With a fresh new start to the year, comes a fresh new team. Starting the season with new and old faces, the Malden High School’s field hockey team starts off the season with everyone poised and ready. Facing teams such as Lawrence, Saugus, and Lowell, allows the players to take on challenges that make the players much more determined.
The entire team is excited to begin the season with many great returning players, including several new potential talents. As the captains for this season, it is up to seniors Katie Howe, Haley Hoffman, Terrica Dang to step up and take responsibility and lead this new team.
Senior captain Dang explains how "it is [a] different [experience for her] going into the season as a captain, [since] there is so much pressure to make this season the best season yet." To captain Dang, field hockey means “working hard, learning [how] to be apart of a team, and finding out what [one’s] limits are.” Across the 3 years Dang has spent playing field hockey for MHS, she has always played furiously no matter what her position.
The team is strongly encouraged by their coaches and teammates, making them even stronger than they could imagine during games and practices. Dang also confessed how “[they] had a rough season so far, but [they are] doing [the] best [they can] to make it better and memorable" while they create new friendships with each other. Old and new members bond as the experienced players often go out of their way to help out the rookies on the team, no matter what their skill level is.
During their game against Lowell, sophomore Ashlyn Fitzpatrick scored the first goal of the season for MHS. Now they prepare to score even more everyday by practicing harder and harder, never failing to put in more than the required effort.
Head coach Kimberly Barber helps the team out by instilling in them the will to push on and persevere. The senior members of the field hockey team aim to make memorable memories before the end of their high school athletic career. As advice to her underclassmen for the seasons to come, Hoffman says that the team should always ”keep [a] positive [attitude] and just try [their] best to keep the team up, and work hard.”Howe also gives advice to her underclassmen, saying that they should “never get discouraged.” The team should “see challenges as a way to grow and get better at the game rather than give up and be upset.” [Howe’s] perspective is that attitude is a huge part of being a part of any sports team.”
When Howe was asked what her favorite aspect of field hockey was, she answered it to be “learning, growing, and just spending time with the team. From the beginning of the season to the end, “[she loves] seeing all the improvements [they have] made together as a team.” As a captain, Howe always wants to make sure she is there for her team in any way she can be.
The team is training hard every day to keep bettering themselves not only as an individual, but also as a strong, cohesive team. With the team working so hard, MHS looks forward to the rest of the field hockey season.
