Field hockey seniors prepare to pass on responsibilities
As the season draws to a close, the team faces the task of finding new players to fill the shoes of 10 departing seniors.
Arrowhead Photo by Olivia Palush
Going for the goal…Dribbling the ball down the field, girls field hockey captain Reiley Knize takes a shot against Neshaminy High School on October 4. October 4 was senior night and the team celebrated its seniors.
As the seniors on the field hockey team prepare to graduate, they have full confidence that the team will be in good hands when they leave next year.
According to assistant varsity coach Claire McAllister, it will be difficult to fill in the seniors’ shoes.
“Each of them plays a big role. McAllister said. “I definitely think next year’s going to be hard adapting to some of those major roles on the team.”
Although next year will be difficult for the girls, the team plans to take it “play by play,” McAllister said.
“Next year, even though there are 10 of us, which is a lot leaving, I think [the team] will settle. It will work out,” captain Lauren Kenah said.
With so many girls leaving, the seniors on the team plan to make this season their best.
According to the captains on the team, they want to end the season when it ends, not early.
The team has a “championship mentality,” captain Reiley Knize said.
While the seniors make up almost a quarter of the team, the team believes that the underclassmen can pull through for them .
“Even though a lot of us are leaving, I think our team is not based solely on seniors, it’s based on everyone, [even] the underclassmen,” captain Katie Dalton said.
The team itself does not rely on just the seniors to win the game, although the seniors are “irreplaceable,” as McAllister said. She believes the talented underclassmen will hold the team together.
The team this year is very committed to making this season a success.
According to Dalton, the girls are playing every game this year like it’s their last game of the season.
Despite them being every day, “everyone wants to be at practice so it doesn’t feel like an obligation,” Kenah said.
The team continues to stay positive throughout the season.
“A team could beat us, but they will never outwork us,” Dalton said, quoting one of her coaches.
According to Kenah, on the team “there’s a great connection on the field,” the girls trust each other and enjoy spending time with one another.
From Kenah’s perspective, it doesn’t matter the position that someone’s playing, everyone realizes that they play a role.
The girls all consider each other their friends, and that friendship “builds their connection on the field,” according to Dalton.
