Girls’ field hockey is ‘growing and growing’

With a mix of first-time players, experienced seniors, and even some middle schoolers, the Amherst field hockey team is rooted in connection, communication, and mutual support. The team is an extremely tight-knit community that includes 10 graduating seniors, who have established a strong foundation for the team’s future based on resilience, support, and hard work. 

Led by Coach Sarah Hafele Bugbee and two assistant coaches, Jenna Schilling and Bridget Hunt (both ARHS graduates), the Amherst varsity field hockey team has a record of 4-7-1, with major wins against Northampton (4-0), Holyoke (5-0), and Franklin Tech (3-0). This year will be Bugbee’s fourth year coaching the team. 

Amherst recently played Belchertown, which resulted in a loss. Even though the team lost, many felt that it was one of their best games. “It was an incredibly positive and encouraging game,” said Bugbee. 

And even though they have lost to Belchertown twice, the team has taken a lot from both matches and left with a valuable sense of determination and experience to build on through the rest of the season. “I thought that everyone was playing to their full capacity and we really wanted to win,” said co-captain Hattie Holabird. “[That game] felt like a big win; it felt really good to be a lot closer. We’ve been going up.” 

The other captains are seniors Eden Polak, Leah Mendelson, and Aria Haupt. “The captains focus a lot on team culture, making sure that the girls logistically know what’s going on,” said Bugbee. “They are kind of the leaders on the field… checking in with girls, making sure they are ok, and making sure everyone knows what they are doing during drills.”

The team has fostered a culture that focuses on positivity and supportiveness. “The team culture is very positive,” said Holabird. “It’s what drew me to [field hockey] when I was first starting out, and it’s what made me stay and keep playing field hockey.” 

The team’s positive and welcoming community has provided many players with a support system to rely on when they feel discouraged or unhappy. Even though the team includes 10 seniors, they do their best to make sure everyone on the team feels well-connected and welcomed. 

The team is consistently made up of very new players, so making sure that the team is very inclusive is essential to team culture. “My biggest thing is team culture over wins and losses,” said Bugbee. “We try to make it a very inclusive place. 

“We’re not a very exclusive bunch of seniors either,” Holabird said. “All the seniors do their best to include the younger players, especially the ones who are new.” For Holabird, when games or practices get stressful, she often feels supported by the positivity that the team carries. “It’s (humor) what really helps me get out of my head if I’m freaked out by a game, having those smiling positive faces is really uplifting,” said Holabird.

The team features strong talent across the board, with up-and-coming talent residing in the sophomore class. Elsie Woodruff and Annie Haugsjaahabink are proving to be a strong base for the future team, said Holabird. Developing young talent now is essential for the future of the varsity team, because so many valuable seniors are leaving.

The varsity team also practices and plays games with the JV team, which features middle schoolers and freshmen. “A lot of the JV players get varsity minutes too,” Holabird said. “I feel like it’s a really good thing that we’re all doing drills together and practices together so we all get to know each other instead of having that JV/varsity social divide.” 

The team also features strong veteran talent. “Aria Haupt is one of our top scorers; her skills are really high,” said Bugbee. Polak is also a crucial component of the team, even if she isn’t active on the field like most other players, because she is the goalie. “Her presence is very known,” said Bugbee. “Girls feel really safe with her in the goal.”  The team hopes to compete at the state tournament for the second year in a row. Last year, they left the tournament in the first round, but the team hopes they can turn that around this year. Even if they have a losing record, they can make it to the tournament through power rankings. 

The program has had some harsh seasons in the past, but Bugbee holds a lot of hope and belief in the current and future team. “Four or five years ago, I think the team was 1-12. Last year we qualified for states,” Bugbee said. “Every year we are growing and growing and growing.”