The sun beat down on players as they awaited the ref’s whistle. Coach Ariana Hooper, a Poway alumna, watches from the sidelines, cheering on her team.
Hooper has been coaching for nine years at Poway High. After graduating she went on to play Division III field hockey at Goucher College in Maryland. “I coach because I love my community, and want to give back. Field hockey is a special community with a great bond like no other,” Hooper said. The Varsity Girls’ Field Hockey team is currently 9-11 in the league. On Oct. 18, they beat Valley Center 4-3. They won against Canyon Crest Academy 3-2 on Oct. 10. On Sept.28 they won 3-0 against Eastlake. Hooper hopes that they will place in the top four seeds of the Division I playoffs. Leading this year’s team to success are seniors Sophia Grimm and Roxy Strickland. Grimm said her favorite things about field hockey are the strong team bond and amazing coaching,
“I want to be successful for myself and my teammates, I’m playing to win but also to have a good time. I just really love the sport. It’s enjoyable and I think it’s a good group of girls,” Grimm said.
Grimm has been playing field hockey since she was in sixth grade. This is her third year on varsity, and she has now committed to Cornell University to continue playing. Her co-captain, Roxy Strickland has played all four years here. Strickland’s experience being captain has been a bit stressful, but she says it is a good experience. She said she loves the team environment and the sport.
“I think we’re really good with our team chemistry. Everyone gets along, and I think that really shows on the field,” Strickland said. They had their last regular season game on Oct. 30 against La Costa Canyon High School, ending their season with a 3-1 loss.
