As the summer comes to an end, every fall athlete awaits the last week of August that is consumed by their sports preseason. This was no different from me, but this year will be my last field hockey season at Patchogue Medford.
In the weeks leading to my senior season, it had made me excited for what was to come. A difference that a travel sport has from a school team is the connections bond not just with a select few, but the entire program.
For eight weeks, we all spend day-in and day-out with each other, constantly supporting and helping one another. Even though it’s what ultimately brings us all together, it’s not just about the field hockey. Wins and losses count minimally compared to everything in between. The pasta parties, community volunteering, fundraising, practices, bus rides, and all the other activities that come with being with a team are what I look forward to every season. From this season, I expect to continue to grow these bonds I already have with my teammates and create new ones, all with playing the sport that I love.
Wednesday September 3rd, we had our first game at Copiague. Of course, there was a lot of excitement leading into the season’s official opening.
Copiague had just gotten a new turf and was trotted on by an away team ready to put in their all. Being a goalkeeper, I have a front row seat to all the happenings on the field and seeing how the team supported one another and how we connected after only the eight days of preseason reminded me of how the sport never fails to excite me. This game let us take our first win of the season, the final score being 7-0.
The goals were spread across our team, from the forward line to even the defense scoring and assisting to help us win. Annmarie Hopwood, one of our forwards, scored two goals, while our speaking captain Sophia Fox had one of her own, followed by two assists to help out our other scorers. Kelynn Berard, a defender and inserter and our center defensive mid Sophia Randazzo had a goal and an assist each. Finally, forwards Madelyn Burston and Isabella Petersen each had a goal of their own.
Even though being a goalkeeper myself has me restricted to one end of the field, I can’t help but get excited for my teammates every time one of them scores. This goes to show how our players treat this game as what it should be, a true team sport.
Friday September 5th, the team had our home opener against Huntington. Admittedly, this game had me personally a bit worried as we hadn’t played Huntington since my sophomore year, two years ago.
So, coming into this game left a lot of uncertainty on how we would perform against the opposing team. However, these worries that I had were quickly quelled by how we played. Although the first quarter had left the game scoreless, we dominated on that field, keeping possession and penetrating their defensive end multiple times. But because of some very impressive saves from Huntington’s goalkeeper, Kathleen Cocoman, the score was left 0-0 until the second quarter. Then, forward Diana Ferreira had scored one of her two goals in the game, which was followed by Sophia Fox, Isabella Petersen, and Annmarie Hopwood each adding a goal of their own. Even though in the 3rd quarter we were caught off guard by a goal made by Huntington’s Giana Anfolisi, a quick huddle was enough to move past the mistake.
It was honestly very refreshing to see such a quick recovery from the goal, as everyone had identified what led to the goal and what we could improve upon it. Again, this shows our team’s emphasis on what it means to be a team sport, supporting each other through great times and ugly times. I think that focus is what really makes our field hockey program stand out. The final score of that game ended 5-1, making that our second win of the season and giving us hope for the future games to come.
One of those future games falls on September 11th, on our home turf. This is the second year in a row we’ve had a 9/11 game, in which last year we adorned red, white, and blue ribbons and had a ceremony before the game to honor those lost in the tragedy.
I think this game means a lot to all of us, as we get to use our sport to pay tribute to the people affected by the September 11 attacks. This year, the game also serves as our Teacher Appreciation game, where we get to thank those teachers, security guards and more school faculty that help shape us through our high school careers.
The game will be played against William Floyd and will also have a similar 9/11 tribute like our year before.
These types of games, like our Stick it to Cancer or our Mental Health Awareness games, are examples of how field hockey can be so much more than just a sport. Like how our team uses the sport to lift each other up, we can use it to help and contribute to things much bigger than us.
