Playing on a sports team unites a group of girls together from the different classes. The field hockey team includes players from each grade, yet everyone feels close with one another through this shared passion. They all have the same love of playing this intense sport and chase the high of winning. 

The Varsity field hockey team recently played in a tournament, the Gateway Classic, where high schools across the region travel to play in St. Louis against other teams. St. Joe had the opportunity to play teams from Louisville and Chicago. They played at Sportport International Sports Complex on a water turf field that is rare to play on for high schools. The field creates an easier surface to play on and increases the skill in the game for each athlete. This fun experience of playing these teams helped them grow into better players after watching different styles of play. 

Junior Annie Malloy, a member of the Varsity field hockey team,, senjoyed the tournament. 

 “It was really fun playing these highly paced games against out of town teams who we rarely play. I felt that it helped us play as a team and made everyone closer,” Annie said. 

The opposing team brought intense competition that challenged St. Joe. It forced the team to work together to advance against opponents which is important for the beginning of the season. It also gave the players an opportunity to adjust to the new players on the team. This early tournament gave an insight to the potential the team has in the future and highlighted ways the team can use everyone’s strengths to create the best outcome possible, winning!

The team also played in Kansas City on the September 17 and 18. They played a total of four games against two high schools, Pembroke Hill and Sion. The team took a bus on the way there and shared hotel rooms.

Sophomore Eva Matyko was excited for the event.

“Playing in out of town tournaments is my favorite part of sports, so I [was]really excited for this one with the team. We  really [bonded] together on the bus and in the hotel rooms,” Eva said.

As the team spends quality time together off the field, they will grow more familiar with each other just by talking and finding similarities with each other. Creating a bond with a teammate makes it much easier to pass with them on the field as well. The ability to read your teammates body language while playing can also create this smoothness of connecting with each other, and these experiences like a trip together will allow this to happen. 

The team has only just started this long, exciting season and still have many more games to play! While the season progresses, the team will only continue to create this bond, and they play better each game.