Although the field hockey team’s first preseason game against Los Altos ended in a 0-0 tie, senior and center midfielder Hailey Kleiner said her team put in a lot of effort, and she is hopeful for the rest of the season.
Kleiner said the players focused on coordination before the season started, which helped them during the preseason opener.
“We did really well considering it was extremely hot out,” Kleiner said. “We were really hustling, and we definitely did a good job on working together, especially since it was our first game.”
Coach Danielle Yau said she is quickly adapting to the new environment despite it being her first year coaching a team.
“I’ve never coached a team before since I just graduated from UC Davis in March,” Yau said. “This is definitely something new, but I really love coaching, and it’s super fun to teach a sport I’m passionate about to high schoolers.”
Junior and center forward Alyssa Lin said Yau is a crucial addition to the team and its success because of her ability to connect with the players.
“I could not have asked for a better coach for our varsity team,” Lin said. “Coach Dani is supportive, open-minded and kind, and she really pushes us to be our best on the field.”
To support the team, Yau said she focused on creating an engaging environment for the players.
“My number one priority is just for the team to have fun with field hockey,” Yau said. “Field hockey is not super common, so I’m just trying to get more people to understand how it’s played and what’s fun about it.”
Senior and goalie Coral Johnson said the team has improved its strategy and passing when compared to last year.
“We’re pretty strategic about our passes, which is a strength of ours,” Johnson said. “I always noticed people looking up before they passed, which is crucial for getting the ball across the field.”
Lin said the team also hopes to improve its communication and court awareness.
“We play so much better and have a higher chance of scoring whenever we start talking to each other and letting each other know where we are,” Lin said. “It can be stressful when you’re with the ball, and if you don’t hear your teammates telling you where they are, you’re going to end up losing the ball or passing it to the opposing team.”
Johnson said it is crucial to communicate more because doing so will help the team feel supported by one another, more effectively pass and score goals and improve their season as a result.
“Talking to each other on the field creates a lot of community,” Johnson said. “And I think everyone gets hyped up when we realize that we are all there for each other.”
Lin said field hockey requires building a strong community, and being able to learn from her teammates has brought the team closer together.
“We’ve got some really strong players, and it’s been really awesome learning new tips, tricks and techniques from our seniors,” Lin said. “I really like how we’ve been collaborating, and it’s been a great start to the season.”
