and putting in the work to be the best that you can be, then the success on the field will naturally follow. At the same time though, recognize that your growth is not going to be linear. There will be constant ups and downs, which is why it is so important that the root of the joy you get from playing isn't in the successes, but rather in the game itself.

6.Who was the most influential person in high school?

The most influential person/ people were my parents. My parents were at every single one of my games for the past four years. My dad is the first person I want to talk to after a game to have our post game debriefs and I can always hear my mom shouting my full name (Alexandra never Alex) from the stands. They both listened to me rant anytime I was feeling down on my self after a bad game. They lifted me up on those days and helped to keep training and doing my best for my team. They were there to congratulate me on every win and have made countless sacrifices to help me chase my dream of playing field hockey in college. They are the reason that I have the opportunity to play the sport I love at my dream school and I am forever grateful to them. I love them to the moon and back. :)

7.Favorite post practice/ game snack?

8.What pre game rituals do you use to hype yourself up before a game?

I make sure my hair is always done perfectly before I walk out the door. I am no stranger to gel and hairspray ;) On the ride to the game I am always blasting rap music. I find that really gets me in the zone.

9.What made you want to be a college field hockey player?

I wanted to be a college field hockey player because I’ve always loved the sport and the challenge it presents. Playing at the collegiate level offered a chance to push my skills and compete at a higher intensity. The camaraderie and teamwork involved were also a big draw, as I enjoy being part of a close-knit group working towards common goals. Ultimately, I saw it as an opportunity to combine my passion with my academic and personal growth.

10.What was one of the toughest experiences?

One of the toughest experiences was the mental aspect of the game. It is difficult when the thing that holds you back from being the best player you can be is yourself. I feel like the mental battle in field hockey is something that I will always deal with, but in the past year or so I have made noticeable strides on that front.

11.Year you began playing field hockey? How?

From Tina:
Favorite Alexandra Moment (old) / why?:

Alex started on our lowest team at a U14 NIT in the winter of 2019. It was a pretty tough team. I remember watching her play and thinking, this kid has soemthing and could actually be a good player. And then she did. Alex is very diligent and consistently puts in effort for things when no one is watching. She's very athletic and used her work ethic to develop into a strong player quickly.

Favorite Alexandra moment (new)/ why?

The Pressing story. We had a practice this spring and we were working on pressing. We had done it a few times and Alex was working on a specific part of the press. Sometimes as a coach, you single someone one. This time, I singled Alex out. Unfortunately, she could not answer the questions regarding the press. And then I did it another practice..and she couldn't answer them again. The other girls were even trying to help her. The next practice...I asked her the pressing questions again. And Alex was all proud because she finally knew the answers to the questions. What made this story really impactful is how much better she actually became this spring season. Alex has been a strong player for years, but this spring, she became a very impactful player on this strong team. She kept getting better to the end and she's going to make a good impact at Brown over the next four years.

Story we will forever tell about Alexandra:

I think I'll tell this pressing story forever :). Alex is such a worker. She was always in shape and could play endlessly. She is one of the few players who rarely gets tired on the field. She also worked her butt off on her own consistently staying in great shape. Rarely (if ever) did she ever have an injury as a result of her work ethic to stay in shape.

Favorite Alexandra recruiting moment/ why?

Alex was really nonchalant about the entire recruiting process. In Alex's way...she was always engaged and a part of what was going on, but loose about the outcome and open minded. Britt was interested in Alex from a prior tournament when Britt was at UC Davis. Britt moved to Brown that spring and Alex was interested in Ivy the entire time. It was an easy fit and a relatively easy process ultimately - which is rare.

First memory of Alexandra/ why?

Alex joined our U14 travel teams right away. She was a quick learner and developed within a few seasons to make our top travel teams. This is always and impressive feat for a beginner player.