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Coming off a big year at Providence College, Meg Hughes teaches soccer to local youth

Laurie Los Lee, Standard-Times
·4 min read

Meg Hughes is never satisfied.

In just two years at Providence College, the 2020 Old Rochester graduate has racked up a pair of major BIG EAST awards and helped the Div. I Friars qualify for the NCAA tournament for the first time since 1993.

“I feel like there's always room to improve and more goals to set,” she said. “I feel like they’re so much more I’m capable of and I can accomplish.

“I would love it if my soccer team could win the BIG EAST championship. I really hope in my four years in Providence that we can do it.”

Meg Hughes gives some instructions at the MATTREC Girls Soccer Clinic at Old Rochester.
Meg Hughes gives some instructions at the MATTREC Girls Soccer Clinic at Old Rochester.

While she’s excited to see what the Friars can do in the fall, Hughes has spent this past week at Old Rochester running the MATTREC Girls Summer Soccer Clinic.

“My mom came up with the idea to do it,” said Hughes, a Rochester native who owns Old Rochester's school records for career points (192) and goals (127). “Mattapoisett Rec put it all together and sent out the flyers and stuff.

“I was nervous the girls weren’t going to like it. I wanted them to enjoy coming to it and enjoy soccer while they were there.”

Meg Hughes works with a local youth soccer player at the MATTREC Girls Soccer Clinic.
Meg Hughes works with a local youth soccer player at the MATTREC Girls Soccer Clinic.

Hughes took bits and pieces from camps she’d attended over the years and also got some ideas online.

“I used what I would do when I was younger and played some of the games when I was younger,” she said. “I definitely want to do this again. I really enjoyed it, especially since it’s an all-girls camp. Most camps are boys and girls and I find girls tend to be shyer when they’re with boys. This was a chance to be by themselves and let them shine without the boys being in the way.”

Meg Hughes brings her campers in for a chant at the MATTREC Girls Soccer Clinic held at Old Rochester.
Meg Hughes brings her campers in for a chant at the MATTREC Girls Soccer Clinic held at Old Rochester.

The biggest message Hughes said she tried to pass on to the players is to never stop working.

“I always tell them when we’re at the camp and we’re doing foot skills and they feel it’s boring, they need to work on it and they can do it at home,” she said. “It will make them better.

“For me, I always focus on shooting and finishing because my finishing could improve so much I even go to a finishing coach once a week.”

Last year Hughes had no problem finishing around the net as the sophomore standout led Providence College in total points (22) and goals (nine) to become just the fifth player in program history to earn ALL-BIG EAST First Team honors.

“I was really excited about it because I think there’s 11 girls on the team and a lot of them were seniors and juniors and it meant a lot to be a sophomore on the team,” Hughes said. “I would say it was a pretty good year for me.

“They looked for me more to try and score goals but I also wanted to get my teammates involved. I’d prefer to be a playmaker so I tried to do a little bit of everything.”

Izzy McKeon fakes a shot at the MATTREC Girls Soccer Clinic hosted by Meg Hughes at Old Rochester.
Izzy McKeon fakes a shot at the MATTREC Girls Soccer Clinic hosted by Meg Hughes at Old Rochester.

The season was meaningful for Hughes, who had to come back from a torn ACL she suffered during her senior year of high school and had her first college season shortened during the pandemic.

“That was the first injury that I had,” she said. “All the steps you take to get back to your full potential are a lot. Little milestones during the eight months kept me going. First it was getting my brace off, then it was being allowed to run and then being told I could practice with the team.”

Lanie Kazen clears the ball at the MATTREC Girls Soccer Clinic hosted by Meg Hughes.
Lanie Kazen clears the ball at the MATTREC Girls Soccer Clinic hosted by Meg Hughes.

Because of the pandemic, Providence College’s 2020 fall season was pushed to the spring of 2021, just in time for a healthy Hughes to make her debut.

“COVID was good for me because I didn’t end up missing my freshman season,” she said. “I felt like I worked pretty hard and tried to fit in with the team dynamic.”

Hughes didn’t start early on in her freshman season, but got the chance midway through as her team battled illness.

Zoe Papadakis makes the pass at the MATTREC Girls Soccer Clinic hosted by Meg Hughes at Old Rochester.
Zoe Papadakis makes the pass at the MATTREC Girls Soccer Clinic hosted by Meg Hughes at Old Rochester.

She ended up finishing that 12-game season with team-highs for points (14) and assists (six). She was tied for first in goals with four. Hughes became just the second Friar to earn BIG EAST Freshman of the Year.

With 36 career points, Hughes is tied for 17th among the program's all-time scoring leaders entering her junior year.

“It’s going pretty good,” said Hughes, who is studying social science. “Soccer is good. I’m excited for the season in the fall.”

This article originally appeared on Standard-Times: Old Rochester grad Meg Hughes runs MATTREC Girls Summer Soccer clinic