Oct. 30, 2010

This Sunday, Halloween, SLU field hockey will say goodbye to four seniors. Being one of these seniors is bittersweet. On days when there is 6 a.m. lifting, a long and grueling practice or a difficult conditioning session, I dreamt of my last day and closing this chapter of my life. When things are tough and you want to give up, you can't imagine when your last day will come. But as the day rolls around, I have exactly the opposite feeling. My four years have flown by, and I would give anything to have just a little more time on this team.

Recently, people have asked me if I would do this all over again. My standard answer: IN A HEARTBEAT. I have added muscle in the weight room, honed my skills on the field and learned to be my best in everything I do. SLU field hockey has driven me to be the best, on and off the field, and has truly shaped my identity over the past four years. "From the outside looking in, you will never understand it. From the inside looking out, you can never explain it." Being part of this team may look like early mornings, long afternoon practices, a lot of travel and many tearful calls home to mom and dad when things seem like they are a little too tough. Yes, the truth includes all of those things, but it's so much more.

Being a member of this team has taught me self-discipline, patience and the value of hard work. Most importantly, it has allowed me the opportunity to play with girls who are not only my teammates and friends, but also my family. They are there to pick you up when tragedy strikes, help you understand a tough class and celebrate the smallest accomplishment. An outsider will never realize or understand the bond that occurs on this team and all the good things that come as a direct result of that bond. My teammates have given me memories that will last a lifetime, and it has been an honor to play and create a friendship with each and every one of them.

Sunday, I am graduating from the program along with three of the most talented and driven women I have had the opportunity to know. We started as a class of 11 our freshman year, and it has slowly dwindled to the four of us. We have worked day in and day out for this program, and words cannot describe what we have been through together. We did it for the love of the game, we did it for each other, and we did it for this team and this program. Our success as SLU athletes will not be shown in the numbers of wins and losses for the four of us, but we are the beginning of a building program, we are providing a strong base for the future of SLU field hockey. After this season, the four of us will move on to a new chapter in our lives that I commonly refer to as being a "grown-up." KT will be an excellent teacher, Natalie is opening her own cupcake store in Dallas, Kelsey plans to travel and work around the globe, and I will move on into the wild world of accounting, but we will all be better in our new chapter because of our last chapter.

It has been the greatest honor to wear a SLU jersey and to be a Billiken. I will forever be grateful for the opportunity to be a member of this team these past four years. Thank you to all who supported the field hockey program and KT, Natalie, Kelsey and me during our careers. We have appreciated it more than you know. Although this season is coming to a close, we have learned so much and the team will move into the spring with focus and determination while preparing for next fall. LET'S GO BILLS!!!!

Oct. 27, 2010

Our most recent road trip for seven days and six nights to Philadelphia was jam packed full of difficult games, memory-making experiences and a few bumps along the way. Really, what would a field hockey road trip be without a couple of mishaps to test our patience? An interesting bus driver, a mixed-up hotel reservation, a restaurant that only served people over 21, and a hit-and-run between our passenger bus and a fire hydrant may have seemed like difficulties, but these things made our trip unique. We can all laugh about them now that we are back home safely in St. Louis. While in Pennsylvania, we had the opportunity to play three strong conference opponents: Lock Haven, Temple, and Saint Joseph's. We fought hard against each team but we fell slightly short of our goal this trip. Although according to the US Airways flight attendant and his announcement on our return flight, we apparently beat Temple 1-0! Our fellow plane passengers cheered for us, and it gave us a good laugh to end the trip.

Having such a long road trip freed up some time for the team to see some of the things Philadelphia has to offer. This was an especially great week to be in the city because the Phillies MLB team was fighting for the National League championship and it was fun to see the entire city rally around the home team. While in Philadelphia, we saw our A-10 opponent Saint Joe's take on Penn. It was a cold night, but we had a good time watching quality field hockey. We also had the chance to do some shopping at one of the largest malls in America, King of Prussia. Needless to say. some of our parents will not be too happy when they receive our credit card bills (sorry Mom and Dad!) but we all walked away from the mall with some cute new clothes! On Saturday, we experienced downtown Philly first hand walking near City Hall and around Love Park. The city and its architecture was more than we expected and gave us a new appreciation for Philadelphia.

Field Hockey hanging out in Philadelphia

We could not be in Philadelphia and not experience the most famous cuisine in the entire city, a Philly Cheesesteak. Our bus dropped us off in what seemed like a random part of town, but after walking down a couple of narrow, shop-lined streets we came upon the Mecca of all cheesesteaks. At the intersection of 9th Street and Wharton Ave. resides two of the most famous food stands in the nation, Geno's and Pat's. The two have been battling for years to hold the title for the best cheesesteak, and we got the chance to do our own SLU field hockey taste test. The sandwiches were delicious and were a change from our usual healthy dietary restrictions in place on road trips. We were split 50/50 as to which restaurant was better, but we could all agree that it was a great meal and one of the most fun things we have done on a road trip. In the picture below you, can see all of us enjoying our cheesesteaks!

Field Hockey eating cheesesteaks in Philadelphia

Now, we move into our last week of the regular season. This was the last road trip for my fellow seniors and me, and we would all agree that this was the best trip we have taken and a great way to end our road games. This last week will be full of practices, lifting and preparing for two more A-10 opponents this upcoming Friday and Sunday, our Senior Day game. We would love to have all your support out at A-B Park this weekend as we take on La Salle and West Chester. We hope to see all our fans! GO BILLS!

Oct. 4, 2010

Our large bus quietly brought us home after a difficult game at Missouri State in Springfield, Mo. We have officially reached the halfway point of our regular season. It makes me think of my last three years as a part of this team and what makes Billiken field hockey unique. To the naked eye, a person may only see a group of women and coaches who give an extraordinary amount of time and effort toward a sport they love, but that does not even scratch the surface of what our program is all about. Like most other college sports teams, we strive to be excellent in the classroom, work hard on the field and give back to the community. In addition to those admirable qualities, SLU field hockey has traditions that other teams do not. These traditions help make us the distinctive family that we are.

The month of October brings about my favorite team tradition known as "Rocktober." I think my fellow upperclassmen would agree that we wait in anticipation all year for October to roll around. Rocktober is the chance for each team member to give a token of appreciation to their teammates and coaches. The gifts are presented according to jersey number. For example, Lauryn Smith, who is No. 13, would give an identical gift to each teammate on October 13. With 21 girls and two coaches, this is sure to be a fun-filled month and everyone is excited. Some will form collaborations of two or three girls that result in some great ideas such as team tote bags or sweatshirts. In the past we have received items such as luggage tags, T-shirts, hair ribbons, goodie bags, delicious desserts and personal handwritten letters. People come up with so many ideas and, as October gets close, it is fun to see people plotting and planning their upcoming gifts. Whether the gift is small or large, or comes from one person or a crowd, each one comes from the heart, and that is most important. In time, we all forget what gifts we have received, but we never forget the excitement and the fun that Rocktober brings.

Although we cannot always give all of our fans great tokens of appreciation, our team thanks you for coming out to our games and for your continuing support of our program as we have reached the halfway point of the 2010 season. We would not be able to do this without each and every one of you!

Happy "Rocktober" to all SLU Field Hockey fans and friends!!

Sept. 24, 2010

The seventh week of our 2010 season comes to a close, and what a packed week it has been. As a team, we had our third mental training session of the season. Mental training is something that our team has been utilizing since last spring to help us become stronger players. Our mental training sessions are scheduled one time per week while we are at home and last approximately an hour. Each week we have a topic to learn and focus on as a unit. This week's focus was about types of goals and how to set goals. During these sessions, we work as a unit to tackle the psychological side of the game and all that goes along with playing an NCAA Division I sport. As good athletes we strive to be mentally strong, not just physically strong, because being mentally strong is just as important, if not more important, than being physically strong.

While attending our games or being on campus, you may see some young and unfamiliar faces joining in with our team because it is officially recruiting-visit season! We have had a fair number of recruits, and we will be hosting seven more promising high schoolers this weekend. On a normal recruit's visit, we have team dinners involving recruits. They attend a home game and get a chance to experience dorm living while staying with one of our freshmen. In addition to walking a couple of days in a college field hockey player's shoes, they get to experience other Billiken sporting events and help us support fellow athletes. This weekend is our Homecoming weekend, and we will be attending our men's soccer game Saturday night as a team along with prospective new teammates. This is a great event to attend in order to understand what it means to be a Billiken and have Billiken pride.

Billiken pride is of the utmost importance to our program, and we will demonstrate our Billiken pride this Saturday at 1 p.m. against Pacific. We hope to see all of our fans at the game! Go Bills!!!!

Sept. 17, 2010

A struggle is something that no team wants to face, but unfortunately, that is our situation. Although the games last weekend against Missouri State and Northwestern did not go as planned, we have used that experience this week to work hard and get ready for a three-game weekend. Every game we have played and will play is preparing us for our Atlantic 10 Conference contests that begin October 8.

We have a great opportunity this weekend to play a nationally ranked team, No. 19 Albany, as well as UC Davis and Central Michigan. These opponents will prove to be challenging, but as long as we can use the skills that we honed this week, we will come out on top.

This weekend will allow us to have some familiar faces in the crowd cheering us on. Field hockey alumni have a tailgate before our game Sunday and will be there to support us against Central Michigan. Seeing former teammates and fans is such a boost as a player and will help us to reach our goal of getting our first win of the season this weekend.

For all our fans who are looking for more field hockey and other Billiken athletics, news check out the new youtube.com channel at the link below! Go Bills!!!

http://www.youtube.com/SaintLouisBillikens

Sept. 2, 2010

"Half the fun of the travel is the esthetic of lostness." - Ray Bradbury

This quote adequately describes our drive to Athens, Ohio, this past Friday. Leaving the Chaifetz Arena parking lot at 4 a.m. for our eight-hour drive left little time for talking, and most teammates were asleep before we even entered the highway. Waking up seemed unimaginable until tempted by a bagel breakfast and a bathroom break after entering Indiana. After breakfast we were all fast asleep again until we awoke to the slowing of the bus and the idea that we could have a snack or another meal. As we opened our eyes and looked out the windows of the giant bus, we realized we had stopped in a town of small quaint homes, the oldest Mobil gas station I have ever seen and a tiny restaurant with a covered wooden deck.

The restaurant staff graciously allowed us to eat our grocery store lunch on their deck. A couple of the citizens sat with us, asked about our drive and told us all about the place we had found ourselves enjoying on a whim after taking an unscheduled turn off the highway. We were in the village of Sugar Grove, about 50 miles east of Columbus, Ohio. Sugar Grove has only 480 citizens, and a large handful of them were eating lunch with us at the only restaurant within the city limits. The people we spoke with were so friendly and loved having us so much that we even took a picture with them in front of town hall. This lunch took us out of our norm and was a great start to our first road trip.

Field Hockey in Sugar Grove, Ohio

The beginning of our trip was eventful, and it didn't stop there. Facing two tough opponents on your first weekend is never easy, but SLU field hockey persevered, playing through the difficult moments. We played our best in the second half of the Ohio game on Sunday to finish the weekend excited for our next playing opportunity. Although we did not come home with wins this weekend, we have found our strengths, are working on our weaknesses, and are ready to take Ball State and Robert Morris by storm this upcoming Saturday and Sunday. Let's Go Bills!

Aug. 27, 2010

Preseason is complete! It was 12 days of hard work, early mornings and hot practices, but hopefully it will all pay off in the end. It was an opportunity for the largest recruiting class in recent years (11 freshmen) and 10 returnees to establish chemistry both on and off the field. From game play and working as a team, to individual skills, we worked on everything.

In addition to all the hard work, we incorporated some fun team events. A couple of Ultimate Frisbee games helped to warm us up at practice - even our coaches got involved. We also had a team field trip to St. Charles, Mo., where we got the chance to play demolition ball. It was beyond fun, to say the least. Demolition ball is a lot like lacrosse but with each team member in a bumper car. It was a much-needed release from the two-a-days we've been having.

Our 11 new freshmen come from nine different states and have skills to fill every position from forward to goalkeeper. Although they are new to college field hockey, they are adjusting well and their talent will be invaluable this season. In addition to all the incoming freshmen, we have a new assistant coach, Kate Lipton. Kate graduated from the University of Vermont in 2007 and has coached at St. Michael's College in Vermont for the past two years. She has great ideas and drills and is an integral part in leading our team to success.

A new assistant coach and 11 freshmen will allow us to take the program to a new level. We are all excited as we come closer to our opening games this weekend at Ohio University. We will be facing Radford on Saturday and Ohio on Sunday. It will be a challenging first weekend, but these games will help us realize our strengths and weaknesses and set the tone for the season. SLU field hockey is ready to play! Let's Go Bills!

Saint Louis Billikens Field Hockey