Adriana Sanchez
Social Media Director
The Keene State Field Hockey team has done nothing but succeed through this season. For starters, their record is 10-1. Second, one of the captains has been selected as an alternate for the Division III field hockey Championship all-star game that takes place in Pennsylvania on November 17 and 18.
Captain Erica Stauffer is very proud to be selected.
“I’m very honored, they had a huge poll to choose from, it’s all the seniors in Division III. So I’m definitely honored to be considered with people that were chosen,” Stauffer said.
She said she couldn’t have done this without the support she has received in the four years of playing here at KSC. Her head coach, Amy Watson, is a key factor to where she is now and to the team as a whole.
Watson said she brings leadership and strong presence on the team field with excellent technical skills. In order for players to be nominated the team coaches have to nominate them. Watson nominated Stauffer because she’s been a key player throughout her four years playing here. “It’s always a great honor to have a player selected to Senior all-star game, it’s an honor that celebrates their complete body of work as an athlete,” said Watson.
“She makes sure everyone stays in their role and [is] working in new people if possible. She’s really good. If something isn’t working, she makes us move on and start something else,” Watson said.
Stauffer takes this achievement not as a personal achievement, but a team achievement. She wouldn’t have been selected it wasn’t for everyone on the team.
Teammate and co-captain Mia Brickley said she’s nothing but happy for Stauffer.
“It’s awesome that Erica was chosen as an alternate. That’s a huge accomplishment, and everyone on the team is very happy for her. She works hard and is a great team motivator so it is nice to see that hard work paying off for her,” Brickley said.
Although Stauffer has only been selected as an alternate, her parents were nothing but honored to find out their daughter was selected.
“My family were posting it all over social media, they were very happy for me,” Stauffer said.
Stauffer said the team’s end goal is to win the LEC championship, but her personal goal is to remain consistent.
“If you have a bad game, it affects the whole team but if you have a great game, you want to maintain that level of high quality play the whole time,” Stauffer said. Adding to this, Stauffer said staying consistent is a major factor on why she believes got her here: “I’ve been pretty consistent through my four years. I was a forward my first two years and those stats helped me, and then I transited to midfielder. So staying consistent with stats and playing-wise really helped me.”
Her first two years, she was a forward and mid-season last year, she transitioned to a midfielder.
Two years ago, two players were selected for the All-Star game, according to Stauffer.
“The people that came before me set a good example and just being encouraging to each other and coming from a successful winning team really just helps influence your style of play, because you want to keep that tradition going,” Stauffer said.
Keeping the team motivated even when, at times, it feels like it’s dragging on, has also helped her keep her mindset of determination going.
“Sometimes people can feel like it’s dragging, but at practices, keeping that high level of intensity and positivity and motivation helps. Being a successful team really helps, because if you’re not doing too well during the season, it’s not going to be as fun. So we try to make everything as fun as possible and include people,” Stauffer said. The team also does team bonding to keep the chemistry going every Friday. “Even off the field we try to keep everyone together,” Stauffer said.
Stauffer stays active even during off season. In the spring, the team has spring practices and lifts. Over the summer, she plays for a club team. “So pretty much all year I’m focused,” Stauffer said. She started playing in seventh grade. By November 13,, Stauffer will find out if she has been selected.
Adriana Sanchez can be reached
at asanchez@kscequinox.com
