This year begins the first of many varsity seasons for Caldwell Field hockey, with girls already learning as young as third grade, and the varsity team now creating a name for themselves in the field hockey community. They started the season off with a few hurtful losses but they redeemed themselves against Verona for their first win of their season, 1-0. This gave the team a tremendous amount of hope and determination to win more.

JCHS would not have a field hockey program to begin with without the fight of the now sophomores and now varsity coach, Felicia Cozze. The program must thank them for going to endless board meetings and collecting girls throughout all grades who were interested in playing field hockey. And a year later there is now a varsity team! 

This year’s team has 12 seniors on it, compared to last year’s singular senior, Bella Marniello. This is a drastic difference. Senior captains Kate Quinn, Izabella Garcia, Julia Duren-Lubanski, and Sophia Grosso have helped create this season’s enthusiasm and determination to succeed. When the question, “How has the team grown since last year?” was asked to Sophia Grosso, she gave a beautiful answer. She explains, “The team has grown over the past year with their dedicated leadership…so many people have stepped up in so many different ways. Girls have volunteered their services to work with the younger girls who want to play field hockey when they are older, and others have rallied new members to make the program a bigger and better team. I am so proud of everyone and how this program has grown.” 

There has also been an addition to the coaching staff, a coach for the JV team, who is also a teacher at JCHS, Ms. Thompson. Coach Thompson still plays field hockey when she’s not grading assignments and her skills are very impressive. She has also brought positive energy and taught many of us skills that have benefited us when playing. When asked why she decided to join the coaching staff, she said: “I wanted to join the coaching staff because I have such a love of field hockey and want to pass that knowledge along in order to see the sport grow. My coaches have had such an impact on my life, and I want to do the same for the girls on our team.” So far the JV team has improved tremendously since the beginning of the season and Coach Thompson is creating some wonderful players. 

As of this fall, teams and clinics have started in town as young as third grade with parent coaches, high school coaches, and Coach Cozze all teaching these young girls so that one day they will represent the varsity team themselves. Many of these young girls already show talent and promise for the years to come. I myself have coached some of these girls and I was amazed by the talent and enthusiasm they expressed for the sport. These girls were eager to learn and I am very confident that the upcoming years as a varsity sport will be very successful. Sophomore goalie Olivia Szalkai agreed with this. When asked if she was excited to see the field hockey community grow, she said: “I am beyond excited to see how the field hockey community will grow and become a more developed program as years go on.”

All in all, the field hockey program has grown significantly since last year, and I know many people are excited to see what is in store for the years to come. In the meantime, come support the field hockey team for the last few games of the season! 

This year’s team has 12 seniors on it, compared to last year’s singular senior, Bella Marniello. This is a drastic difference. Senior captains Kate Quinn, Izabella Garcia, Julia Duren-Lubanski, and Sophia Grosso have helped create this season’s enthusiasm and determination to succeed. When the question, “How has the team grown since last year?” was asked to Sophia Grosso, she gave a beautiful answer. She explains, “The team has grown over the past year with their dedicated leadership…so many people have stepped up in so many different ways. Girls have volunteered their services to work with the younger girls who want to play field hockey when they are older, and others have rallied new members to make the program a bigger and better team. I am so proud of everyone and how this program has grown.” 

There has also been an addition to the coaching staff, a coach for the JV team, who is also a teacher at JCHS, Ms. Thompson. Coach Thompson still plays field hockey when she’s not grading assignments and her skills are very impressive. She has also brought positive energy and taught many of us skills that have benefited us when playing. When asked why she decided to join the coaching staff, she said: “I wanted to join the coaching staff because I have such a love of field hockey and want to pass that knowledge along in order to see the sport grow. My coaches have had such an impact on my life, and I want to do the same for the girls on our team.” So far the JV team has improved tremendously since the beginning of the season and Coach Thompson is creating some wonderful players. 

As of this fall, teams and clinics have started in town as young as third grade with parent coaches, high school coaches, and Coach Cozze all teaching these young girls so that one day they will represent the varsity team themselves. Many of these young girls already show talent and promise for the years to come. I myself have coached some of these girls and I was amazed by the talent and enthusiasm they expressed for the sport. These girls were eager to learn and I am very confident that the upcoming years as a varsity sport will be very successful. Sophomore goalie Olivia Szalkai agreed with this. When asked if she was excited to see the field hockey community grow, she said: “I am beyond excited to see how the field hockey community will grow and become a more developed program as years go on.”

All in all, the field hockey program has grown significantly since last year, and I know many people are excited to see what is in store for the years to come. In the meantime, come support the field hockey team for the last few games of the season!