The Scituate High School Girls Field Hockey Team is making its way through the Patriot League Cup as one of the number one teams in the league. With new COVID-19 restrictions in place, the team has still managed to find the good in working toward their goals and playing the sport they love–despite having to wear masks and social distancing. Some of the players on the team, including seniors Ella Lewis, Bailey Maescher, and Kathleen Murray, are eager to keep their season going, as this is the last time they will play field hockey for SHS. 

These three seniors have been a part of the field hockey program since their freshman year, and they are excited to see their team making it this far in the playoffs. With COVID-19 being a big part of the season, there have been a few new corrections to the rules on the field. Ella Lewis, a forward, explained the updated guidelines for field hockey: “For example, we used to have 11 vs. 11 players on the field, but now, it is seven vs. seven. As you can tell, it is a lot more running and we have our masks on so it is harder to breathe.” Lewis also said that they have “been doing shorter shifts on the field.”

At the beginning of their season, each player on the team was required to quarantine for two weeks after they had been exposed to the Coronavirus. Bailey Maescher, a forward player, gave her thoughts on what the season would look like after those two weeks of quarantine. “I didn’t think we would start back up after quarantine.” Ella believed that the season “would maybe last two weeks and then they would shut everything down.” Relaying back to the two-week suspension of play, Maescher said that “quarantine really bonded us” and when it first began, “people started texting in the group chat more and were checking in.”

Another result of the COVID-19 pandemic is the rule against having any sort of pasta party, which is a big part of the season for players to bond and get to know each other outside of practice. Kathleen Murray, a defender, described how their team has still managed to get along and become close over the last six weeks: “Because we didn’t have pasta parties, at practice, we would always be talking and trying to get to know each other more.” Murray also mentioned that “on the sidelines during games, we would all be watching the game together.”

These players have shown that even in the most difficult circumstances, they can cooperate and still manage to come together as a team. With the future still looking unclear for high school sports, it seems that the field hockey team is grateful for their cherished memories and time on the field.