Field Hockey Coach Looks For Players To Adapt And Trust Themselves, Each Other

By Andy Hutchison

REDDING — Newtown High School’s field hockey team began the season on a high note, with a 7-0 win over first-year team Woodstock Academy, on the turf at Blue & Gold Stadium on September 11. Then came a reminder that there may be some tough bounces — literally and figuratively — along the way as the campaign plays out.

The Nighthawks, in their first game against South-West Conference competition, and on the less-predictable-than-artificial-turf grass surface, fell 2-0 to host Joel Barlow — one of the tougher teams in the SWC — on September 14.

“We’re a turf team unfortunately — we’re spoiled — so when we come out on grass, it’s like a whole new world for them,” Newtown Coach Amanda Hadgraft said.

The Nighthawks have four more games scheduled on grass. “They’re going to have to get used to it,” the coach added. Hadgraft has her team practices on grass in days leading up to games on natural surfaces in an effort to prepare the team members.

In addition to adapting to field conditions, given that it is the start of a new season with a new lineup, the Hawks have to adjust to each other, said Hadgraft, adding that the players also need to also gain confidence in themselves.

“It takes them a couple games to trust each other, but they’re not trusting their own hits, they’re not trusting their own passes,” Hadgraft said after the Barlow game. “They need to learn to spread out and drive the ball and utilize space — and realize that they are a good team, and they have good hits, and they can move the ball. So those are the things we’ll have to look for in the next few games.”

“We need to spread out on the field. We were way too clumped in this game,” senior captain Olivia Phenix said after the Barlow contest.

Barlow generated six penalty corner chances to just one for Newtown, and nine saves by NHS goaltender Lauren Sarna weren’t enough since the Newtown offense couldn’t get anything going.

The offense certainly was clicking on game one. Against Woodstock, Caroline Kingsley and Erica Thill both scored twice, and Phenix, Anna Grillo, and Kelly O’Sullivan also hit the back of the cage. Newtown was the first competition the new Woodstock Academy team faced, Hadgraft noted. “That being said, however, the girls went out there — they showed awesome sportsmanship in allowing that team to learn the game a little bit more,” the coach added.

After Tuesday’s scheduled clash with Lauralton Hall of Milford got rained out the Hawks were slated to host Immaculate of Danbury on the turf at Treadwell Park on Thursday (after The Bee went to press). Newtown will visit Watertown, in the first of three straight road contests, on September 25.

The Hawks return home to take on Masuk of Monroe on October 2.