Goal of the game
Stepping anxiously onto the crisp, dewy grass, I feel the brisk November air wrap around my body. My eyes scan the vast land in front of me, where I would be spending the next few days playing field hockey instead of eating turkey with my family. The National Field Hockey Festival takes place in Palm Springs, Calif. every Thanksgiving, and thousands of girls journey across the country to prove to visiting college coaches they have what it takes.
My southern accent and Texas flag-wielding jersey often are met with skeptical eyes by some of those from field hockey-powerhouse states like Pennsylvania or Virginia. At most of these national tournaments, Texas Pride Field Hockey Club is one of very few teams from the South. However, don’t let this fool you; Texas girls are slowly but surely proving we have what it takes nationally and internationally.
Ever since I was handed a flyer for a summer camp in the eighth grade, I fell in love with field hockey. My initial penchant for the game coincided perfectly with the arrival of a new Texas Pride coach. After joining the club, I began training frequently in order to catch up with the players who had started earlier.
Now, you will find me every Sunday night at Pride practice, my car filled with field hockey sticks and mouth guards, and my shins covered in bruises. Despite a fractured nose and stress fracture in my foot, my love for field hockey keeps me stepping back on the field for more. The speed of play, complex stick work, and strength needed to be an elite field hockey player keep me entranced by the game.
Recently I was elected captain, along with two fellow teammates, of my high school team. My goal is clear: winning the championship. I have realized it’s not my playing time or how many goals I score that matter, but the strength of the team. So, I anxiously await stepping on the field next year, ready to give it my all alongside my teammates as we fight for the coveted trophy.
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