Hudson Field Hockey has built up quite the reputation over the years. From being a competitive and skilled force on the field to having supportive and friendly qualities off the field, the team is noticed for their unique dynamic. This is a dynamic that other teams strive to have. Everyone is friends with each other because of it being a team of all girls, making it easy to work together and giving everyone a reason to want to be there.
The team values this fact and continues to improve on it. Sophomore Maddie Mormino is an expert at being a good teammate. “Part of the reason why we have such a good dynamic is our ability to stay positive. Though it’s not alway easy to do so, the environment we are placed in forces me to.” She says, “being led by coaches that encourage us to always be positive drives me to.”
The coaches are probably the biggest contributors to the success of this team dynamic. With their overflowing optimism, they always have faith in the team to succeed; with that they highlight the importance of being good teammates. They value the ability to work together and dedicate time for the girls to talk to each other when they think it’s needed. These talks allow for the girls to identify the problem that is interfering with their performance and discuss ways in which they can move past it.
The leaders of these talks are most often the team captains. With two on the varsity team, Lizzie Karnofel and Sofia Boyle, and one on the JV team, Libby Thomas, these girls are experienced leaders who know just the right ways to lead their teammates to success.
“They know how to hold everyone accountable to push them to do their best while also making everyone’s experiences enjoyable.” The leadership falls not only on the captains but all the girls in general. Everyone plays a part in boosting each other up and improving the quality of friendship. “My favorite part of being on the team is being with my teammates and the environment they create for everyone,” says Mormino.
The overall team is part of the reason why many girls continue to play the sport. Along with their passion for field hockey, the program comes with so many different experiences that add to why the girls love it so much. With overnight team camps in the summer, everyday conditioning, practices and constant bonding activities, the girls value time spent with their teammates as well as improving their play and skills for the games. “It’s really the people who make the team so good, not only their ability to play the sport but also just their personalities,” explains sophomore Libby Thomas.
This is Libby’s third year playing field hockey. While most of her passion for sports goes to lacrosse, the team is the reason she continues to come back to field hockey. “The team is different from other sports. It’s built up a solid foundation and has made itself an outstanding reputation.”
Libby helps to make sure the team can hold this reputation. As captain of the JV team, she gives guidance to the underclassmen on and off the field and sets the perfect example of a good teammate. She is well-spoken, decisive and confident and she focuses on having good communication to make sure that all her teammates know what is going on and feels included.
“My favorite part of being the captain is being a voice of reason and bringing the team together. It’s also a confidence booster because I doubt my leadership abilities a lot and this gives me good practice.”
The season is off to a great start this year, and a major reason for the team’s success is the teammates ability to work hard. With the strong force of coaches pushing each and every one of the girls to the brink of their abilities, the team is full of dedicated individuals whose hard work pays off in tough competition games.
Their official season will end in the middle of October, but the varsity team will work into the postseason. With so much talent on the team, there is a lot to look forward to for the future of the program. Even though new girls come in every year, the team dynamic continues to hold on, showing just how strong it really is.
