The St. Joe’s club field hockey team is coming off of a fall season which saw them travel to Virginia Beach for the National Field Hockey League’s Fall Championship.
As the club’s season starts again, there are plenty of new faces on the roster. According to junior goalkeeper and captain Isabelle Boles, the new crop of players will have to play a big role for the team to remain successful.
“We have picked up a lot of really good freshmen this year,” Boles said. “We have a lot of younger faces with the same core of older players. We did lose a lot of key seniors but I think our freshmen and sophomores can fill their spots.”
After losing their first game to The College of New Jersey the Hawk’s picked up a win over the University of Pennsylvania on Sept. 23. Boles said she thinks the added practice time over the last week helped create some chemistry.
“We definitely had more confidence playing with each other,” Boles said. “We really only had a week and a half of practice before our first game. This week we focused on working together.”
Senior forward and captain Lydia Bariteau thinks that just getting used to playing together is the key to another successful season.
“After we get a chance to practice more and play together as a team we should be pretty good,” Bariteau said. “I think that we could make it back to nationals. We just need to keep working on getting everyone to mesh.”
According to Bariteau, the goal of the team is to keep it light and fun while also continuing to be competitive. It is a chance for people of all skill levels to come together and have fun while also not losing sight of the main goal, winning.
“In years prior to last year it hadn’t been as competitive,” Bariteau said. “We are trying to make it more structured. It should be fun. It is not a Division I sport. We aren’t trying to have a professional career after.”
Bariteau said it was this atmosphere that drew her in last year. After leaving the Division I program, Bariteau thought about quitting field hockey altogether. Through some friends she was convinced to come try out for the club team.
“It really sparked my love for the game again,” Bariteau said “It is really the environment that makes it so much better. Everyone just likes to play and have fun.”
Boles was in a similar situation. She left the Division I team last year and said she was immediately drawn to the atmosphere around the club team.
“A lot of us loved the intensity of it but there is an emphasis on winning over fun,” Boles said. “Club holds the fun and a relaxed environment with the same competitive edge.”
Senior forward Alaina Boccino is in her second year as captain. Boccino said that having players from the Division I program adds some talent but initially she was worried about how they would become acclimated to the club team’s dynamic.
“When we got the Division I girls last year as a captain I was kind of nervous that they would expect more,” Boccino said. “That we would be focused on the game at all times. But then they came in and were like, ‘This is so much fun. We are having a great time.’ Having them mix in with the newer girls wasn’t a problem at all.”
As the team moves forward this season with a combination of veterans and newcomers alike, Boccino said they still have a single goal in mind.
“Last year we went to nationals and it was one of the best experiences I have had in college,” Boccino said. “I just want to get back there this year so everyone and all the freshman can experience it. It’s also my last year so it’d be nice to go out with a bang.”
