5 Questions We Want to Know About Field Hockey Players

At Casady School, Field Hockey is a big sport. The Field Hockey Team has won the SPC Championship multiple times, most recently in 2014. The games are very exciting and intense, and watching from the sideline is always a fun (and safe) experience. However, watching from the sideline is very different than actually playing. Here are 5 questions we asked some players to find out what it’s like to be on the field:

1. What's the worst injury you've seen on the field?

• Julia Bohanon ‘20: “Once, when I was in 8th grade, there was a senior who got both of her front teeth knocked out.”
• Lydia Foster ‘19: “Probably two or three years ago when Claire Hendee got her teeth knocked out during the summer camp.”
• Isabel O’Connor ‘19: “Claire Hendee's teeth being knocked out and her forehead swelling into a welt  the size of a tennis ball.”
• Jilian Kim ‘18: “Last year playing Oakridge, Isabel broke a girl’s nose with her stick.”

2. Have you ever hurt or hit someone?

• Julia Bohanon ‘20: “I haven't intentionally hurt someone, but I have collided with players a few times.”
• Lydia Foster ‘19: “When we played Holland Hall, my backswing hit a girl in the face with my stick by accident, and the refs didn't say anything, so I just kept going.”
• Isabel O’Connor ‘19: “I hit a girl from Oakridge (in a heated game) in the nose and I broke it.”
• Jilian Kim ‘18: “No, not that I can remember.”

3. Have you ever intentionally tried to hurt someone?

• Julia Bohanon ‘20: “No, but it happens often when we play St. John's.”
• Lydia Foster ‘19: “I have never intentionally tried to hurt someone, but we have definitely played girls who have.”
• Isabel O’Connor ‘19: “I broke a girl’s nose, but I wouldn't say that it was intentional, and I felt really bad afterwards... but I was angry at the time.”
• Jilian Kim ‘18: “I wouldn’t say hurt, physically, but messing them up in the game mentally with a shove or a push.”

4. What's the scariest aspect of playing Field Hockey?

• Julia Bohanon ‘20: “It is scary having the ball come right at your face when stepping to the ball to play defense.”
• Lydia Foster ‘19: “The scariest part of field hockey is probably how much contact you have with the girls on the other team, and how easy it is to get hurt.  And the pressure the team has to be good.”
• Isabel O’Connor ‘19: “The scariest part is getting hit in the face with the ball or stick.”
• Jilian Kim ‘18: “Getting hit in the head with a ball or getting your teeth knocked out.”

5. What's your favorite part of playing Field Hockey?

• Julia Bohanon ‘20: “I enjoy the team camaraderie and the feeling of winning! Nothing is more satisfying than watching the team improve and achieving our goals. It is reassuring to see our hard work pay off!”
• Lydia Foster ‘19: “My favorite part of playing field hockey is when our whole team plays loose and works together because it makes us better players, and brings us closer together.”
• Isabel O’Connor ‘19: “I love how competitive it is, and it really brings out a strong and aggressive side of me when I play.”
• Jilian Kim ‘18: “My favorite part about field hockey are the team dinners and bonding with the team everyday!”

Obviously, the game is both gruesome and violent. However, despite the violence and intensity of the sport, the players enjoy the bond that they make with their teammates and the competitive and unique nature of the sport. As the season picks up speed, make sure you go out and support the players!