Field hockey finishes season strong

West+Milford+Field+Hockey+takes+a+team+picture.

Krista Provost

West Milford Field Hockey takes a team picture.

This year’s field hockey season was finished well. Varsity ended their strong season with a record of 14-6. The JV team ended the season with a record of 14-1-1. The freshman team brought up the rear with a record of 8-4-1. The freshman team this year was small, but the members tried their hardest. Due to the low count, each player had to be a goalie to make up for the short roster. Freshman player Abigail Weiss, stated “It’s hard switching because we lose our strongest players sometimes and we have to switch positions.” She continued, “My favorite part is all the team bonding we get to do with all the other freshman and the varsity and junior varsity players.” The field hockey players believe that the team should act like a family and work hard to maintain the family atmosphere.
All girls, from the freshman to the seniors, participate in team bonding competitions together in order for everyone to become close and comfortable with each other. The teams are striving as one, acting like one team, it doesn’t matter who you are or how old you are. Once you make the team, you are instantly part of the great big field hockey family.
Krista Provost, the varsity coach, is very proud of the season the girls have brought.Her number one goal was to have no regrets all season and make sure the girls reach their goals before they finish the season. Provost works hard to get to know her players and each girls strengths and weaknesses. This has helped the varsity players exceed by being tied for first of the conference championship and seeded second in the county. In order to keep these statistics true for the rest of the season, Provost has created an ever-changing environment for the players to help keep the season interesting.
Michelle Paluzzi, coach of the junior varsity team, enjoys teaching the players new skills and helping each player succeed in and outside the season. Their biggest challenge so far in the season has been the excessive rain. Coach Paluzzi finds it difficult to schedule practices for the players to work on skills. Still, Paluzzi has found a way to keep the season fun.
The junior varsity team has kept their spirits up by creating fun “pump-ups” for each other. Each pump up encourages the morals of the team, togetherness and leadership. They have a pregame ritual cheer, “Work Hard, Play hard . . . RISE UP!”
These team building tactics have made the junior varsity team successful so far this season with only one tie and no losses.
Jennifer Allison, the coach of the freshman field hockey team, has focused the season on team-building, moral, and fun. Coach Allison has taught the players the important fundamentals of field hockey, and has seen the enormous improvement in all of the freshman players, even through being short-handed due to injuries.
Coach Allison values the athletes more than the wins or losses. Due to this philosophy the team has a record of, 8-4-1. Coach Allison loves coaching the players and helping each student succeed in all aspects of life.
The season ended with the varsity sadly losing in both the conference finals and county finals. Although the players lost, they played their hearts out, and Coach Provost appreciated the way the players were able to bounce back from their losses.