The Friday feeling drifts around the school as varsity field hockey prepares for an away match against Valley Center High School (2-13). By 6:00 p.m., the team shut out Valley Center High School 4-0, adding another win to their current 18-3 record. Between ending the school day and rushing back to the 7:15 p.m. football kickoff, the school’s field hockey players juggle their own matches and maintain school spirit.
Forward and midfielder Ava Hauer (11) starts game days off with her ritual Starbucks run to get her favorite drink: a Strawberry Acai Lemonade Refresher. To show off team pride, Hauer and her teammates wear matching team merchandise such as sweatsets, socks and warm-up shirts that change each game day. On Friday, they wore a black shooter shirt with a white skirt.
After sitting through three class periods, the team gathers for lunch to bond and fuel up.
“We had a team lunch and ate Jersey Mike’s [sandwiches],” Hauer said. “I love team lunches. It’s the only time I really get to see all my friends together, not including us playing field hockey. We get to debrief, have fun and kind of relax in our own team room; it’s a comfortable place to be.”
After team lunch ends and the sixth period bell rings, some athletes rush to class while others enjoy their free period. Hauer uses her free period to tie her hair into a practical but “cute” hairstyle and put on her uniform. The athletes convene at 2:15 p.m., after early release from class.
That Friday, midfielder Annabelle Su (11) left class at 2:15 p.m., but came to the realization with the rest of her team that the bus would not arrive on time. Varsity field hockey head coach, English 9 Honors and Journalism I teacher Courtney Kun advised her athletes to carpool to the game. Hauer took a group of four of her friends to the game, an hour drive away.
“We were blasting music the whole time and we got to the game late because we had to wait for the bus to come,” Hauer said. “We only had 30 minutes to warm up and my group was the first people to show up on the team, so others were rolling in during those 30 minutes.”
Defender Sophie Herman (11), enjoys being the “aux” during car rides.
“I’m on aux before games and we like to put music on the speaker,” Herman said. “We love to do karaoke or ‘pump up’ music. We have a playlist which has a ton of different music, and I choose music based on whether people want to ‘lock in’ or want to sing along and have more fun, so it depends on the mood what I decide to play before games.”
Other athletes were not as “lucky” as Hauer’s car, and arrived at the game after warmups concluded due to Friday afternoon traffic.
“I was in a car with three other people and we were driving up and got stuck in a car crash so we were supposed to get to the game at 3:30 but we ended up getting there at 4:30,” Su said. “But it ended up being fine.”
Despite these difficulties in making it to the game on time, the team pulled out a 4-0 win. Forward Riley Jackson (10) described other challenges the team overcame during the game.
“The game started a bit rocky with a score of 0-0 with us not playing our best game, frustration and exhaustion getting the best of us,” Jackson said. “Adding in factors we couldn’t control, like the reffing or sun in our eyes, definitely made it difficult to stay composed.”
As the game progressed, Hauer scored the team’s first goal in the second quarter.
“In the second quarter, we picked it up and finally found our rhythm, putting one [shot] in the back of the net, although still struggling to connect, but making good progress,” Jackson said. “In the third and fourth quarters, we definitely picked up the energy and found our rhythm. We ended up putting away 4 goals, winning 4-0.”
An important part of the team’s culture is that after every game, win or lose, they meet to reflect on the outcome and possible improvements. With a win in their pockets, they made the trek to the school’s varsity football game (4-5) against San Marcos High School (6-3) to support their fellow student athletes and dress out in pink to support Breast Cancer Awareness month.
“Most of us attended [the game],” Jackson said. “Myself, along with all my other teammates, got ready in our team room a couple of minutes before the game started. Somehow, we made it on time. Although [I was] tired, it was still such a great night.”
Morgan Christie (12), a defender and midfielder on the team, also came to the football game after the win against the Jaguars. The football team fell to the Knights 21-24, but the audience had fun regardless of the game’s outcome.
“The [football] game was super hype and the drone show was cool,” Christie said. “My day was good. It definitely felt a little longer than usual. It was a learning experience and adjustment because it was not what we anticipated, but it ended up working out.”
The regular season has two more games, on Oct. 27 at La Costa Canyon High School and on Oct. 29 at Canyon Crest Academy High School, before the team takes on the California Interscholastic Federation Playoffs.
“We are sadly nearing the end of our regular season, but that also signifies the soon start of CIFs,” Jackson said. “This year, we are coming for that title and putting in work each and every day to do so.”
Herman’s mother, Joanna Herman — who has been with varsity field hockey for two seasons — credits the team’s success to Coach Kun.
“Coach Courtney has a real vision to make TPHS field hockey a top-tier program in the state and the nation,” Herman said. “The player and family commitment stems from that, and we all want the program to be a success.”
