By Camille Pendleton

Staff Writer

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Pictured above: Hammond Varsity Field Hockey Player, Kate Haber

The Hammond High Varsity Field Hockey Team ended the 2021 season with seven wins and five losses. A majority of those wins came at home. Two were achieved at away games, one being against Long Reach High School on October 7th. The Golden Bears are ranked 7th in the county ahead of Reservoir and Long Reach. 

The senior captain of the team, Isabella (Izzy) Stalnaker attributes those wins to the “team dynamic.”

She says, “…everyone worked well together and created a team we’ve never played like before.” Along with Lauren Johnson, the team is able to play to their full potential and have fun doing so. 

Stalnaker is praised and respected among her teammates and peers. She and Johnson create an atmosphere that allows the players to thrive.

“Our captains, Lauren and Izzy, encouraged us to work hard,” says midfield Charlotte Lamp. 

With a lot of sports and activities having to be postponed due to the ongoing global pandemic, the team was fortunate enough not to be impacted by COVID-19. They were able to carry on with the season, taking into account the new county guidelines. 

Teamwork and cooperation are important for any team. When asked if the team made any major adjustments that impacted their playing ability or games, Stalnaker says, “We all started working together.”  

With the season coming to an end, so is senior captain Izabella Stalnaker’s time with the team. She was asked in a recent interview what advice she would give to the team and incoming captain.

Her response was that of a true leader: “I would definitely tell future players to just enjoy the game and make a family out of the team. The more you support each other, the more you’ll learn to play together.”

Her most memorable moment from this season was when they won the first round of the playoffs.

“I could not describe the level of happiness that went through the team that day,” she says.

The team made it to the first round of playoffs and defeated Wilde Lake High School 0-1 on November 1st. The game-winning goal came from the teamwork and dedication of the team.

Midfield Charlotte Lamp describes a moment she thought was crucial to their win.

“When we passed the ball all around the goal [it] got us a corner and eventually led to the goal we scored,” she comments.

She also credits captain Izzy Stalnaker with giving the team the extra push they needed to get the win: “Izzy’s excitement and the way she wanted to win gave the rest of the team a reason to fight hard and beat Wilde Lake.”

For this team, communication and cooperation were key to their overall success this season.