Buffalo Wild Wings Coach of the Month: Brenda Strohmer, Liberty Field Hockey

Brenda Strohmer, who coached the Liberty High School field hockey team in Carroll County to the 2016 MPSSAA 1A state championship, is the County Sports Zone/Buffalo Wild Wings Coach of the Month!

The Lions finished with an overall record of 16-2. It's the first field hockey state title for Liberty since 1982.

"This team was so well rounded. A lot of the girls play in the offseason, and we had great leadership from our four captains," Strohmer said. "Their drive was incredible- this was their goal from the end of last season and they worked so hard towards that goal."

Coach Strohmer is a native of Woodstock, MD and teaches physical education at one of Liberty's biggest rivals, South Carroll High School.

It was at South Carroll that Coach Strohmer got her start coaching field hockey. The school needed a JV coach and Coach Strohmer stepped in, despite not playing the game after her middle school years. She immersed herself in learning the various rules and nuances of the game, and fell in love with the sport.

In total, Coach Strohmer has coached field hockey for 12 years. She's spent the previous six years at Liberty, where the program has drastically improved since she's taken over. In Coach Strohmer's first year at the helm, Liberty didn't win a game, but its win total has improved every season since.

The crowning moment for Liberty's progress came on Nov. 12 when the Lions topped Queen Anne's 2-0 in the state title game.

"I wish every coach could experience winning a state championship. It took awhile to sink in, and it's just an awesome feeling," Strohmer said. "The gratitude that I have because everyone is always so nice and the girls are getting recognition for their hard work just makes it an all around great feeling."

To her players, Coach Strohmer is a figure that's constantly trying to motivate them. She does an excellent job of getting her players to work hard towards improving not just individually, but as a team.

For junior forward Brooke Heffler, who scored Liberty's first goal in the state championship, she is someone you can always go to if you need advice on how to improve your game.

"We have such a good relationship with Coach Strohmer. She understands us really well and when we give input, she listens," Heffler said. "She always knows how to help, which makes her a great coach."

For Coach Strohmer, she loves coaching because of the opportunity to teach her players something outside of school. To her, the dynamic between a coach and an athlete is different than a teacher and student, which is something she enjoys.

"I keep in touch with a lot of the athletes I've coached in the past, and I know I'll continue to communicate with these girls," Strohmer said. "The comraderie, the friendships and bonds are what make coaching special."

For being named County Sports Zone/Buffalo Wild Wings Coach of the Month, Coach Strohmer received a gift certificate, sauces and a hat from Buffalo Wild Wings, as well as a County Sports Zone t-shirt.

If you'd like to make a nomination for next month's County Sports Zone/Buffalo Wild Wings Coach of The Month, click here.

Congratulations to Coach Strohmer!