In any field hockey game you should expect to see the players in intense concentration, hearing the smack of the stick that sends the ball flying into the goal. As one of the oldest team sports in the world, field hockey is still popular worldwide. Although it can be traced back to early civilizations, the modern game that is played today was developed in England in the mid 1800’s. Today, it is commonly played at colleges, universities, and the Olympics for both men and women. In U.S. and Canada, the game is mainly practiced as a women’s sport. MVHS has had a women’s field hockey team since the school opened 10 years ago. With a growing interest in the sport and try outs, the coaches split the team into varsity and junior varsity a few years later.
After a long week full of competitive playing, hard work, and battling nerves, freshman Krissa Jackson finally reached the end of field hockey tryouts. Each day consisted of running, dodging drills, dribbling, and the repeated practice of basic skills.
On the final day, the coaches had the players scrimmage to see how they would play on the field. At the end of the day, Jackson stood alongside the other hopeful, young athletes and awaited the long anticipated results. Girls trying out for both varsity and junior varsity teams gathered on the lower field to wait for their names to be called.
Three players were called into the gym at a time. It was in this moment that Jackson felt nervous, despite her hope and confidence in her own skills. Many of the other girls she saw try out seemed to be more capable of doing well. Nonetheless was relieved to learn she made the junior varsity field hockey team.
The tryouts did not end the way that the girls had hoped. “At the results of both tryouts, it was a little sad to see how some of the girls didn’t make the team, or how some expected to make varsity but didn’t,” Jackson said.
She noticed that some girls cried due to their disappointment, but were reassured by coaches that they could try out again the following year.
“It was probably the hardest I played field hockey, just because I wanted to make the team,” Jackson recalled.
When she saw the amount of other freshmen trying out and how capable they appeared to be, it had put pressure on her to play as well as she could. Jackson had practiced for the try outs more than she thought she needed to, and put a lot of pressure on herself to succeed.
Jackson has played field hockey since the 7th grade, starting at the Vista Innovation and Design Academy. Her love of the sport first started when a friend convinced her to play in middle school, resulting in the discovery that she actually enjoyed the sport.
According to Jackson, she likes the sportsmanship and teamwork that go into the sport. She likes the fact that it “involves running, it requires aggression, and that it’s one of those sports you can get pumped up about”.
Jackson’s favorite memory of playing is of the Play for Mila tournament with the VIDA team. The tournament is played for suicide awareness and prevention. Jackson recalls the day as being a fun and laid-back experience for her team. “There wasn’t a big pressure to win the tournament,” she said. “We all just enjoy the sport, and that’s what kind of led us to just winning out of the love for the sport.”
Making the team did require Jackson to make some minor changes to her schedule, but currently does not seriously affect her personal life or school work. Practices are held for two hours each day after school, Monday through Friday. She said, “Coming in as a freshman, I had to change my schedule a bit, so that I could have some of my core classes in the spring term.”
As for her future in the sport, Jackson is not sure how far she will go. Not much can come from a career in playing field hockey, and playing in college depends on what her skill level will be in the next few years.
“If I could maybe get a scholarship for the sport, that would be nice to play for a college.” Jackson said. She hopes to make the varsity team next school year, and plans to continue playing until her senior year.
BreeLynn Butler