Improving as a team takes a lot of work and dedication, but luckily, the Lakes Field Hockey team made it seem easy. Over the course of the 2022-23 field hockey season, the girls united and came together as one. Their overall record for the season was 6-11 with an unfortunate end to their season losing to Glenbrook South High School in the regional game. The key players during this season were Tara Rigan, Mia Pfeiffer, Jessica Oman, Sophia Plohg, Gianna Blasco, and Kendall Phelan. With the leadership and talent that these girls had, it helped carry this team to more wins.
The girls had a lot of struggles during the season and improved as much as possible in order to convert in key moments.
“I think we had trouble just connecting our lines. Like our defensive line to our midfield”, Pfeiffer stated.
Although this was a problem, the girls pulled together and worked really hard in practice on their weaknesses. They focused on improving and moving the ball around the field as efficiently as possible. By doing this, they were able to keep up with some of the top teams in the state.
Even though it wasn’t the result the girls were looking for, they had a lot of fun memories that they shared together throughout the season.
“Going on the minibus and going to get food together as a team”, Rigan stated, was one of her favorite memories from the season. It was easy for this team to bond on and off the field and it translated to their connection that they had on the field.
“St. Louis was definitely a favorite and then anytime we had a corner, I liked talking to my defense”, Oman said, were her favorite moments from the season with her team. Being a goalie such as Oman is, you need to trust your team. Spending time together with her team at the Gateway Classic in St. Louis helped build that trust quickly at the start of the season.
Overall, the Lakes Field Hockey team had a great season with close games and good memories made after wins and losses. Ultimately, the girls will cherish this monumental season during their life after Lakes, along with the lessons they have learned from the game.