This year’s girls varsity hockey team is fortunate to have a deep, senior-laden roster that it hopes will have a chance to come together into a cohesive unit.
“We have a very big roster, and so we will need everybody to fully commit to a culture that prioritizes the collective over everything else,” said head coach Corey Cooper.
Cooper isn’t exaggerating about this year’s squad, which includes 28 players, about a half-dozen more than the typical number carried in past seasons. And ten of those players are seniors, who Cooper said would “all serve as tremendous leaders for the rest of the group.”
None of the seniors, including co-captain Catherine Martin ’22, had a chance to play games last season, and so resuming a normal schedule will take some adjustments.
“It feels great to have a competitive schedule again this year,” said Martin, who noted that this year will be her first games, since she started last year as an upper mid. “I couldn’t be more excited.”
To get the team back up to game speed, players and coaches have been trying to mix hard work and fun, said Cooper. “We are doing our best to have intense, high-tempo practices that simultaneously help us improve and, more importantly, enjoy ourselves while doing so,” she said.
Film work and conditioning will also been key parts to the team’s growth and development, added Cooper.
Continuous improvement will be the focus, said co-captain Ellie Traggio ’22. “We have a great group of girls, and we expect to get better and better each day,” she said.
Having such a large roster should give the Bearcats an advantage in bench depth, keeping skaters fresh and keeping the skill level high from one shift to the next, said co-captain Lydia Bullock ’22.
Cooper agreed, noting that the roster boasts several “athletic, high hockey IQ worker bees” who can each contribute in different ways.
“It’s going to be a blast to see what we’re capable of when we all work together and prioritize teamwork over personal ambitions or desires,” she said.
For Bullock and the other captains and seniors, being supportive of the whole group will be the top priority. “We are there as an outlet for them if they need to get something off their chest, if they need advice, or if they just need someone to sit with at dinner,” she said.
