It’s the beginning of the new school year and fall sports have kicked into high gear. After a long, restful summer filled with sun and new music, all the players are ready to come back stronger and better than last season. With immense dedication and love for their fall sports, the players are ready to step back into their Eagle uniforms and represent our school with pride.
As for the seniors, this will be their last time suiting up for the fall, and they have made both their sadness and excitement for their final fall season extremely clear. The seniors are determined to leave their mark and are ready to lead their teams to victory one last time.
Girls Varsity Soccer –
The girls varsity soccer team is eager to start the season. They are looking forward to bringing home many wins for the Eagles this year. Their biggest competitors this season will be Riverdale, Poly Prep and Dalton, who is the best in the league.
Teams are still in the beginning half of preseason and players are still searching to find their sea legs, or might I say soccer legs.
“During practices, we do like to play around and have fun, but sometimes it can distract from the drills,” Harper de Boer (V) said.
There is always room for improvement, and the girls are starting to feel the pressure to up their game from last year. Co-Captain Stella Silverstein (VI), mentioned that a lot of girls from the team graduated last year. Silverstein is unsure of how the team is going to play this coming fall. “I’m excited, obviously, since it’s my senior season. I’m now determined to do well this fall,” Silverstein added.
“My advice to incoming freshmen trying out for soccer is to try your hardest even when preseason feels impossible and you feel intimidated by the older girls. Don’t be afraid to show what you’ve got,” returning player Alex Apfel (IV) said.
Head Coach Volpe has been keeping her eye out for new talent and is looking forward to see what the team will do this season.
“I’ve been pretty nervous for this season, more than I have in past years because I’m a captain now,” Silverstein said. She is determined to make all ivy (or higher) this season and not let in more than 5 goals in one game.
As for the team, she wants them to win at homecoming and “slay the pep rally.” Silverstein knows that, as a senior, everyone will be looking at her to see what she’s doing and what kind of goalkeeper she will be this year. She wants to leave the team on a positive note and propel them into the following season with more knowledge and sill than they previously had.
“I know as a goalkeeper that, especially, if we’re in the middle of a game I have to be positive because then everyone else will be positive.” Being co-captain means taking on a lot of responsibilities, but Silverstein has made it clear that she is ready to take on the challenge and represent the Eagles one last time.
Girls Tennis –
Girls tennis is ready to bring their spirit and determination to the courts this coming fall. They have been working hard and progressing this past week, and are preparing themselves to take down some big competitors.
Co-Captain Livi Spiegel (VI) mentioned her excitement for the games against Trinity and Riverdale. “We are evenly matched with both of these teams and I’m hoping this year we can beat them both,” Spiegel said. Although these are exciting games, Horace Mann remains the toughest team for the Eagles to beat.
“As a senior, I’m going to approach the season more team oriented than individually. Tennis is an individual sport, and I can often get lost in that, but we are a team. We win together and lose together,” Spiegel said. She wants to make the most out of her last season on the tennis team; she wants her team to remember to enjoy the fun of the game and make the most out of every practice, match and team dinner they have.
Water Polo –
The water polo team is always ready to provide a good atmosphere and a fun game to watch. From the bleachers, you always see the ripples of water slosh its way over the sides of the pool. The team has such a great dynamic with one another, and never fails to be a nice, friendly space for people to talk and have fun with.
For this upcoming season, Marco Deangelis (VI) has said that their goal is to win every game. “We have some really amazing seniors on the team who have been with us since water polo started at Fieldston.”
The team is determined to take on Horace Mann and Trinity and bring home a win. Last year, they struggled with people on the team having an “every man for himself” mindset. But Deangelis is certain that the team will be able to adjust and become better players in the water.
Deangelis is also looking forward to what the underclassmen will bring to the table. “They are the future of this team, and I hope that they continue to show that they are fantastic water polo players.”
It’s looking very positive for the water polo team and I’m sure the entire Fieldston community is eager to see them excel.
Field Hockey –
Returning from a long summer and coming off a good season last year, the field hockey team has high hopes for the games in the upcoming fall. The team is approaching this season with new aspirations and challenges, but it is very clear that they have a game plan.
VFH takes practices and scrimmages very seriously and are ready to prove to the rest of the Ivy League teams that they are the best. “As a team, we always have a really active warm up with our playlist in the background,” Co-Captain Phoebe May (VI) said.
The team is really looking forward to playing Riverdale this season. Last year, they had played three really close games, and unfortunately, Riverdale came out on top in all three games.
May is encouraged more than ever to take them on and is convinced that the team has what it takes this season to beat them. “Our program has grown and some of our younger players have improved. I have high hopes for us this year,” she said.
As a community, Fieldston will be able to see this exciting rivalry at Homecoming and root on our fellow Eagles.
Taking on the role as co-captain, May wants what is best for the team. She knows that they had a decent record last year, but knows that they are capable of doing so much more.
May plans to lead by example this year and not be afraid to take risks by trying new dodges and being super aggressive. She knows that pushing herself and the team is going to be essential for success this season.
May is sad to have this be her last field hockey season as an Eagle and wants to leave her teammates some advice. “I want my team to savor every moment of the season. Even when it’s hot and you’re tired or bored, remember how amazing it is to be in such a close knit community with people who care about you.”
May shows great potential to become an inspiring leader of the team. She has the motivation, commitment and determination that will drive the team to countless wins.
Volleyball –
The Fieldston volleyball team never fails to bring their game faces. They had an amazing season last year, and continue to display their ever evolving skills and talent on the court.
The players take the game very seriously and trust one another to stay in shape and mentally prepared for the upcoming season during the summer.
“Everyone on the team takes the sport very seriously and we all know that it takes a lot of focus, commitment and sacrifice to play at the level we play at and to continue to improve,” Co-Captain Sarah Rockhill (VI) said.
Unfortunately for this year’s team, some really crucial players have left for college. Gillian Gore was a key member of the volleyball squad and the team was sad to see her go, but they are also more motivated now to push themselves harder and become better players.
“We lose crucial players every year. The team is very balanced and has never relied solely on seniors. We are all expected to play at the same level of volleyball,” Rockhill said.
Rockhill expressed her encouragement towards both upperclassmen and lowerclassmen to take a leadership role and speak up for the team.
Rockhill’s time as an Eagle is coming to an end. This team has been her home for four years now and has taught her so much. Discipline and sacrifice are at the top of that list.
“There are days where I don’t want to come in on early Saturday morning practices, but I’ve come to an understanding that missing practice isn’t an option, and that sacrifices have to be made in order to succeed as a team,” Rockhill said.
She now understands the importance of giving her all and being dedicated to a cause. Rockhill is taking on the role of co-captain this year, and is happy to contribute all the positive energy she can and lead the team in the right direction by teaching them all the skills people in the past have taught her.
Football –
Around the country, the beginning of football season is the harbinger of fall. It is one of the biggest sports that eases the pain of the reentry of school and cooler weather. It is no different here at Fieldston.
Football is one of the headlining sports at Homecoming and one that people never fail to miss. The Eagles are ready to fight a battle to win the title of, “King of the Hill,” meaning they want to beat Horrace Mann and Riverdale.
Pierce O’Hagan (VI) said that he was excited for the game against Montclair Kimberley Academy (MKA), who they are playing against at Homecoming this year.
This year’s team has many seniors making the starting lineup. Head Coach Gus Ornstein is excited to see what the seniors will do with their new leadership roles and the accomplishments the team will make this season.
The seniors and Ornstein are prepared to make the most out of every practice and game. They want to be the best team in the league. “We hold our team to high expectations, which motivates our athletes to reach those expectations,” Ornstein said.
Last year, the team lost to MKA in the last two minutes of the game. The team can have a hard time finishing their games off strong. Team leaders feel that the players need to work on keeping up their intensity and aggression up until the last seconds of the game.
“We had a few close games that we ended up losing in the final minutes. This has been a point of emphasis this year and something we are really stressing – we have to be able to finish,” Ornstein said.
Older players on the team are excited to see the new talent that has been flowing into Fieldston. The team is always looking for players that will step up and impact the team throughout the season. Ornstein is ready to welcome new players who are prepared to give 100% to the team and show real talent.
I’m sure everyone is looking forward to what the team will be this season and what they will achieve. We are all especially excited to possibly earn the title, “King of the Hill.”
Boys Soccer –
Fieldston is lucky to have such a dedicated and passionate boys soccer team. The game’s atmosphere is one filled with excitement and competitiveness. The boys always try to hype themselves up and keep their spirits high on the bus with loud music.
The players are prepared to fight for many wins this season, and in order to do so, they are putting their game faces on. The boys are starting to finally fall back into the groove and are eager to start the season off with a bang. “As a team we try and perform at a top level everyday,” Gabe Oleksy (V) said.
They start off their practice with a drill called rondo, which is essentially monkey in the middle. The game forces the team to practice communication with one another and their footwork. Soccer is definitely a team sport and requires encouragement from one another to improve. “The seniors and coach bring intensity to every practice in order to push the team,” Olesky said.
Despite the hard work each and every player contributes to the team, they still have some weaknesses to overcome.
Last season, the team had trouble creating scoring opportunities for their attackers. “With a lot of new players and coaches this year, the team is going to have trouble becoming familiar with one another on and off the field,” Co-Captain Will Najjar (VI) said.
Najjar believes that preseason and scrimmages help the team get to know each other, and that playing with everyone on the team will become easier after every day.
The team’s biggest competitor this season is Riverdale.
Olesky explained that three years ago the team made the semi-finals of the Ivy League and were put up against Riverdale. They were all really excited because they hadn’t made the playoffs in a long time, and then they unfortunately lost to them.
Ever since then the team has held a grudge. This season, the boys have been given the chance to redeem themselves at Homecoming, where they want “to prove that they are the harder working team that deserves to be known as the better side,” Olesky said.
It is clear that Seniors Will Najjar and David Runte are bent on getting the team far into the playoffs and winning against Riverdale, and they are willing to push themselves and the team to get there.
