Roxbury High School hosted a Letter of Intent/College Commitment Ceremony Wednesday morning for Kayla Bedel-Franklin to sign with Sacred Heart University to play field hockey.

When asked to reflect on her time in Roxbury, Bedel-Franklin shared, “I know it sounds cliché, but dreams do come true. Hard work does pay off. When I first picked up a stick my sophomore year, I never dreamed that three years later I would be signing to play at a Division 1 program. Committing to Sacred Heart University will fulfill not only my athletic ambitions but academic ones as well. Through field hockey I found more than just a hobby, earned more than a scholarship, and received more than just accolades, I discovered a piece of myself in playing that opened my eyes to a passion forever.”

Bedel-Franklin credits much of her success to her coaches, Diane Douglas and Kaitlyn Norgard, the entire field hockey program, and her family.

“I don’t really know the right words to say or how to even begin to express this. Is saying thank you enough? Those two simple words have so much more than trite meaning. Thank you to the Roxbury High School Field Hockey program. Thank you to Coaches Douglas and Norgard for patience and guidance. Thank you to my teammates for giving me a family, a place where I’ve felt accepted and loved. Thank you to my parents for their unconditional support and constantly challenging me to do better.”

Douglas doesn’t accept the credit for helping Bedel-Franklin get to this point. She applauds all the hard work she put into the sport for her achievements as the leading scorer for the past two seasons.

“Kayla’s commitment and dedication to the game has been the backbone of her success,” she says. “She practices and plays with an unparalleled intensity. She has led our team in scoring and is still developing as a player. We believe she is only going to continue to improve and succeed at the next level. We could not be more proud of her and everything that she has earned.”