For the freshman on the JV field hockey team, sports at the high school level is a brand new experience.
Training
Sports become more competitive in high school, which means more work in practices to prepare for the high performance level expected in games. All this seems very overwhelming, but according to Abby McGowan, one of the freshmen, “the team and the coach are helping all the new players. We cheer each other on and even on the tough days we make each other laugh.” Even though there are sophomore on the team, everyone is on pretty much the same page. At practices, which take place at Forbes Field every day except weekends, the team has been working on the basics and building up their stamina. This involves a lot of running, conditioning, and working on technique. All this preparation will pay off in the long run.
Gameday
The JV team had their first game against Middletown High School on Friday, September 7th. For the freshmen, it was a lot of pressure because they knew they were representing the whole school, and they did not want to disappoint. It was also their first game in high school, which made it seem much more important. The team had worked hard and felt prepared for the matchup. Padua scored one goal in the first half and one in the second, resulting in a final score of 2-0. After the game, the team was very happy starting the season with a win and the freshmen felt that they had proved themselves. With continued hard work, the freshmen will keep positively representing Padua.