Lori Knights of FSK Field Hockey Named Coach of the Month

Lori Knights, who coached the Francis Scott Key High School field hockey team to its first MPSSAA state final game in 21 years, is the County Sports Zone/Buffalo Wild Wings Coach of the Month for October!

After falling short in the regional final games in both 2015 and 2016, Coach Knights said she wanted to change the Eagles' "thought process" this year.

"The last couple of years, we had the goal of getting (to the state final)," she said. "And based on the girls we had coming through, we kind of expected to get there this year."

But the Eagles posted a good-but-not-great 9-4 record during the regular season. And they only beat one Carroll County opponent.

Coach Knights said she thought the team's turning point was its victory (in strokes after two scoreless halves and two scoreless overtimes) over South Carroll in the MPSSAA Class 1A West sectional final. The Eagles had lost to the Cavaliers 4-0 during the regular season.

"When we were tied 0-0 at halftime, that's when it really kicked in," she said. "They started to believe they could play with them."

Coach Knights is a 1988 graduate of Francis Scott Key, and she was a member of the field hockey team. She was a travel agent for more than 20 years, owning her own agency in Westminster for 10. She now is an instructional assistant at her alma mater.

She is in her fourth year as the Eagles' head coach. Before that, she was the JV coach at Linganore High School in Frederick County for two years.

Coach Knights' players say they love her style.

"It's exciting," said senior goalie Kourtney Black, one of the team's three captains. "She's very loud. She's a character. She's very headstrong. She doesn't mess around."

"She has kept me in a good spot. She's very motivational. She's very good at what she does - very devoted."

So motivational, in fact, that Black will be continuing her field hockey career at Belmont Abbey College in Charlotte, N.C.

Midfielder Madison Herring, another captain, said Coach Knights "is the best coach I've ever had."

"I wouldn't be as good a player without her," Herring added. "She pushes you. She's intimidating. If you don't know her, you'd be scared of her."

For being named County Sports Zone/Buffalo Wild Wings Coach of the Month, Coach Knights received a gift certificate, bottle of sauce, hat and t-shirt 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, email Wick Eisenberg at weisenberg@countysportszone.com.

Congratulations to Coach Knights!