Though the Potomac Falls field hockey program hasn’t received a lot of recognition, some students don’t even know that there is a field hockey team, the girls who play are passionate and excited for prospect of playing at the school next year. For the past year field hockey has been exclusively a club at schools across Loudoun County, but in the 2016-2017 school year, field hockey will be becoming a varsity sport.

“In a rec sport it’s not so competitive, you’re playing more for fun than for competition. I’m really glad that it’s becoming a varsity sport so people can recognize that field hockey is a sport and that people around the world love it,” said junior varsity captain Abby Asuncion.

Asuncion, along with her fellow captain Tia Stajkowski, led the junior varsity team to an excellent season, as well as a second place playoff finish. Despite the pressure on them to lead the team to victory, neither captain has been feeling any difference in playing.

“To me there’s not much of a difference [between captains and players], I just play. If someone asks me to lead or give advice,then I will, but sometimes people need to figure things out on their own,” said Stajkowski.

Both captains believe that the junior varsity team has done very well this season and they’ve seen a lot of improvement among the players. Asuncion and Stajkowski are not only leaders of the junior varsity team however, since they are both talented players, they play on the varsity team as well.

“Playing varsity,it’s a lot more competitive and the girls are older and more experienced,” said Asuncion.

Playing up gives them the opportunity to improve their skills even more by playing alongside more skilled players. Those talented players include varsity captains Serena Farmer and Nathalie Groot. These captains led the varsity team to a fourth place playoff finish. Both captains are hopeful about the effects the switch to a high school sport will have.

“It’s going to be a lot more intense with practices everyday and hopefully the players who don’t step up in practices will step up more and play,” said Farmer.

Groot agrees with Farmer; “I feel like some players that aren’t as motivated will drop out, but I feel like a lot of us are trying to do our best and those of us who have the motivation will get there and we’ll make it work,” said Groot.

The true leaders of the team are the coaches, Rob Groot and Kim Feiser. Both coaches have been putting a lot of time and effort into trying to get the players to their full potentials. Groot has over 40 years of experience in playing field hockey and Feiser played in high school as well as having a daughter who plays travel field hockey. They are looking forward to being involved in the field hockey program next year and are hoping that the involvement and dedication of the players will increase.

“People will take [playing field hockey] more seriously. We have had players that have registered and only attended one game. Once it’s a varsity sport you can’t do that anymore,” said Groot.

Feiser agrees that the transition will help the team; “We definitely have more potential. When field hockey is recognized as a varsity sport, I’m sure we’re going to have some players from different sports come out to play for our high school. And we have to fine-tune people’s skills and I’m sure that next year they’ll be doing better than they are this year,” said Feiser.

The entire field hockey team is looking forward to being able to play for their high school next year. However, the team will need more players next year and encourage people to try out. The field hockey club league, Loudoun County League(LCL), will be holding a spring season in which anyone who wants to can sign up for a team and play field hockey.

  “Play field hockey! It’s amazing!” said Asuncion.