Field hockey team hopes to have better results this year after focusing on conditioning

Head coach: Nanu Sidhu

2018-2019 record: 4-10-4

Last season recap: The team failed to make CCS after placing in fourth with a league record of 4-7-4 and is still in the El Camino division.

Key Additions: sophomore goalie Nandini Desai, sophomore midfielder Lauren Yarrington

Key Matchups: Los Gatos (Sept. 17), Lynbrook (Oct. 1), Monta Vista (Oct. 8)

Star players: senior defender Hannah Beine, midfielder Sarah Rieken

Key losses to graduation: goalie Judy Yang, defender Autumn Zuleeg

League: Santa Clara Valley Athletics League, El Camino division

Prognosis:

After having a disappointing season in which they failed to qualify for CCS, the field hockey team hopes to have a better season by focusing on having superior conditioning. 

“We have a pretty strong team this year,” senior goalie Simrita Advani said. “We’ve been conditioning a lot and I think that’s going to strengthen our season.” 

A major struggle the team faces this season is filling in the gaps left by seniors who have graduated, but they anticipate overcoming these holes with conditioned players who can last longer in games. The team currently has 15 players, meaning they will have a small bench compared to some teams. 

“We don’t have too many subs, but if we’re fit, we can last longer in games,” Advani said. 

Consistent conditioning will help the team perform, but it has not been pleasant due to the hot weather. 

“Practicing in the heat sucks a lot because we do sprints at the beginning of each practice and when it’s 100 degrees or more it gets exhausting,” Advani said.

Nevertheless, the field hockey team has high hopes of  placing at the top of the league and qualifying for CCS due to the fact that they are in better shape and have better team chemistry than last year. 

“I’m looking forward to playing one last really good season with the team and hopefully winning all of our games,” Advani said.