Changes Led to Hopkins Having its Best Season On Record
By: Natalie Barletta and Eleni Georgakopoulos
When groundhogs ate up Smilow Field, where the Hopkins Varsity Field Hockey Team used to practice, it turned out to be a blessing in disguise for the team.
The team now practices on Parr Field, which is an artificial field that they share with the football team. According to head coach Lawrence Court, the switch for turf made “an entirely different game.” The result of the change of venue was the team having its best season in the last ten years.
“The game is faster, you can transition the ball much more quickly. They can use the ball more quickly and in a more versatile way,” Court said. “The problem with grass is that you can run over the ball because the surface is very thick and slow.”
Due to the change, Court said it made the team more “competitive” because their opponents also played on turf fields, and helped them get used to the ball speed for when it was time for a game. This year’s season ended on Nov. 18, 2015, with 13 wins and two losses, according to the Hopkins School Field Hockey page on the Hopkins School website. The team has shown improvement over last year’s record of 10 wins and five losses.
“It’s still field hockey but it’s very different,” said Court.
Moving the practice onto Parr Field wasn’t this season’s only change. This is Court’s first year as head coach of the team, where last year he served as assistant coach. Court, an English teacher at Hopkins, is a former field hockey player himself.
Since becoming head coach, Court said he restructured the team’s practices. Instead of having his team run during practices, which he claimed “shuts down the body,” he has the team play drills and scrimmages. By doing this, Court said it “exerts them physically” and prepare them for games.
“There are games you can play with a stick and a ball that condition you better than running. You can play a keep away drill, when you have six players who want to keep a ball and three players that want to steal it,” said Court. “You have to be very physically fit to do so.”
Even though his team was successful this season, Court said his main focus isn’t winning, but rather the sport’s psychology.
“I think second place is first loser is a very destructive mentality,” said Court. “It’s possible to lose at anything in life, but have excelled. If winning is the ultimate goal in life, than one will be quite sad.”
Emma Banks, senior Team Captain, said she’s noticed a “huge turnaround” since Court had become head coach. Banks played on the team since her freshman year, but this year she’s noticed the team is more “focused” in practices and not what’s going on outside of the field.
“We’ve been more focused and forgetting what homework you have,” Banks said. “In practice, that’s really helpful, especially with underclassman.”
Lydia McGrath, junior, also noticed the team’s turnaround. McGrath, like Banks, played on the team since her freshman year. McGrath said unlike previous years, this year the team has been more of a team unit. She believes Court had something to do with that.
“When Coach Lawrence came last year, he really helped make our team relationship better,” McGrath said. “It’s a really good feeling to be such a good team unit, and ultimately win.”
As the team celebrate’s this season’s success, they’re ready to keep the momentum going into next season.
